House path: Concrete VS Rock??

[lovelybb6]

I would like to install a path around my new house. I have been told concrete can give protection for my house slab. However it is so expensive to do so.
Is the crushed rock have the same function?
And which one you recommend?

Thanks
Billie

[Black Cat]

I would never recommend installing concrete right up against your footings. Far better to have a porous surface to allow the ground to dry out or collect moisture in the way the footings have become accustomed to. So go the crushed rock if you plan to have it right up to the slab.

[Belair_Boy]

G'day Billie
As you have said it is a new house, what does the slab/footing engineering say you should do?
In South Australia reactive clay soils are common and differential moisture variation can cause significant movement and cracking of foundations.
In a lot of cases, paving/concrete around the house, sloping away at min. 1:10 for a distance of not less than 1 m and sealed against the footings is a requirement of the foundation engineering. This is definitely the case in my engineering design.
Crushed rock would not perform as intended and excessive cracking may result.

It always pays to check with the engineer or builder as it is easy to make a simple mistake such as paving above the damp proof course or termite barrier and the results can be rather severe.
Good luck.

[Johning]

Hi Billie
I fully agree with Belair_Boy's post.
I have built two houses in South Australia and in each case I was required (by the structural and civil engineering company who designed the footings) to provide a paving/concrete path around the house footings. In my case a minimum width of 900mm and minimum fall of 1:20. Any gap between the path and the footings had to be sealed. If brick paving was chosen there had to be an approved waterproof membrane installed under the paving bedding sand base to prevent moisture penetration.
So far no cracks in house.