Creating a drainage channel

Sally_C_2

Hello,

I've got damp in the kitchen and the most likely culprit is the high land at the back bridging the damp proof course.

I've been quoted £1600 to dig a 6 inch wide by 6 inch deep channel around the house. Thereby lowering the land. About 25 - 30 feet all around. Is 6 inches deep enough?

Lay pipes in the channel and run to main drain.

I'd also like the outside loo removing, so the £1600 includes the above + removal of loo + making good to any walls which lose brickworks or tiles that need replacing on my neighbour's half of the shared toilet roof.

£1600 seems pretty steep to be honest. I thought £300 per day was conservative for a skilled builder and a lot of this is labour. There's not much in the way of materials, so is this right and I'm being stingy or is someone taking the mick?

Paparika

'clear area' for a damp-proof course should be 2 or 3 bricks down from it, about 6-8 inches, so to lay a decent channel there as well you'd need about another 4 inches further.
I had a trench (for extended foundations - about 2 or 3ft deep) dug around my house in 2 days - 2 man job, but it included steel rods and concrete. Yours sounds excessive if it's just soil!

The drainage channel might need to be concrete or upvc - check with the contractor.

Sally_C_2

Thanks Paparika.

I'm waiting on other quotes, so we'll see how the first bloke compares.

Best, S