Soil/lawn up against brickwork All manner of questions and solutions to problems and issues surrounding the subject of brickwork, blockwork and stonework

[Rolo]

Just had a new conservatory (insulated cavity walls) in which a wedge of soil was removed as the lawn slopes slightly up from the house. It's left me with a channel 400 deep x 4000 long x 400 wide before the lawn edge. Options are, either digging out more and making a walkway round the conservatory and constructing a normal retaining wall, (more expense and more lawn taken) or creating a drainage channel against the brickwork.
Q1. I prefer the latter but is it a good idea? and how do I do it to prevent damp? I'm breaching the new DPC by 4 courses of brick! Been suggested by a friend that I first aquaseal, then lay a land drain along the length and fill with clean gravel leaving the soil/lawn 400mm short of the brickwork
Q2. Is me friend right or do I need to do more? ie. a DPC membrane vertically installed somewhere.
Q3. Any other ideas?

[welsh brickie]

I would make a path with a retaining wall,with the other option its more hassle and wont work aswell,best to be safe than sorry.To keep the cost down you could build the retaining wall out of railway sleepers.

[Rolo]

Thanks for the reply Welsh Brickie, would you put a membrane or stones between the sleepers and the soil just to protect the sleepers from wet ground.

[welsh brickie]

for the sleepers digout for concrete foundation,lay the first row level on the concrete,you dont need a dpm as they are impregnated with diesel so will last for years

[Rolo]

Ok thanks for the info certainly seems better than my first thoughts.