Garage floor leaking from the garden

[PAMMAT3]

My garden runs down towards the Garage and with the recent heavy rain water has got in through the Garage wall from the garden floor. It seems the garden level is almost at the same level as the Garage floor. Many years ago I had about 12" cemented right across the wall from outside the garage wall but with the torrential rains of yesterday, a large amount of water got through and soaked the garage floor. This wall is almost 8 metres wide because it is a garage and a workshop combined. I am asking for advise on what should I do to make sure that rain cannot come in to the garage/workshop from the garden floor. I think it is seeping through the damp course and through the Garage door which is set very low.

[PigletJohn]

From what you describe, the ground beside the garage needs to be dug out into a trench that is lower than the garage floor, which slopes and leads the water away to somewhere it can soak away, like a ditch. To prevent to trench filling up with mud, and to stop you falling into it, it should be lined with landscape fabric and filled with large stones, like cobbles. Large stones drain freely and do not encourage capillary action. It is called a french drain. People who do heavy gardening, and small builders, will know how to do it, or you can do it yourself. Have a look at the Paving Expert website which I think has pictures of how it is done.

If your concrete strip slopes away from the garage you can put the french drain outside the strip, but if the concrete is thin it will probably crack, and would be better broken up and dug out. You can use large pieces of broken concrete, and half bricks, at the bottom of the french drain to economise on your cobbles that can go on top. It must not contain small gravel or any sand or earth.

[PAMMAT3]

Thanks a Million PigletJohn. I've thought all night about what I could or should do - your idea sounds really good. The flat roof slopes from right to left where there is a gutter that ends down to a soak-in (I think that is what they are called). Not sure how deep the Trench has to be, I wonder if 6" or 12" would be sufficient but I will follow up on your suggestion on Paving Expert website. The hardest would be trying to get someone reliable/reputable to do this job for me. I would be grateful if anyone could recommend someone from the UB6 area (Greenford/Middlesex). Thank you very much I am deeply grateful.