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Split level home. Lower family-room level is on a slab, and currently the ground outside starts level with the interior house slab. We already have a large slider that exits out to grass, and the patio is the finishing piece.
So do we start the patio level with the house slab (which has carpet on it in the interior) ?
Or start the patio lower?
My concern about starting lower is the bottom of the slider is pretty big, so stepping over the slider base and then down may be awkward for some?
Of course the patio will descend lower away from the house.
My installer was pushing for starting the patio lower... several inches or more. I get that it reduces risk of water coming back in to house, but the slider base is fully waterproofed and the patio will have a slope, and as I mention I think that it would be awkward stepping down after stepping up
To give you an idea, code requires the finished floor to be 8" higher than the grass or grade. Your "dirt or grade is WAY too high. I'm surprised you don't already have water in the house. We set our patio slabs 3 1/2" below floor level and it must slope away from the house. Assuming that the dirt/grade is that high along the entire wall, it needs to have the drainage reset before any patio is installed/built.
To give you an idea, code requires the finished floor to be 8" higher than the grass or grade. Your "dirt or grade is WAY too high. I'm surprised you don't already have water in the house. We set our patio slabs 3 1/2" below floor level and it must slope away from the house. Assuming that the dirt/grade is that high along the entire wall, it needs to have the drainage reset before any patio is installed/built.
Interesting curveball that I didn't expect!
House was built in 1976. things were different then. The concrete for that floor is the same for the garage... meaning same height and the whole front yard is flat to the house (although the back does slope down). So really no room to grade it away.
Many houses in this area built in the 50s-80s are built the same way.
In fact... most split levels in our area, the lower level is 3 feet under grade and frequently leaks like a basement would. I don't have that problem!
thank you for your comment tho!
EDIT: an inground pool was added in the 80s... so maybe originally the ground was lower and some of that pool dirt was used to build up the grade
Does the code apply to homes built for the handicapped? (as far as having the patio lower) I am starting the process of finding land and plans and so far all of my research into accessibility says to have the outside level with the inside so that I will be able to get in and out of the house.
Does the code apply to homes built for the handicapped? (as far as having the patio lower) I am starting the process of finding land and plans and so far all of my research into accessibility says to have the outside level with the inside so that I will be able to get in and out of the house.
It makes me think... I think its very common in florida homes to have a walkout first floor leading directly to a patio and then the pool, all at the same level (with the proper angle away from the house)
Lets start with the code. The code you linked is "building code", not residential- in this particular case.
The issue is not so much about how much "step" there is its about protecting the dwelling from water intrusion. Any hard/non-permeable surface can be a cause for water intrusion. Even if its sloped away from the structure it can still create intrusion from splashing. Then there's the issue of how much water can the slope handle at any one-given time(?).
The lower the grade, or any subsequent non-permeable surface will keep water at bay- no water intrusion under thresholds or wall plate.
There are specific ADA requirements for doorways/thresholds but they are usually under cover also- eliminating the possibility of water intrusion.
Lets start with the code. The code you linked is "building code", not residential- in this particular case.
The issue is not so much about how much "step" there is its about protecting the dwelling from water intrusion. Any hard/non-permeable surface can be a cause for water intrusion. Even if its sloped away from the structure it can still create intrusion from splashing. Then there's the issue of how much water can the slope handle at any one-given time(?).
The lower the grade, or any subsequent non-permeable surface will keep water at bay- no water intrusion under thresholds or wall plate.
There are specific ADA requirements for doorways/thresholds but they are usually under cover also- eliminating the possibility of water intrusion.
Thanks I looked up the residential code and it says: The floor or landing at the exterior shall not be more than 1.5 inches lower than the top of the threshold.
So if I am reading this right.. again they list a maximum space but not a minimum. And they only give 1.5
I mention in my original post about the risk of water coming back in... its really why I made the post in the first place. We are finishing up the base foundation tomorrow so I may just have them set it so there is 1/2 spacing.
Split level home. Lower family-room level is on a slab, and currently the ground outside starts level with the interior house slab. We already have a large slider that exits out to grass, and the patio is the finishing piece.
So do we start the patio level with the house slab (which has carpet on it in the interior) ?
Or start the patio lower?
My concern about starting lower is the bottom of the slider is pretty big, so stepping over the slider base and then down may be awkward for some?
Of course the patio will descend lower away from the house.
My installer was pushing for starting the patio lower... several inches or more. I get that it reduces risk of water coming back in to house, but the slider base is fully waterproofed and the patio will have a slope, and as I mention I think that it would be awkward stepping down after stepping up
see pics
Just thought I'd solicit opinions
The installer is right. Most have a set down to the slab these days. Old houses even have a small step down from house to outside slab
even with a New Jersey cold winter... the weather was warm enough at times to get the patio in.
As you can see... I went with putting the patio line close to the slider. its almost inline
(granted this isn't a closeup of that area, but I wanted to show off that patio)
what you can see is, I did have room to drop the patio a step (in fact I wouldn't have needed the step from the deck walkway), and take a row of blocks off the wall.. but I like the wall at that height as it becomes a seating area for those hanging out around the pool. Its low now, but not too low. knocking a row out would've made it too low to sit on.
Now with the big slider, and the same level on the patio... I in the mild warm weather we can open everything up and treat it like one large extended room
Only thing that remains to be done is the polysand... but Blizzard Jonas changed our plans.
Last edited by bellmark; 01-24-2016 at 06:20 PM..
Reason: grammar
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