Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 Aug 04, 2016 2:30 pm Hi all, Just had my waterproofing and lockup inspection done and the report received back. I don't know if the builder has told me a fixed date and the waterproofing failed to be completed in time... or if it was actually 'done' but just with a very poor level of work. It appears like my bathtub has no waterproofing let alone the shower recess has been done to meet 'minimal' standards. I've attached two examples of photo screenshots from my report, contrast that to the third photo of 'how it should look like' per an ideal report and you can see normally there appears to be the waterproof pink membrane all over the shower walls, the tiling underneath the cabinetry, even the shower floor and the bathroom floor itself seems to have it. I am quite concerned as to whether waterproofing was finished as expected/advised for that day, or if I had some lax job done. I am hoping it is the first - although then that proves problems as I have to ideally reinspect it again, and if the latter and they have indeed met 'minimum' standards but done a very lax job as noted in the houspect report, then I feel shortchanged that the quality is not up there . example report - how it looks like ideally: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-gao ... nk0Q1NlYU0 mine: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-gao ... DJqcXhkX00 https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-gao ... XpCcjBjY2c What is the minimum standard? Should one expect the waterproofing membrane to go all over the shower recess wall, floor and even the bathroom floor? As well as should it be going on the tiling skirting underneath the cabinetry or even the wall which the sink cabinetry is located?? Clearly the bathtub surrounding walls and tiling should have the membrane right? My worry is what leg do I have to stand on? The inspector report seems to indicator bare minimum standards were met - so will i have nothing i can demand from the builder as far as the shower goes? I know Mark from Bestwest claims to do a very thorough waterproofing inspection where he finds the majority are not up to building standards. I wasn't sure whether to get a second opinion in but my worry is the tiler was meant to commence after my first inspection, so it may already be tiled. And whether I have a leg to stand on, or can the builder hide behind that the bare minimum has been met? Really wish my bathroom and wet areas looked like the example ideal report linked above! I assume the toilet floors should have a membrane over it, and how about the laundry area? Can anyone provide photos or standards guidance on just where membrane should go in laundry, showers and toilet areas? How about kitchen? Thanks, Re: Waterproofing to wet areas - Minimum standards help 2Aug 04, 2016 3:07 pm So the builder has written back that waterproofing is to standard and that they don't waterproof the bath area. Is this possible under standards? Surely the whole bath area would have the membrane as per the first sample report link provided in my OP? Abit disappointed if standards dont require this, and there is no need to waterproof the tiling skirting underneath the cabinetry or where the cabinetry takes up, surely these are all waterprone areas. Not to mention the whole shower walls and floor - surely this is where water soaks through the most and not just at certain edging of the shower - whateve rthe minimums is? Re: Waterproofing to wet areas - Minimum standards help 3Aug 04, 2016 4:48 pm Who is your builder? This is an important question!!! 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: Waterproofing to wet areas - Minimum standards help 4Aug 04, 2016 5:53 pm Given I'm concerned but not sure if minimum standards are left, but am not attempting any defamatory action against them - would I be ok in even posting the builder name? Surely one can advise where minimum waterproofing is to be expected per standards without aname for now? Just mindful of not stepping on toes (not my intention) given the forum here appears to be plastered with defamtory warnings? WA based builder Re: Waterproofing to wet areas - Minimum standards help 5Aug 04, 2016 6:15 pm I'm stumped as to why builders and tilers perform these works to a minimum standard. If the floor is concrete or compressed fibre-cement sheet: The floor needs to be of a water resisting product, i.e porcelain tiles etc Although some would say that option isn't exactly water resistant, but it passes. The tiling in the shower needs to be min 1800mm high. If it's an inserted bath (off the wall) then it requires waterproofing to min 150mm above lip of bath and waterproof junctions within 150mm above bath. Waterproof tap and spout penetrations where they occur in horizontal surfaces. Re: Waterproofing to wet areas - Minimum standards help 6Aug 04, 2016 6:27 pm They are wrong concerning the walls in the shower. AS 3740 2004 Waterproofing Standards Table 2.1 The shower area is regarded as an area of high level of risk which means Floor - waterproofed and drained Walls - water resistant Junctions - waterproofed Penetrations - waterproofed Under the definitions in Section 3 - Materials 3.2.2 Water -resistant Substrates a) Walls (ii) Cement render treated to resist moisture movement. Unless the plasterer has added a moisture barrier additive to the mix he rendered the bathroom walls with then it doesn't meet the standard. The floor in the shower is done correctly ( they have returned it up the walls 150mm as well ). Outside the shower in the rest of the bathroom - no. They don't have to waterproof the floor but they do have to waterproof the floor/wall junction which they haven't done. Stewie Waterproofing to wet areas - Minimum standards help 7Aug 04, 2016 6:49 pm Stewie, the AS3740-2010 seems to supersede the 2004, I couldn't find some of those things in my book so maybe they have been deleted.
I also have the amendment 2012 to the standard. I'm not sure if there is another amendment currently.. Forget the minimum just waterproof the whole shower floor, waterproof the whole shower walls to 2m, waterproof the whole floor regardless of material used, come up the wall/floor junctions outside the shower at least 150mm etc. The client has peace of mind and so too the builder for the next 10 years Re: Waterproofing to wet areas - Minimum standards help 8Aug 04, 2016 7:15 pm SaberX Given I'm concerned but not sure if minimum standards are left, but am not attempting any defamatory action against them - would I be ok in even posting the builder name? It wouldn't be defamatory if they have used an Alternative Solution...now called a Performance Based Solution. These are being used by more and more builders and is the reason I asked the builder's name. Check the thread currently under this one. 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: Waterproofing to wet areas - Minimum standards help 9Aug 04, 2016 9:54 pm Quote: Forget the minimum just waterproof the whole shower floor, waterproof the whole shower walls to 2m, waterproof the whole floor regardless of material used, come up the wall/floor junctions outside the shower at least 150mm etc. Oh, I agree totally Howyagoin. That's the way we have always done it too regardless of the materials used for the walls and floor. I was just quoting what is in the standard. I should update my copy too. Here also are a few pages from the NCC 2014... NCC Stewie 2 8644 We are having a bathroom reddone. The builders are putting down two coats of waterproofing and then screed and then another coat of waterproofing. This is what I have been… 0 653 My land is 260m2 (10m x 26m) located in claymore NSW. Under campbelltown council. I know in general the following setbacks would apply ground floor side setback =… 0 6920 |