rainwater pooling against wall

[Sarahaken]

Hello , I have a problem with rainwater pooling against the front wall of my house.
This problem seems to have started since my neighbour had her drive block paved.
I live on a hill and the neighbour lives next door (semi) her house is lower down the hill so in theory the rainwater should go her way which wouldn't be a problem as she has a large side garden and is an end house . However it is all flowing back towards my house under my lounge window and up to the porch. I'm worried this will affect the foundations of my house .
Unfortunately I can't channel the water in any other direction as my front garden and drive slope towards my house . There is a drain but there is a porch between the pool and the drain .
The drive she had was done 2 years ago or so and I've noticed water collecting there but it seems to be getting worse or a least more obvious due to the weather.
I dont want to upset my neighbour as she is a retired widow. However I am getting quite worried and don't have much spare money . Any suggestion welcome . Thank you

 

[Sarahaken]

 

[r896neo]

Its a little unclear from your post the overall situation? You say the neighbour is below you but yet her drive causes this water??

Could you perhaps post a photo of the wider area showing the lie of the land so to speak? And how the porch fits in to this? also show where your drainage gullys are?

Thanks

 

[Sarahaken]

Hello yes it does sound confusing after reading my post again . It's hard to explain but the hill slopes in her direction however it seems her new drive well more the paving under her window now slopes in my direction .
I will take some photographs tomorrow . Hopefully it will make more sense then . Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post

 

[r896neo]

I think i understand but a photo especially showing the porch and gully positions would be helpful

 

[Sarahaken]

 

[Sarahaken]

Here are a couple I took today are they of any use ?

 

[Sarahaken]

The problem area is the paved area that runs under the front window of my house and continues under the neighbours . There is no garden wall or Barrier along the boundary. My half is paving slabs and hers is block paving

 

[Burnerman]

That's a fair bit of standing water, Sara.....it could be rather close to your damp proof course on your wall?
Initially, I'd be inclined to try to channel the water into the garden, and maybe construct some sort of dam to prevent it flowing there in the first place.
(Sorry to sound thick, but your house is the one on the right, but next door is actually down hill from you?)
Can you show us if there are any drain gullies nearby?
John

 

[blightymam]

I agree, the pavement outside the front of your house looks like it's too high up and I'd be worried about the damp proof course.
It also looks like the slope of your garden would cause a fair bit of the pooling and the stone surround to your beds doesn't help. I would recommend looking into a French drain along the front or similar.

 

[Sarahaken]

Yes my house is on the right . The only drain is on the right hand side of the porch . Which is no good !
It's quite annoying as as I would have thought the workmen who laid the path and drive would give some consideration as to where rainwater would now flow and to angle the ground so it slopes back to my house is just daft. If I dammed the boundary I would still probably have the same issue as previously all the rain water from my side would naturally all run off her drive and side garden without causing any problems.
Do you know if the workmen be accountable for this problem and have any sort of duty to put it right?
The water does pool against next doors wall too but not to the same degree .
I could possibly ask for the name of the company who did the work .
That or research French drains !
Thanks for the suggestions

 

[Sarahaken]

 

[Sarahaken]

Last photo Gives a better idea of the hill we live on

 

[Burnerman]

Just some interim suggestions Sara, particularly as you're not wanting to spend much cash just now......
Suggestion 1.
Your garden is able to cope with a certain amount of rainfall. Admittedly nothing will cope with the monsoons we appear to be having, but its a start......create a small cement 'hump' between the neighbours path and yours. It doesn't need to be high, just a sort of a barrier, if you like. That should prevent water coming on to your path from hers. Next, remove a couple of those vertical retaining flags that hold your garden soil back. This is to allow any standing water to run away on to the garden and soak in. Lower the soil level there, just to give a sort of moat for the water to collect in.
Personally I don't think your property is in any sort of threat from this foundation wise - after all, we all get downpours from time to time - but whatever happens, you don't want your wall DPC to be breached in any way. Its not easy to see where the DPC actually is - maybe you could point it out for us? Ideally the DPC needs to be 2 brick courses higher than the path, so any splash is accommodated.
Obviously when the neighbours drive was paved, little thought was given to the cast off water - so often the case! By now I really doubt if you could find anyone liable and in any case, remedial work would be expensive.
Suggestion 2.
'Drive Drain' is a sort of channel with a grille on the top, usually in one metre lengths. Laid on the edge of your path and initially level with the path surface, water runs into this and the gentle slope of the installation carries the water away either into a drain or to an area where it can run away.
With a French drain, that's three suggestions in the melting pot!
John

 

[r896neo]

It is wholey unacceptable to discharge surface water into your neighbours land. This applies to both of you though. You should not have been using her drive to get rid of the water previously but she absolutely should not have let a new driveway fall water toward your boundary.

As for solutions, they come in 3 categories.

1. Get the neighbour to stop all run-off, will be a lot of work relayng the drive partially.

2. Deal with the water locally, I.e French drain as suggested. This may or may not work depending on volume of water. If its just draining the path it should but if its draining one or both driveways I cant see it working

3. Instal drainage of some sort. This would involved digging a trench and connecting to your rainwater gulley beside your porch. This will be probable a few hundred quid and will make a mess of your concrete drive.

Either neighbour could do 3. If the drive was laid within the last year or two I would suggest contacting the contractor to see I they'll offer something?

To be honest at a glance i think its most likely your driveways fault. Its really hard to know without a level and seeing it in the flesh.

As I said at the start neither neighbour should discharge water onto the other and i wiuld guess for a long time your drive and path drained through their garden. The fact that they made alterations which blocked this flow is unfortunate for you but not their problem its your responsibility to collect and or discharge water falling on your property.