RugbyRebels

hi again, I'm hoping that someone here is a genius builder/architect...

we're getting an extension done and want to put in a three pane bifold door. the builders have laid the foundation for the extension and the top of the foundation breeze block is roughly 5cm above ground level.

with the bifold doors we've sourced, putting the track (door frame) on top of the foundation breeze block would leave about a 9cm step to get over to go tru the door, so we'd like to recess the frame into the breeze block as much as possible.

problem being, our builder says it'll be against building regs to cut into the breeze block as the dpc needs to be a certain height above ground level.

so, my question to the great and good of RR is how do we get a bifold door in that doesn't stick up and stub everyone's toe every time they want to go outside?

cheers in advance... prizes available for best workable solution.

I'm a Building Surveyor but I'd warn this isn't really my area of expertise. It is recommended that the dpc is 150mm above ground level. However, this is only required in materials that will absorb moisture which your bi-fold doors clearly won't. Looking at those photos it's already below 150mm, even away from the opening.

The 150mm is only applicable on the external surface so you could recess your doors and wrap the dpc under the door and then up and over the block work. Where you can't achieve the 150mm clearance you can use an aco-type drain abutting the external face of the wall. You could have the threshold level with the external ground level using this system. If the external ground slopes down towards your house I wouldn't recommend this, though. Away from the opening, if the dpc is below the 150mm then dig a small trench abutting the wall, giving yourself 150mm horizontal and vertical clearance from the dpc and fill with gravel.

As with everything like this, get the building regs bod from the council to visit site and confirm they're happy.

Thanks Mb much appreciated. Funny enough, just after I posted the above I saw an email from the local building control saying they are coming out on monday, so we'll see what they say then. I had thought of a drain along the side so its nice to hear its an option.

Anyone remember that episode of The Simpsons when Homer and the lads are fleeing the power plant during a meltdown, only to discover that the fire escape door has been painted onto the wall? Monty Burns, eh?



Sorry, OT.