New Driveway Sloping Towards House

[BenHen]

Hello

I've just had a new driveway put in my 1930's semi and in areas it slopes towards the house. I'm frustrated as I did keep emphasisng that the water needs to run away from the house. We went with a reputable company and apart from the slope towards the house in places they've done a really good job. As it's 1930's its suspended timber floors so I don't want water flooding underneath it and giving us damp and root in the house. The gradient isn't massive, but it's enough to mean water runs the wrong way towards the house. Some photos attached.

You'll probably see the line of the drive is a little high to the DPC, the old one was similar and never had any problems as it sloped away. I did ask about putting drainage channels in when they came to quote but said they weren't needed as the water will flow away from the house. As we didn't have them before i assumed that was fine.

We are where we are, clearly lots of issues above. I guess what I need to know what are my options now to rectify this? Couple of suggestions below:
1. Get the company/someone else to angle grind the drive up and retro fit some drainage channels that take the water away (can this be done? how neat can it be done retrospectively)?
2. Fit some sort of thin tile/sloped tile on top of the edging and seal it all like mad so it creates a runaway channel towards the flower bed on the left of some photos

Any other thoughts ideas? I don't think it can be left as is long term as the house will just get a pool of damp under the bay window.

Thanks in advance
BH

 

[23vc]

Is water actually pooling against the house though, or is it running along and off to a gulley or elsewhere? Slope towards the house is ok if there’s also a slope in another direction for run off…

 

[BenHen]

Thanks 23VC

I wouldn't say it's pooling, but it is running towards it and quite a bit of water. The gradient to the left of the door to the bay and to the left to the flowerbed isn't a massive slope but is a slope. The cement is already cracking a bit between the block edging and the house so it's just going to create a gap for water to escape between the block edging and house. They are 100 years apart in terms of materials and age so will be some movement and shrinkage at different rates. See photo.

I guess if I get some sort of sealant all along that channel might work which creates like a membrane and non-porous channel

https://www.watco.co.uk/products/watco-fine-crack-filler-cold-cure

I also thought about putting these tiles over the cement between the block paving and the house then almost grouting them in (or using some sort of silicone type seal that tolerated movement.

It's so frustrating....

 

[23vc]

where’s the dpc level in relation to those pics?
If it’s the bottom of the render the ground level’s a bit high
I’d get out there when it’s chucking it down and just see how much of an issue it is. That wall has always been subject to surface rain, and if it runs off effectively it’s not a massive issue
Like you say, you could improve things with waterproofer, some kind of sloped fillet to direct back away from wall etc

 

[noseall]

Hello

I've just had a new driveway put in my 1930's semi and in areas it slopes towards the house. I'm frustrated as I did keep emphasisng that the water needs to run away from the house. We went with a reputable company and apart from the slope towards the house in places they've done a really good job. As it's 1930's its suspended timber floors so I don't want water flooding underneath it and giving us damp and root in the house. The gradient isn't massive, but it's enough to mean water runs the wrong way towards the house. Some photos attached.

You'll probably see the line of the drive is a little high to the DPC, the old one was similar and never had any problems as it sloped away. I did ask about putting drainage channels in when they came to quote but said they weren't needed as the water will flow away from the house. As we didn't have them before i assumed that was fine.

We are where we are, clearly lots of issues above. I guess what I need to know what are my options now to rectify this? Couple of suggestions below:
1. Get the company/someone else to angle grind the drive up and retro fit some drainage channels that take the water away (can this be done? how neat can it be done retrospectively)?
2. Fit some sort of thin tile/sloped tile on top of the edging and seal it all like mad so it creates a runaway channel towards the flower bed on the left of some photos

Any other thoughts ideas? I don't think it can be left as is long term as the house will just get a pool of damp under the bay window.

Thanks in advance
BH

Why was (Aco?) drainage not discussed? Seems very odd theyt you watched them lay the whole drive and didn't think to discuss it during the construction process.

 

[BenHen]

Why was (Aco?) drainage not discussed? Seems very odd theyt you watched them lay the whole drive and didn't think to discuss it during the construction process.

Well I’m not a builder, driveway person. I’m just a homeowner trying to get a new drive. Took their word that they knew what they were doing. I’m not the professional here!

 

[noseall]

Well I’m not a builder, driveway person. I’m just a homeowner trying to get a new drive. Took their word that they knew what they were doing. I’m not the professional here!

Yet here you are discussing drainage and falls after it's all finished.

 

[BenHen]

Yet here you are discussing drainage and falls after it's all finished.

Yep!

 

[BenHen]

where’s the dpc level in relation to those pics?
If it’s the bottom of the render the ground level’s a bit high
I’d get out there when it’s chucking it down and just see how much of an issue it is. That wall has always been subject to surface rain, and if it runs off effectively it’s not a massive issue
Like you say, you could improve things with waterproofer, some kind of sloped fillet to direct back away from wall etc

The dpc is at the end of the render. The previous drive was very similar height so although not ideal I think that bit is fine. It’s the water running towards the house we didn’t have before that concerns me.

 

[cdbe]

I'd get it sorted - trough, French drain, acco's - that's not a good look when you come to sell. If there's puddling on the surface it's been laid to insufficient fall - regardless of which way.

 

[BenHen]

I'd get it sorted - trough, French drain, acco's - that's not a good look when you come to sell. If there's puddling on the surface it's been laid to insufficient fall - regardless of which way.

Thanks CDBE. Are accos easy enough to fit after the tarmac is down?

 

[cdbe]

Depends how handy you are with a stihl saw - and/or how wide those blocks are and how easily they'll come out.