Putting down paving slabs

P

Patou

Guest
Hi all,
I am living in a mid-terrace house and want to put down paving slabs in back garden. Obviously everthing has to go through the house so I want to take out as little earth as possible. Firstly can I slab over existing concrete path across back of house and continue out into garden for another 2 metres or so. I was thinking of using uneven slabs, with gravel between, so even if they sink a little it wont really matter. How deep would I need to go?
 
I installed a patio of cobble block/paving slab mix last year.
I also have a concrete path running around the house. Basically I removed 4 inches of soil, built a border with cobble block set in mortar, laid landscape fabric, filled 4 inches of hardcore level to the concrete path and patter-whacked the hardcore. I put down 2 inches of fine crushed stone on top of the hardcore and path, patter-whacked and levelled this and laid the cobble block/paving slabs on top.
There was a fair bit of soil to remove from the garden (approx 15-20 wheelbarrows).
NOTE: Ensure you slope the patio falling away from the house!

I found the website www.pavingexpert.com very handy as a general guide.
 
You need to ensure that you maintain a 6" difference between the top of the slabs and the dampproofcourse.
 
To ensure that rain does not splash above the DPC and cause rising damp in your walls.
 
Ah forgot about that. Where my old concrete path is under our french doors its just 6". I was hoping to lay slabs over the exiting path. Does that mean I should dig out the concrete path.
 
I would as it is almost certainly cheaper than having to either sort out a problem with damp or to find the damp and then have to dig out anyway.
 
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