Removing concrete in a back garden

battenburg88

I have a Victorian terrace and essentially the whole back garden - and all the way around the edge of the house itself - is concreted over. The concrete isn't in very good condition with various cracks across it. I don't think it was laid very well in the first place, as it isn't flat and bits of it sound hollow. I've been pondering getting it taken up and replacing it with some simple paving. That would seem to be an easy enough job for a landscaping company or similar.

The one nagging question I have (and I'm almost hoping that someone will point out that this is a foolish thing to be thinking about!) is whether lifting the concrete and seemingly allowing more moisture/rain etc. to soak in around the brickwork/foundations could cause an issue? I realise that as it stands the conrete isn't completely sealing the ground underneath, but it would seem that installing paving and allowing more moisture to soak in rather than get directed straight to the drainage could change the ground conditions around the house, even if some kind of new drainage was installed around the edges as part of any work.

Some reassurance would be appreciated! Am I worrying over nothing?!

FreeBear

Installing a french drain around the walls of the house will pay dividends. It will reduce the amount of rain bouncing up and soaking the bricks above the DPC level - It only needs to be a trench 75-100mm deep and 150-200mm wide filled with gravel. Use decorative chippings and pick a colour to match your garden design.

I've just done two sides of my house with a green granite stone. Some of the patio has the same stone exposed to tie it all in.

If you put slabs down, make sure they are bedded down on a full layer of mortar over a decent thickness of hardcore (MOT1 or crushed rubble). Don't lay them right up against the walls of the house - See comment above about a french drain.