Lower soil or paving that's bridging the damp-proof course — HomeGraft

Dig out soil or lift paving next to your wall to restore a clear damp-proof course gap and stop rising damp.

DP-01Find the damp-proof course and check the gapLook for a line low down on the brickwork, usually 2-3 brick courses (about 150mm) above the ground. It might be a strip of black bitumen felt, slate, or a visible change in the mortar joint. Measure from that line down to the current soil or paving level. If it's less than 150mm, or the ground level is above the DPC line, you've got bridging and it needs lowering.

RULES

1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Torch (for checking under overgrown areas)

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KNOW THE RULES

Building Regulations require a 150mm DPC gap on new-build walls. There's no legal duty to alter an existing house, but keeping this gap clear is standard advice for preventing rising and penetrating damp.

DP-02Check for Party Wall Act rules before digging deepIf you're digging deeper than about 1m and the work is within 3m of a neighbour's building, or deeper than a neighbour's foundations and within 6m, the Party Wall Act may apply. This job is usually just topsoil or paving removal, so it rarely bites, but check if you're excavating a deep trench right along a shared boundary wall.

RULES

KNOW THE RULES

The Party Wall Act 1996 can require you to notify a neighbour before certain excavations near a shared boundary. It only applies at depth and close distances — most DPC clearance jobs are too shallow to trigger it, but check if in doubt.

DP-03Gather your tools and clear the areaMove pots, furniture, and anything leaning against the wall. Lay a tarpaulin or dust sheet down to catch soil and rubble so your lawn or path stays clean. Put on gloves, goggles, and sturdy boots — you'll be breaking up hard ground and handling old slabs.

1 each · Tarpaulin or dust sheet

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1 pair · Work gloves

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1 each · Safety goggles

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DP-04Check for buried cables and pipes before you digCables and pipes can run close to the house wall — the electricity supply cable, gas pipe, and water pipe often enter the building at shallow depth near where you're digging. A cable avoidance tool helps, but even then, dig the first 150mm by hand with a spade, not a fork or pick, right next to the wall. Before you start, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns, so you can shut off the water fast if you nick a pipe.

1 day · Cable avoidance tool (hire, optional)

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DP-05Lift paving slabs or turf next to the wallWork along the wall in a strip about 300-450mm wide. Slide a bolster chisel under slab edges and lever up with a spade, working section by section. Stack sound slabs flat on the tarpaulin if you plan to reuse them; bag up broken bits and turf for disposal.

1 each · Bolster chisel

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1 each · Lump hammer

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5 each · Rubble sacks

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DP-06Dig out the soil to lower the levelDig a trench along the wall to at least 150mm below the DPC line, and at least 300mm wide so water can drain away rather than pool against the brickwork. Slope the base of the trench slightly away from the wall as you go, so it doesn't just become a channel that fills with water. Keep checking your measurement against the DPC line as you dig.

1 each · Digging spade

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1 each · Wheelbarrow

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DP-07Line the trench and fill with gravelLay a permeable membrane along the base and up against the wall face to stop soil migrating back in and weeds growing through. Fill the trench with pea shingle or gravel up to just below the DPC line, leaving the clear gap visible above the stone. This keeps the margin free-draining so it doesn't silt up and bridge the DPC again within a year or two.

3 m · Permeable landscape membrane

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6 bag · Pea shingle (20kg bags)

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DP-08Relay paving or plant a border at a safe levelIf you're putting paving back, lay it at the new lower level with a fall of roughly 1:60 to 1:80 away from the house, using a spirit level and a straight edge to check as you go. If you're planting instead, keep beds and mulch clear of the wall — don't let soil, bark chippings, or plant growth build back up over the DPC line.

6 each · Paving slabs (if relaying)

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1 bag · Sharp sand and cement mix

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1 each · Spirit level

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DP-09Clear up and check the wall over the following weeksBag and dispose of spare soil and rubble, or arrange a skip collection for larger amounts. Sweep the area and put tools away. Over the next few weeks, keep an eye on the inside wall near the affected area — if it was damp before, it can take time to dry out, and a damp meter reading can help you track the improvement.

1 job · Rubble sack collection or skip hire

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1 each · Damp meter (optional)

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