Survey- pathways need lowering to 150mm from ground level?

[miggles33]

I have just had my homebuyers report back and it says pathways at front and back of house need lowering so that they are 150mm from the level of the house. Is this necessary? Has anyone actually had this done? It seems excessive to me but I'm no expert.

Is there a trip hazard or something?

It can cause damp problems if the level of the external ground is above the damp proof course. Check if he means you need to reduce the level of the external paths to below the DPC, because it's definitely a good idea if that is what has been suggested.

150mm is a typical level for the DPC to be installed at, its 2 standard brick courses.

Socksrocks is right. The ground level should be below the DPC otherwise you could have problems with damp.

If the house has been built since 1999 then it will have had to have a level entrance under the Building Regulations so the DPC should be at the right level and the path not need to be lowered

Yeah most houses over say 50 years have had incorrectly levelled paving by now. You just need to make sure it's low enough so that splashes from rain don't make the wall damp higher than the damp course.
Another way of doing it is of course to shelter the area somehow with a canopy so there is no splashing anyway.

It's not just splashing, if the pathways are higher than the damp course, moisture will seep from the pathway / garden into the walls and cause damp.