Damp Proof Course

New Build Inspections

Alu1000

New Member
Hi,
I am looking for some advice regarding Building Regulations for DPC's. I've recently purchased a new Redrow home, It has been brought to my attention by a friend who works in construction that the DPC on one side of the property does not comply with Building Regs. The wall runs parallel to the driveway, which in-turn runs upwards from the front of the property. It also slopes towards the house. The DPC at the front-side is two bricks higher than the driveway. However, as the drive rises as it runs back towards the garage, the DPC gap gradually reduces to less than half of one brick by the time it reaches the back of the property. I have spoken to the site manager about my concerns, and he has assured me that this is not an issue as the drive runs to the front of the property, and therefore any water will naturally run from the back to the front. However, I've also noticed, due to the slope towards the house that any water completely bypasses the aco drain at the front of the drive and instead runs onto the front path, and then onto the road. The site manager also states that if it did not comply with regulations, it would have been identified by the NHBC inspection prior to certification. This is contradictory to what I have since read whilst researching the subject. I have contacted my local Councils Building Regs department, but they have declined to comment, or offer any advice as the HNBC are responsible for Building regs on the development. I have contacted the NHBC, and still waiting for a reply.
If indeed it is clear cut that they have breached building regs, what can Redrow do to correct this issue?
Any advice would be gratefully.

Thanks
 
Last edited:

Kano

New Member
I have no professional building experience, but i'm pretty sure that's never going to pass, would have thought the threat of going to the NHBC would be enough to get them to fix it, and i'm surprised the local building standards officer is sticking his head in the sand, could be worth another call and offer to send your picture in, or even just go down there unannounced and take a picture with you and ask to speak to someone.
 

NewHomeExpert

Well-Known Member
Building Regulations and NHBc standards sate that the DPC must be at least 150mm above finished ground level.
It makes no difference that the drive slopes. The reason for the 150mm minimum is because it stops rain splashes on the ground soaking the brickwork above dpc.
the 150mm being the accepted minimum.
The site manager clearly has not been to college and even if he had read the NHBC standards and Building Regulations before speaking to you he clearly does not knwo why this regulation exists.

Surface water run off should not run onto adopted footpaths and roads.
the reason being that it could freeze and cause an accident and/or injury.
The local highways inspector should pick this up before the road is finally adopted under the Section 38 Agreement.

Redrow have not complied with building regulations in respect of the DPC height and solutions are not going to be cheap.
The finished ground level [the drive] will need to be lowered (perhaps the garage lowered also?) or an additional dpc installed higher in the brickwork, a section at a time.
A "bodge" solution, may be that a water barrier be put against the side of the house, such as Bituthene, protected by a paving slab on edge or deep path edging, with a lead flashing over the top chased into the brickwork and pointed in. Abbotswood's suggestion of drainage channel against the side of the house at the required 150mm below would also work, as would a 200mm wide shingle strip.

The chances are the NHBC "inspector" who will also be carrying out inspections for Building Control compliance will miss this.
So you need to make a fuss. certainly do not legally complete until this and any other snags and defcets you and/or a professional snagging inspector find have been rectified properly.
 

justinitus

New Member
Just wondering which Redrow site you're on Alu1000? We are on the Redrow site in Devizes Wiltshire and have a similar issue - although our dpc issue is between our wall and the drive next door.

Our dpc is 250mm below their drive level. It was brought to Redrows attention last summer as the next door house was being built. Whilst the NHBC have been out and made recommendations to resolve it, it's all gone wrong as Redrow have now finished and sold the house and the new owners won't agree to the recommendations. The local council planning here aren't interested as they just say it's down to NHBC as they did the building control.

Hope you get a resolution, would be good to hear what it is!

Justin
 

Alu1000

New Member
Hi,
Thanks for all the advice. Unfortunately, we'd already completed and moved in before we identified the issue. Justin, I completely sympathise with you, hope you will get some resolution also. What recommendations did the NHBC make to rectify the problem? Why are your neighbours being so obstructive? We are on a site in South Wales, from walking around the estate, I've noticed several properties with the same issue, all be it not as bad. How can Redrow continuously get away with this blatant disregard for Builing Regs?
 

NewHomeExpert

Well-Known Member
Hi,
Thanks for all the advice. Unfortunately, we'd already completed and moved in before we identified the issue.
We are on a site in South Wales, from walking around the estate, I've noticed several properties with the same issue, all be it not as bad. How can Redrow continuously get away with this blatant disregard for Building Regs?

This is why I always recommend that all new home buyers have their new home independently professionally snagged and inspected before they move in.
This is just the kind of thing that would have been picked up. that said the NHBC should have spotted it too and have a "duty of care".

Redrow are not deliberately disregarding the Building regulations.
It is the idiot managers they employ who either do not know the regulations or don't care if they are ignored.
However Redrow should be addressing this issue, which from these posts, would appear to be common occurrence wherever Redrow are building.
 

Alu1000

New Member
Redrow customer service are coming tomorrow, will post their response. One other question, as I've said previously, I've noticed many properties on the estate with DPC's below 150mm. I've also noted that those I've looked at have air bricks. However, my property, and those of my immediate neighbours don't have any. Are air bricks a necessity and is this another breach of building regs?
Thanks
 

NewHomeExpert

Well-Known Member
Air bricks are necessary if you have a suspended floor.
These days they are PC concrete beam and block suspended floors.
It is an NHBC standard that the void under the floors be ventilated by cross-flow ventilation (airbricks on at least two opposite sides)
The airbricks should be at 2 metre intervals and not under doors!
 

