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Driveways
Drainage / block paving
I’m having block paving (Marshall’s concrete blocks) put down over a 50sqm drive way which slopes away from the house to the road. This will replace an existing old stone paved / part concrete driveway. The sub base would be 100-150mm of type 1, below which is mostly clay based soil. 50mm of sharp sand, and then the blocks. I’ve read a lot about drainage but I’m confused on what to do. If it’s block paving shouldn’t that be a permeable surface when water draining down the gaps between the paviors? I have looked at an aco drain at the bottom of the drive where it meets the pavement, with a soak away. But with mostly clay soil would that actually work/do anything? Also if the soak away pit has to be under the finished driveway, wouldn’t there be the risk of the driveway subsiding down into the soakway area? (Assume 1m3 or 2m3). None of the other houses on my street have drain channels.
What should I or could I do?
4 Answers from MyBuilder Driveway Pavers
Best Answer
Coastal Paving and Landscaping
Newquay•Member since 11 Feb 2021•12jobs,100%positivefeedback
Depending on the age of the house depends on what drainage system you will need .On 1 October 2008 new rules applied for householders wanting to hard surface over their front gardens. If the surface to be covered is more than five square metres, you are required to get planning permission for laying traditional, impermeable driveways that do not control rainwater running off onto roads. This will apply to new driveways, drive extensions or drive replacements.
If the surface to be covered is less than five square metres or if the new surface is permeable or porous or if a traditional surface is laid and the rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain naturally or if it is directed to a soakaway via a drainage channel.
Answered 11th Feb 2021
Darlington•Member since 3 Feb 2021•1job,100%positivefeedback
As long as the driveway slopes away from the house and the slope grade is right you do not need drainage To the path and roadside it will drain away naturally the only place you probably need it is around your garage door as the floor level should be the same level as the block paving. Depending on the age of the house what kind of drainage system you’ve got to the house whether it clean water and foul a separate that depends on whether you need a soak away
Answered 10th Feb 2021
Lymington•Member since 25 Jan 2021•3jobs,100%positivefeedback
地狱o,
I think there may now be regulations to allowing a driveway to flow directly into the road so it would be best to check.
I would opt for an aco and soakaway. The soakaway will be filled with hardcore allowing water to drain slowly away; even through clay. It should be covered up and finished with a decent MOT sub-base and sharp sand as per the rest of the drive so no fear of subsidence.
Your pavia should be finished with kiln-dried sand filling any voids and the pavia itself, although porous, won't hold a lot of moisture.
Hope this helps
Dan
Answered 11th Feb 2021
Braintree•Member since 2 Jan 2020•7jobs,100%positivefeedback
You should use permeable paving or use standard paving making provisions for run off so that it does not run on to public highway. Can run Into drainage channels to soak away min 5 m from house boundary , or Into beds or borders
Answered 13th Feb 2021
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