My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and grass
and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high I can go
with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp proof course and
that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about 2 bricks below it as
that's what it is around the rest of the house. However there are gaps
between some of the bricks that low down - it's about 5 bricks between
gaps. Can I go up past this level or are the gaps there to let air in?

Thanks
--
John Kelly

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John Kelly wrote:
My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and grass
and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high I can go
with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp proof course and
that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about 2 bricks below it as
that's what it is around the rest of the house. However there are gaps
between some of the bricks that low down - it's about 5 bricks between
gaps. Can I go up past this level or are the gaps there to let air in?

Thanks
--
John Kelly

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Blimey. What do you mean by 'gaps'

There should be no gaps blow ground, and its normal to let in proper
rodent proof vents if you need ventilation.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
John Kelly wrote:
My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and grass
and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high I can go
with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp proof course and
that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about 2 bricks below it
as that's what it is around the rest of the house. However there are
gaps between some of the bricks that low down - it's about 5 bricks
between gaps. Can I go up past this level or are the gaps there to let
air in?

Blimey. What do you mean by 'gaps'

There should be no gaps blow ground, and its normal to let in proper
rodent proof vents if you need ventilation.

well, maybe gaps is the wrong word. Every 5 bricks there's no mortar
between the bricks so it looks like a gap.

--
John Kelly

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John Kelly wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
John Kelly wrote:
My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and grass
and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high I can go
with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp proof course and
that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about 2 bricks below it
as that's what it is around the rest of the house. However there are
gaps between some of the bricks that low down - it's about 5 bricks
between gaps. Can I go up past this level or are the gaps there to let
air in?

Blimey. What do you mean by 'gaps'

There should be no gaps blow ground, and its normal to let in proper
rodent proof vents if you need ventilation.

well, maybe gaps is the wrong word. Every 5 bricks there's no mortar
between the bricks so it looks like a gap.

--
John Kelly

There will be a tray dpc at that level built into the inner and outer
skins of the wall. It is to catch any moisture in the cavity and drain
it out through the holes you can see. It's probably not sensible to
cover them.

A

John Kelly wrote:
My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and grass
and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high I can go
with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp proof course and
that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about 2 bricks below it
as that's what it is around the rest of the house. However there are
gaps between some of the bricks that low down - it's about 5 bricks
between gaps. Can I go up past this level or are the gaps there to
let air in?

150mm down from DPC is the maximum you can go to with your soil/turf (or
about 2 bricks with joints)
The holes are weep holes and are there to allow moisture to drain out of the
cavity....you can go up to the weep holes but I wouldn't cover them if I
were you - the amount of moisture they will deal with in a year would
probably not even fill a bucket, but if left standing in the base of the
cavity, it will cause lots of other problems, especially when it freezes.

Phil L wrote:
John Kelly wrote:
My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and grass
and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high I can go
with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp proof course and
that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about 2 bricks below it
as that's what it is around the rest of the house. However there are
gaps between some of the bricks that low down - it's about 5 bricks
between gaps. Can I go up past this level or are the gaps there to
let air in?

150mm down from DPC is the maximum you can go to with your soil/turf (or
about 2 bricks with joints)
The holes are weep holes and are there to allow moisture to drain out of the
cavity....you can go up to the weep holes but I wouldn't cover them if I
were you - the amount of moisture they will deal with in a year would
probably not even fill a bucket, but if left standing in the base of the
cavity, it will cause lots of other problems, especially when it freezes.

That changes things then. I'm not a fan of it but if I were to put
gravel down between the grass and the wall would that be alright? That
might give enough drainage.
--
John Kelly

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wrote:
John Kelly wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
John Kelly wrote:
My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and grass
and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high I can go
with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp proof course and
that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about 2 bricks below it
as that's what it is around the rest of the house. However there are
gaps between some of the bricks that low down - it's about 5 bricks
between gaps. Can I go up past this level or are the gaps there to let
air in?
Blimey. What do you mean by 'gaps'

There should be no gaps blow ground, and its normal to let in proper
rodent proof vents if you need ventilation.
well, maybe gaps is the wrong word. Every 5 bricks there's no mortar
between the bricks so it looks like a gap.

--
John Kelly

There will be a tray dpc at that level built into the inner and outer
skins of the wall. It is to catch any moisture in the cavity and drain
it out through the holes you can see. It's probably not sensible to
cover them.

Ah. Thats odd though, because the main DPC is above that by two bricks?

Anyway, whilst its not SENSIBLE to cover them, IF you lay a shingle
drain along the outside, an then cover THAT you ware probably no worse off.

A

John Kelly wrote:
Phil L wrote:
John Kelly wrote:
My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and grass
and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high I can go
with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp proof course and
that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about 2 bricks below it
as that's what it is around the rest of the house. However there are
gaps between some of the bricks that low down - it's about 5 bricks
between gaps. Can I go up past this level or are the gaps there to
let air in?

150mm down from DPC is the maximum you can go to with your soil/turf
(or about 2 bricks with joints)
The holes are weep holes and are there to allow moisture to drain out
of the cavity....you can go up to the weep holes but I wouldn't cover
them if I were you - the amount of moisture they will deal with in a
year would probably not even fill a bucket, but if left standing in
the base of the cavity, it will cause lots of other problems,
especially when it freezes.

That changes things then. I'm not a fan of it but if I were to put
gravel down between the grass and the wall would that be alright? That
might give enough drainage.

I would personally risk that, yes.

Having seen what a good gravel filled trench that has some way of
draining, itself, can do in terms of getting rid of water flung of
gutterless thatched rooves, .another even BETTER option would be to
excavate enough to put in a plastic perforated pipe, in gravel, and
arrange for that to drain somewhere lower down.

John Kelly wrote:
Phil L wrote:
John Kelly wrote:
My extension was built and I'm about to start laying topsoil and
grass and generally finishing off. I'm a little unsure of how high
I can go with the topsoil. Obviously I can't go above the damp
proof course and that's too high up anyway but I'd like to go about
2 bricks below it as that's what it is around the rest of the
house. However there are gaps between some of the bricks that low
down - it's about 5 bricks between gaps. Can I go up past this
level or are the gaps there to let air in?

150mm down from DPC is the maximum you can go to with your soil/turf
(or about 2 bricks with joints)
The holes are weep holes and are there to allow moisture to drain
out of the cavity....you can go up to the weep holes but I wouldn't
cover them if I were you - the amount of moisture they will deal
with in a year would probably not even fill a bucket, but if left
standing in the base of the cavity, it will cause lots of other
problems, especially when it freezes.

That changes things then. I'm not a fan of it but if I were to put
gravel down between the grass and the wall would that be alright? That
might give enough drainage.

Yes, but make sure it's large enough not to compact down into a solid or
semi solid mass, 18mm pea gravel would probably be best, B&Q do some that is
cheap as chips but looks OK when washed, sort of a purpleish colour....white
limestone would also do but beware that it looks hideous when leaves and
debris start making it go brown in patches.