Alu1000

New Member
So Redrow Customer Service came yesterday. He said there is no issue with the level of the DPC, he quoted building regs and said the 150mm is a "guideline", not a requirement. They don't plan to do any remedial work and said we should go to the NHBC and tell them we are in dispute with the builders. As far as the water running onto the public highway is concerned, he said that they have complied with building regs by putting an aco drain at the end of the drive. The fact that the drain is completely redundant, and water instead runs onto our path and onto the public footpath is apparently not an issue. He states it's only water from driveways, and not private footpaths, that has to be prevented from expelling onto the highway, the fact that it is the water collected from the drive that happens to then run onto our footpath, and onto the public highway was totally disregarded.

We'll wait and see what the NHBC have to say. I'm not instilled with a great deal of confidence in their competence from what I've read, so not expecting them to do a great deal.
 

NewHomeExpert

Well-Known Member
So Redrow Customer Service came yesterday. He said there is no issue with the level of the DPC, he quoted building regs and said the 150mm is a "guideline", not a requirement. They don't plan to do any remedial work and said we should go to the NHBC and tell them we are in dispute with the builders. As far as the water running onto the public highway is concerned, he said that they have complied with building regs by putting an aco drain at the end of the drive. The fact that the drain is completely redundant, and water instead runs onto our path and onto the public footpath is apparently not an issue. He states it's only water from driveways, and not private footpaths, that has to be prevented from expelling onto the highway, the fact that it is the water collected from the drive that happens to then run onto our footpath, and onto the public highway was totally disregarded.

We'll wait and see what the NHBC have to say. I'm not instilled with a great deal of confidence in their competence from what I've read, so not expecting them to do a great deal.

This is really very frustrating!
The Building Regulations are a Statutory requirement, they are not guidelines or optional!
Compliance is mandatory.
The fact that Redrow either don't know this or are trying to bullsh*t you doesn't look too favourably for REDROW either way.
professional ignorance or customer contempt - which is worse?
Even worse it is not something that can be justified with "tolerances" or aesthtic opinion, its either 150mm or more or its not - FACT!
Not up for debate.

It is also against the NHBC standards:
6.1 S4
"At ground level, all parts of the dpc should be at least 150mm above finished ground or paving level."

The run off onto a public highway would include paths, otherwise who is to say when a path becomes a drive and how much water can run off a "path". More Redrow Bullsh*t!

Actively encouraging you to complain to the NHBC shows complete contempt for you. It only serves to delay the inevitable - Redrow doing something about it or someone else appointed by the NHBC doing something about it and Redrow paying!

I can't quite believe, that with the advice and information I had previously provided, you didn't argue your case with Redrow more!

Finally, when it comes to sell your house, any surveyor worth his fee, will report the DPC is less than 150mm and potential buyers will either screw the price down or walk away!
 
Last edited:

Alu1000

New Member
I did argue the fact with him, I even printed off supporting documentation from HNBC, Building Regs and the info provided on this site. He wouldn't acknowledge that there is a problem, and wouldn't even look at the documentation. How can you ague a fact with someone who won't acknowledge that fact? I don't intend leaving it go, hopefully we will get somewhere with the NHBC.

Thanks for your continued advice.
 

NewHomeExpert

Well-Known Member
In that case, the Redrow "manager" must have been either an idiot or was just trying to fob you off.
Either way, for everyone else, is this what you can expect from Redrow?

I hope the NHBC sort this out for you - they don't have any other option in my opinion.
 

Alu1000

New Member
Telephoned the NHBC, they will now write to Redrow with a ten day deadline to reply. If they do not acknowledge the issue, as we already know they won't, NHBC will send out a surveyor to assess.
 

NewHomeExpert

Well-Known Member
It all takes a long time, with you doing all the chasing!
Redrow should have sorted it out without being difficult, it is they who built a new home that is not complying with statutory Building Regulations!
 

Alu1000

New Member
Had a phone call from the NHBC, apparently Redrow want a resolution meeting. Not sure why they want this? he was adamant when he visited last week that they wouldn't be doing any remedial work to correct the problem. What happens at these meetings? Will there be a representative from the HNBC with knowledge and experience of Building Regs?
 

NewHomeExpert

Well-Known Member
I don't think there would be any point in having the "resolution meeting" unless the NHBC inspector was in attendance.
I expect they will get together before meeting you, to agree a proposal Redrow are happy with to "make this go away"
It wouldn't surprise me if Redrow offer you some cash (around a £1,000) with the NHBC saying something like:
"Yes it is true the dpc is not 150mm and does not technically fully comply with the Building Regulations and our NHBC standards. However, it is my professional opinion, even though the dpc is below the minimum stipulated height above finished ground level, I very much doubt it will cause any detrimental problems. So I would suggest you accept Redrow's offer as it would appear to me to be a reasonable and suitable compromise for all parties"

When you see the NHBC tell them this is quite common at Redrow, both at your development and elsewhere as this forum would appear to confirm!
 

zednine

New Member
i recon that 90% of all new homes have this problem with the DPC,, the developers and the NHBC dont care, its as simple as that...
 

NewHomeExpert

Well-Known Member
i recon that 90% of all new homes have this problem with the DPC,, the developers and the NHBC dont care, its as simple as that...

I think your 90% is wrong!
It would appear that Redrow do have a problem on several of their sites though, if this forum and my forum is anything to go by.
The NHBC inspectors should be checking this and not "finalling" any new homes with DPC less than 150mm above finished ground level.
I would agree that house builders, their site managers, the trades they employ and to an extent the NHBC site inspectors don't care.
 
Top