We are in desperate need of advice regarding slab movement/slab heaving causing massive cracks to the walls and ceiling of our 3-year old home.
Over the last two and a half years, we have been locked in this neverending battle with our builder to identify the cause of this slab movement. The builder has visited the property numerous times and provided us with multiple recommendations, none of which have fixed the underlying cause.
- We were asked to get landscaping done to the backyard and the sides of the house to remove the excessive moisture. This did not solve the problem.
- The builder visited again with plumbers who sent cameras down the pipes and tested for broken plumbing. They found a few broken pipes around the house and fixed them. This did not solve the problem
- The builder brought over structural engineers who took some readings of the floor levels and confirmed slab movement and heaving in certain areas. The engineers dug boreholes to the side area of the house and found water filling up in these boreholes. A new plumber found a broken stormwater pipe that was leaking water under the slab. This was due to the original plumber laying the pipes to the default configuration of the home not considering that the signed off plans had an extended dining area. Due to this stuff up, we have stormwater pipes running right next to the slab with a bend to the riser. (The builder have offered to move the pipes away from the house, but the original plumber has now gone out of business)
- The pipes inside and outside were once again tested, and this time the builder told us that the pipes are ok.
- With the pipes supposedly fixed, water is still filling up in 1 of the boreholes to the side of the house. The builder is unable to find the source of this water and is pointing at the neighbours property, that it's too high and water is flowing across from the neighbour's property. Besides this, they are suggesting we remove the concrete strip that runs along the house as it does not comply with the required fall of 50mm over 1 meter. The concreate has also slightly moved away from the house. Attached picture of the concrete strip
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Is removing the concrete the right option? My understanding is that one benefit of having the concrete strip is to prevent water from getting to the slab.
Even if we do remove the concreate strip as our land is lower than the neighbour's property, water is still going to find its lowest point and get to our slab.
Is there an alternative approach to fixing the water issue without removing the concrete strip
Can I lay an agi pipe down this side of the fence to catch the neighbours water and direct to a LPOD? I'm not sure if this is an option considering the space between the concrete and the fence is quite narrow.
Soil is clay soil, and the reactivity classification on the site is H1 with waffle pod slab. We have a 5-meter easement at the back of the house. Located in SouthEast Melbourne
I've attached photos of the some of the wall and celing cracks. Appreciate any advice with this issue.
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