Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 Dec 26, 2021 11:00 am How is a builder required to leave the ground level around the house? Specifically, the 1m perimeter from the slab? As per the DA plans we will be laying turf, should the builder make an allowance in the depth for turf to be laid to comply with BCA/standards? Or is it reasonably expected for the builder to not leave the ground level this way and the owner to have to remove soil so we don’t encroach or go above the slab and close to the weatherboards? Currently, the soil is close to the weatherboards in some places. Any advice would be greatly appreciate ☺️ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Ground level at handover 2Dec 28, 2021 8:22 am Jem21 How is a builder required to leave the ground level around the house? Specifically, the 1m perimeter from the slab? As per the DA plans we will be laying turf, should the builder make an allowance in the depth for turf to be laid to comply with BCA/standards? Or is it reasonably expected for the builder to not leave the ground level this way and the owner to have to remove soil so we don’t encroach or go above the slab and close to the weatherboards? Currently, the soil is close to the weatherboards in some places. Any advice would be greatly appreciate ☺️ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I am nearing the completion of my build and have got the same situation. Surely the builder has to remove enough soil so the owner can then landscape. Otherwise the builder takes off and i am left digging to China before I can landscape. I am presuming the builder did not remove enough soil at benching to save on soil removal costs. I may also ask him for receipts of soil removal as it is a PC item. $4000 was allocated. I believe receipts must be provided otherwise i should be reimbursed this amount? Is that correct. I am in NSW. Thanks Re: Ground level at handover 3Dec 28, 2021 11:02 am If they have stockpiled soil from the trenches on site and not removed it that is probably a different matter and you'd be correct in wanting it removed. I imagine as long as they handover with with the soil sufficiently graded away from the slab and the required minimum distance under any weep holes, they have no requirement to remove anything to provision for whatever you plans are after handover. Re: Ground level at handover 4Dec 29, 2021 7:36 pm Thanks for your reply Callifo ☺️ At this stage the soil is flat around the perimeter of the house with no slope away. We have had a fair amount of rain and in some parts it was pooling against the slab and very close to the weatherboards. Initially the site wasn’t cut correctly, probably to save money on soil removal. Should there be a distance from the slab where it is required for the builder to have it sufficiently graded away from the slab? Surely there is something in the BCA which the builder should know regarding the soil level around the house? Re: Ground level at handover 5Dec 30, 2021 9:16 am During construction and at handover, there must be a minimum 150mm gap below the finished floor level (FFL) and the ground. There must also be a 1:20 slope over the first metre (50mm) away from the house and the ground must be either natural or otherwise compacted. What I see in the photo is neither the cut, compacted earth nor the required slope, it looks like 'spare' fill and no way to gauge the height or slope of the natural ground level. These requirements are found in the NCC Part 2 which can be downloaded free of charge. I take it that you never contracted a private building consultant to oversee the construction stages. Another concern should be the buried depth of the stormwater and sewer pipes once the soil has been removed but you can investigate that now, just be careful when digging. I would also have your contracted (engineered) slab level(s) and the finished slab height(s) verified. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Ground level at handover 6Dec 30, 2021 12:36 pm Thanks SaveH2O! I truly appreciate your response to this post, your knowledge is very helpful! Unfortunately, we didn’t engage with a private building inspector until the end. We naively trusted our builder and it wasn’t until we uncovered something to make us question his integrity did we engage with a private building inspector. We have discovered the pipework is in some places at surface level. We are hoping to work through these issues with our builder. SaveH2O During construction and at handover, there must be a minimum 150mm gap below the finished floor level (FFL) and the ground. There must also be a 1:20 slope over the first metre (50mm) away from the house and the ground must be either natural or otherwise compacted. What I see in the photo is neither the cut, compacted earth nor the required slope, it looks like 'spare' fill and no way to gauge the height or slope of the natural ground level. These requirements are found in the NCC Part 2 which can be downloaded free of charge. I take it that you never contracted a private building consultant to oversee the construction stages. Another concern should be the buried depth of the stormwater and sewer pipes once the soil has been removed but you can investigate that now, just be careful when digging. I would also have your contracted (engineered) slab level(s) and the finished slab height(s) verified. Hi guys, I want to do some floor levelling before laying the planks and am considering doing it with self-levelling or yellow tongue PB board. I am wondering which one… 0 6853 Hi everyone, Looking for some advise. 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