"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
"Jimbo" wrote in message
...
I am thinking of removing a 300mm (2 ft) deep flower bed from beneath my

300mm is 1ft

front bay window - because I have been told it may be causing dampness
and
damaging the brickwork.
The thing is, what is the best way to remove the soil and to what depth
?

You should be fine as long as you're 150mm ( 2 courses of bricks ) below
the
damp proof course. ( You can usually see it poking through the pointing
somewhere round the house. )

also how do I prepare the ground - i.e. DPM ?
or stone etc ?
And do I then concrete with a DPM butted up to the brickwork or what ?

Not completely sure but I think as long as you're below the damp proof
course and the concrete slopes away from the house then there's nothing
else
necessary. The 150mm is important because otherwise rain splashes up
above
the DPC and causes the damp.

I don't get this splashing lark.. What about the rain which quite normally
falls on the brickwork above the damp proof course?

[snip]

Franz