What these yards are like
A typical colliery or Victorian terrace has a walled yard behind it, often with an outbuilding and a gate onto a rear lane. The ground is usually old concrete, broken flags or brick, sometimes on top of earlier surfaces. Villages such as Brandon, Ushaw Moor, Langley Moor, Sherburn and Bowburn are full of them, and so are the streets of Gilesgate and around the station.
Gullies and drainage
Most yards drain to a gully, often an old one shared with the downpipe. We find it, check that it runs freely and set the new patio to fall towards it. If the gully is broken or blocked, it needs sorting before paving goes down. Where there's no drain, we might use a permeable joint or a small soakaway, ground permitting.
Low damp-proof courses
Older terraces often have a low damp-proof course, or a very old one. Each new layer of paving tends to raise the yard level. We dig out old layers where needed so the finished patio sits at least 150 millimetres below the damp-proof course and keeps airbricks clear.
Rear lanes and access
Rear lanes are usually how materials get in and old material comes out. Lanes can be narrow, steep or shared with neighbours, so we plan deliveries and keep the lane clear. Where there's no rear access, we work through the house with floors and doorways protected.
Walls
Yard walls are often old and lean slightly. We avoid digging too close to their footings, and we'll tell you if a wall looks unsafe.
Shared features
If a gully, drain or boundary is shared, it's worth a word with the neighbours before work begins.