Council has bridged DPC

SG27

EachPenny wrote: »

This would be illegal though, and if it is noticed (you would be surprised how observant highway department officers are) then at the very least you would be landed with a bill to put right the damage you'd done.

The problem with lowering the surface/installing a drain below the level of the DPC (if there is one) is that would create a longitudinal 'step' in the footpath, perfect for someone to twist (perhaps even break) an ankle if they do not notice it. That would be what the highways department would be concerned about, since a compensation claim for that kind of injury is quite likely. If you've carried out the work illegally then you would be the one ultimately facing that bill.

Advising people to do work on the public highway without consent is a bad idea.

Well you cover with a grate obviously.

Each to their own. It is what I would do if I owned the property. Unless it was on a busy high street it is not going to get noticed and even if it does they wont enforce anything. The council doesn't have the budget to the work they need to be doing let alone be bothing about a few inches of pavement next to someones house.

The other option would be to ask permission but after dealing with a local council regarding highway work up against my property last year I know its probably a waste of time! You'd be lucky even get a response!

EachPenny

SG27 wrote: »

Well you cover with a grate obviously.

Which would largely defeat the object of doing the work as splashback from the grate would still result in the wall getting wet. The grate would need to be sufficiently lower than the DPC to prevent this, and therefore result in a longitudinal step.

SG27 wrote: »

Each to their own. It is what I would do if I owned the property. Unless it was on a busy high street it is not going to get noticed and even if it does they wont enforce anything. The council doesn't have the budget to the work they need to be doing let alone be bothing about a few inches of pavement next to someones house.

It all depends on whether you are up against a highway inspector who is too busy drinking tea and reading the paper, or one who enjoys ruining dodgy builder's days.

Many councils are solving their budget problems by increasing the amount of enforcement they do. Fining people for carrying out work illegally is as a good a source of income as issuing parking tickets. Highway inspections have to be carried out anyway, so you may as well use the inspections to make some money.

Each to their own as you say, but don't encourage other people to do something which could result in them getting fined and/or charged for remedial work.

Bobolog

Thanks for the replies everyone- very helpful. Have started watching YouTube videos showing builders injecting "chemical DPCs" into solid brick walls. Fairly shocking how much cowboy work is the norm.

I've been looking at the property on Google Maps. Any idea what this is? https:// ibb.co/bxYoXJ