Slab cracks

slightly off topic, but would the epoxy be flexible enough to cover the fine cracks, if say it was applied straight after house handover and the house was still settling?

probably, but thats still just putting lipstick on a pig.

I have actually used this one and they continue to say they don't do any drainage until slab laid. I have 96 day time extension for rain and effects and I reject effects due to no drainage and why should I be penalised for them not following drainage. I will accept the bad rain days but the effects are on them.

that's great, you have their negligence in writing! multiple times. Your engineering drawings have notes that say one thing, and then you have them saying they aren't complying with the engineering note son the engineering drawings. it is the literal smoking gun. I cant believe they'd be so stupid. actually.... i can. sad face.

Do you have photos after the slab was constructed ?

i'm not talking about the kind of cracks that the OP has, more like the fine ones people get after a while that fall within acceptable tolerances

I'll put some up. Don't have the best pics though. They were from the car.

right. yeah the epoxy has enough flexibility for normal movement. You can even get epoxy products that are formulated to be more flexible than normal.

They haven't got much of an argument that they did the drainage during construction. That doesn't comply with AS2870.Soil
is not graded away, it actually looks like it slope towards the slab.
Did they put in temporary down pipes when the roof was on?
Even though they haven't done the right drainage during construction it doesn't necessarily mean it is the cause and whether it
will continue to get worse. I would take some floor levels on the slab and you will see if it has significant movement. Then you
can use the levels as a bench mark into the future and monitor if there is an underlying problem.

the grading wouldnt be done at time of formwork, it would be done after the formwork is pulled away. Tehre are practical reasons for this and isnt a "gotcha" moment. There are other much more serious issues that have been photographed and evidenced that are way more sucessfull arguments.

in fighting this type of issue, the softly case very clearly shows the roadmap for a successful argument. It wasn't one thing, but multiple failures that could be evidenced that lead to the conclusion that any reasonable person would come to.

At this point, I'd be getting an engineer to look at the slab and give their opinion. The darbecca reports are great, but for this issue specifically, they aren't qualified to advise on the integrity of the slab.

Grading should be done as part of the earthworks. You can't do the grading at that stage
as the plumbing would be ripped out and there is limited access for an excavator.

No roof yet. Slab only went down 28 days ago, then frame a week after. They did put retaining wall in just after first site cut with AG but not connected and still not connected.

Also just remembered about 8 weeks ago they broke the water metre and still haven't fixed. So leaking water at front of site still.

what?

earth works are done befor ethe slab is formed. The grading is seperate and not considdered part of the earthworks, unless the entire slab is being built on an elevated and graded "pad" or position (which i think is shown in an older cornell engineers video), which realistically almost nobody does (cost). You cant grade away from a slab that doesn't exist, nor can you build up a grade to an edge that hasnt been formed and set. The practicality of the situation is this - when the formwork is pulled off, you add soil around the slab and grade/compact it. This is all done over the space of two to three days. They usually use a mini excavator, bobcat or a dingo depending on accesibility. no plumbing is damaged in the process unless you're retarded (admitedly some operators would be)

issues arise not when there has been a singular event but constant and persistent failures to manage the moisture.

So if it come to it I would have a case? I legit thought I did but they they seriously don't care. Never reply to my rejection emails, only verbal calls the next day and tells me ,you can't reject them they are automatic. So disappointed as I was so excited to build a house. It's been a dream of mine and they treat clients appallingly.

You can grade it away from the building envelope, how do you think they know where to put piers in and the
plumbing in before the slab is put down.
Have you ever seen anyone build up soil against the slab and compacted it ? even though the regulations say it should be graded away and how to you compact soil on an angle? The reality is no one does it or very rarely does any builder
comply with AS2870 as far as drainage goes.
You can go to any new estate and see drainage isn't done. It usually is built up with gravels, rubble, tan bark which makes the drainage situation worse than simply not comply with drainage requirements.

Yeah they have used chip bark. Our private inspector noted that it's not graded properly in our report.

I was speaking to another SS from another company and he said they are supposed to do it but most don't. I feel that due to it being specified in soil report and drawings that site would be difficult in wetter months, they would follow drainage. Site was first cut in July (winter).

But you are right I have only seen one site graded away during excavation earthworks and only one after the slab was poured both times not that good but at least the builder made an effort.

No virtually no builder does it's standard practise not to do it and builders don't realise it leaves them legal vulnerable.
Thats why photos are very important. Like noname said get an engineer to investigate it may not be a problem.

My drawings state with a site cut must have shallow agricultural drain or (swale drain) at base of the cut directly onto natural material.
Then states refer to AS2870-2011 section 5.6.1, 5.6.2 and 5.6.3 and soil report. I think I got confused earlier with grading and drainage from site cute.

to grade it away from the building envelope, youd be moving a $hittonne of soil, waiting till the slab is down is more economical and less work. Have i seen it? yes. my builder does this to literally every house they build. You compact it with the excavator.