Browse Forums Paving & Concreting 1 May 22, 2016 8:11 pm We want to build a concrete paving around our newly built house. Ours is a corner block and on one side of the house, the land slopes towards the fence. The slope is approx .5 m in 2m. Dumb question : Would we need a retaining wall or some kind of reinforcement to make sure the soil doesn't collapse below the concrete path? I'm not sure if that can happen but just wanted to know how to handle a situation like this. Attached are some pics Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Concrete path along slope 2May 22, 2016 10:42 pm I would tend to put a small (say 300mm retaining wall in front of the fence) If you put a concrete path with a slight slope away from the house followed by a large slope toward the fence the soil will get washed away. If you put the retaing wall at the edge of a 1m path you run the risk if you miss step in the dark. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Concrete path along slope 3May 23, 2016 12:56 am Are you aware that your builder has left you with a non compliant issue that your building consultant should have picked up? The BCA states: "(c) The height of a DPC, or flashing serving as a DPC, (see Figure 3.3.4.1), must be not less than— (i) 150 mm above the adjacent ground level; or (ii) 75 mm above the finished surface level of adjacent paved, concreted or landscaped areas that slope away from the wall (see Figure 3.3.4.1); or Explanatory information: 150 mm clearance between the DPC and adjacent ground level reduces the risk of the effectiveness of the DPC being affected by changes in the surface level. Where changes in surface level are less likely to occur, such as where the adjacent surface is finished with paving, concreting or landscaping, the height of the DPC above that surface may be reduced to 75 mm. When also protected from the weather by a carport, verandah or the like the height of the DPC may be reduced to 50 mm. Further reductions in the height of a DPC are permitted in low rainfall intensity areas." You need to make sure that the concretors are regulatory knowledgeable because their industry handbook also gave incorrect information and I don't know whether it has been updated as yet. The height of the concrete slab that the HWS sits on also needs attention. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Concrete path along slope 4May 23, 2016 11:43 am I have seen houses where there's a deep rebate on the slab, and the DPC runs through at something like 2 courses up from the slab edge. The idea is the brick goes right to ground level. It seems an open invitation for termites, and I don't know if it's still done, but it may account for how the slab edge appears to be buried. Otherwise, once you dig down to expose the 75mm of slab edge, there won't be as much slope to contain. Re: Concrete path along slope 5May 23, 2016 1:11 pm You can see the weep holes in the photo and it is a PD house. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Concrete path along slope 6May 23, 2016 1:12 pm Thank you bashworth, SaveH2O and oneJohn for replying. It seems there are more issues than I had initially anticipated - the slope, the DPC and HWS installation. I'm now trying to get my head around it all. We did have an independent inspector inspect the construction at various stages and am not sure whether the DPC issue was picked up. I will look through the reports again. The builder seems to have covered up the soil right up to the brick level - from oneJohn's reply it seems that will cause a termite problem? Surely this would be dug down while constructing the concrete path, would it not? Also, about the HWS, the builder has just put a slab on some sand and installed the HWS. I'm not sure if this was the right way to install it? Do we need to lower the HWS? Also I'm thinking we'd need to reinforce the HWS slab while concreting. Re: Concrete path along slope 8May 23, 2016 1:44 pm jferns The builder seems to have covered up the soil right up to the brick level - from oneJohn's reply it seems that will cause a termite problem? Surely this would be dug down while constructing the concrete path, would it not? The builder should not have handed the house over with non compliance. Many people would not pick up non compliance issues like the height that the DPC needs to be above the ground level. Concretors are also a mixed lot and many don't know the regulations, in part due to misinformation in their industry handbook...unless there has been a recent reprint. It is a trap when tradies and others trust 'guides' rather than consult the regulations. You were probably given the CSIRO guide to slab and foundation maintenance at handover, just be aware that it is just that, a guide and it too has non compliant information in it. Non compliance leaves you high and dry should you have a problem but the CSIRO guide states a 1:60 slope away from the slab over the first metre whereas the mandated slope needs to be 1:20 over the first metre. What is the other side of the house like? The HWS issue will be addressed when the concrete apron is done. At the moment, the slab it sits on looks to be about 15-20mm under the DPC. PD have also been known for non compliant stormwater drainage. If you want me to look at your roof area and see whether the gutter's cross sectional area and the downpipe size is compliant with the roof area each downpipe drains, just post the gutter's cross sectional area, the downpipe size and the roof slope plus a plan of the roof that shows the downpipe positions and dimensions. EDIT: Are you aware that PD have an Alternative Solution that allows them to do a water resistant finish to some wet areas rather than water proofing? This thread should be in the Concreting & Paving sub forum. You have a much better chance of having the industry professionals see the thread when it is in the correct sub forum. To have it moved, just click the report button and ask the moderator to move it. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. 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