Fix Standing Water
Stop water pooling and slabs rocking, fall correction and sub-base rebuild done right.
Common Failures
Most drainage problems come from the base or the fall, not the surface. Here is where rushed repairs go wrong.
A patio graded back toward the house wall channels rainwater against the building, risking damp and repeat pooling.
The sub-base is re-graded to achieve a consistent 1:80 fall away from the house before any slab is reset.
Filling or re-pointing over a slab that has dropped hides the symptom but leaves the settled base intact underneath.
Affected slabs are lifted, the sub-base is rebuilt and compacted, then the mortar bed and slabs are relaid to the correct level.
Water that has nowhere to go will pool regardless of how level the surface is, especially on clay-heavy ground.
A drainage channel at the patio edge or a soakaway gives surface water a clear route away from the paved area.
Huntingdon’s clay soils expand and contract seasonally, causing localised slab sinking that worsens each wet winter.
Properly compacted base material isolates the mortar bed from clay movement, preventing repeat settlement and rocking slabs.
Diagnose First
Persistent pooling and uneven slabs usually point to sub-base settlement or an incorrect drainage gradient set at the original lay.
The diagnostic process starts with a spirit level check across the whole patio to map low spots and measure the existing fall. A correctly set patio should fall away from the house at a minimum ratio of 1:80. Where the fall runs back toward the building, or where there is no consistent fall at all, the sub-base needs to be re-graded rather than the surface patched.
Clay-heavy ground across Huntingdon and the wider Cambridgeshire area can cause sub-base settlement over time, particularly after a wet winter. Where settlement is localised, a partial relay, lifting the affected slabs, rebuilding the sub-base, resetting the mortar bed, and relaying, is sufficient. Where the fall is wrong across the whole area, a full base rebuild is the only lasting fix.
Drainage channels can be incorporated at the patio edge or across the surface where a soakaway or surface water route is needed. Damp-proof course clearance is checked at the house wall before any new level is set. The quote covers base inspection, sub-base work, mortar bed re-laying, jointing compound, and any drainage channel installation as separate line items.
Why Choose Us
Fixing a drainage or levelling problem means getting the diagnosis right before any slab moves. Here is how we make that happen.
Base inspection, sub-base work, mortar bed, drainage and jointing are quoted as separate line items.
We schedule a ground survey, and the fix is specified in person.
Installers working in Huntingdon understand seasonal ground movement and spec the sub-base accordingly.
The quote separates a localised relay from a full base rebuild so you only pay for what the job needs.
Service area includes Godmanchester, St Ives and Brampton, one enquiry covers all nearby postcodes.
Simple Process
01
Tell us the size, what is down there now, and where the water sits after rain.
02
An on-site visit checks the fall, maps low spots, and inspects the sub-base condition.
03
The agreed work, partial relay or full base rebuild with drainage, is carried out to a 1:80 fall.
Pricing Estimates
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Minor levelling work | £300-£800 |
| Drainage improvement | £500-£1,200 |
| Full regrade and levelling | £1,200-£2,500 |
Describe the size, what is down there now and how it drains, and we’ll schedule a survey and a quote for the full job.