Raise the drive or step to front door?

[CarrotPuff]

We need to get our drive done. There's a big step from the door onto the path at the moment, and when we got the quotes in, a couples guys recommended raising the drive to the doorstep level to avoid the step, and another guy said he'd just add a step. Anyone was in a similar situation? It's about 6.5 inches.

Don’t raise the drive level to the door because that will make your home vulnerable to flooding. That step is extra height above rainwater.

If it’s a tall step, yes ok to put in another step so it’s two steps up from drive to door.

I also wondered about water or damp when I read your post. But I’m not a surveyor. I think a step is absolutely fine unless it’s a bungalow that’s adapted for wheelchairs or something.

Thanks. We live on top of a hill so flooding definitely isn't a problem. I suppose they could make it slope away from the house though?

Yes, if you do bring up the drive to the door level, it must slope away from the house/door at all angles. Otherwise, you will get rainwater running towards your walls and affecting the foundations. This can cause rising damp too after a few years or one really wet year.

Of course, you might get away with a French drain between drive and house if it is important for the drive to be level.

Here is a picture of a French drain in a drive way. It collects the rain water and shunts it away so you can have close to level surface from drive to door. images.app.goo.gl/ZV5p9rcdhatg3BUw9

Thanks, I did see those installed in other houses nearby. Lots to think about!

Read this, it says it all!

The Hepworth drain is the most common on the new builds we deal with (all new builds should have a level threshold for disability access).

www.pavingexpert.com/threshold01.htm

Does your house have airbricks to ventilate under the floor? They must not be obstructed.

Look for the DPC. Probably a black line in the mortar joint nine inches above where the ground level used to be when the house was built.

The drive, step, paving or garden must be at least nine inches below the DPC. Don't allow anyone to build anything touching the wall higher than that.

Steps are straightforward to do - DH has done them on our last house & this, using block pavers. This house, it was to replace an ugly cracked slab of concrete which came up easily enough. Shouldn’t add a lot to the overall cost? Do you have space and would it suit the house? Would avoid taking drive level closer to DPC.

@CarrotPuff
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Thanks. We live on top of a hill so flooding definitely isn't a problem. I suppose they could make it slope away from the house though?*

We live at the top of a very steep hill as well. Didn't stop the neighbours house getting flooded due to the road drains blocking and them not having enough gap height between the house door and path. Don't raise the driveway

Drive people tend not to know about damp proof courses etc, we had guys jumping out of a van when we were doing ours telling us they'd bring it all up level with the front door, and when i pointed out the damp proof course issue he was just saying it's fine because he will leave a gap for the air brick.
If you Google paving expert it gives you a lot of good information on what to specify from a new drive.