Pool area defect floor level raised too high

LouLou86 · Jun 01, 2024 7:34 pm

Hi there, just after a bit of advice....

New home build - Pool area tiling was to meet the house though they have come up roughly 1700mm too high compared to plan levels and instead of the tiles meeting the house, there is a gap which has a strip drain below. It's a horrible finish and could be hazardous. Builder is refusing to fix as it can no longer come flush to the house due to weep holes. Any thoughts on this? They say that there is no fix. Fair trading has been contacted.
Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅
Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅
Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

groundzero · Jun 01, 2024 8:55 pm

That is the wrong design, never have a strip drain up against your house. The concrete should slope away from the wall into a strip drain or inlet drain that is away from the building. This could cause foundation movement and house cracking

LouLou86 · Jun 02, 2024 11:14 pm

groundzero

That is the wrong design, never have a strip drain up against your house. The concrete should slope away from the wall into a strip drain or inlet drain that is away from the building. This could cause foundation movement and house cracking

Do you know if they would have to provide a pool certificate being a house and land package?

Eng. B A · Jun 03, 2024 8:01 am

Depends on levels at pool top and house slab, the concrete paving adjacent to house needs to be upgraded to slope away from house and towards the pool. Adequate wide strip drain may be installed around the pool so pool water and stormwater can flow to the new drain. If the pool top wall level is higher than the house slab level, then the pool may need to be redone to avoid water ponding at the house.

LouLou86 · Jun 03, 2024 1:10 pm

Eng. B A

Depends on levels at pool top and house slab, the concrete paving adjacent to house needs to be upgraded to slope away from house and towards the pool. Adequate wide strip drain may be installed around the pool so pool water and stormwater can flow to the new drain. If the pool top wall level is higher than the house slab level, then the pool may need to be redone to avoid water ponding at the house.

Unfortunately it is higher than the house slab, after starting to understand this issue more and more we feel the same. This area needs to be redone or the house will eventually suffer from water damage 💔

We are waiting to hear back from Fair trading 🤞

building-expert · Jun 03, 2024 1:30 pm

Has your pool been installed too high?

LouLou86 · Jun 03, 2024 1:32 pm

building-expert

Has your pool been installed too high?

Yes, we believe when they put the slab in the ground for the pool that is where the height issue must have started due to wrong measurements, these images above are how they tried to 'solve' the problem

building-expert · Jun 03, 2024 3:51 pm

LouLou86

building-expert

Has your pool been installed too high?

Yes, we believe when they put the slab in the ground for the pool that is where the height issue must have started due to wrong measurements, these images above are how they tried to 'solve' the problem

Are there any levels and cross sections on your drawing?

Eng. B A · Jun 03, 2024 4:09 pm

Their solution is not acceptable as it currently direct stormwater and pool water toward the house which is non compliance with the BCA. Even if the strip drain is designed to take such amount of water which I doubt, it will require regular maintenance.

Section 3.1.2.3 of the BCA states:
‘Surface water must be diverted away from Class 1 buildings as follows:
(a) Slab-on-ground — finished ground level adjacent to buildings:
the external finished surface surrounding the slab must be drained to move surface water away from the building and graded to give a slope of not less than (see Figure 3.1.2.2);
(i) 25 mm over the first 1 m from the building in low rainfall intensity areas for
surfaces that are reasonably impermeable (such as concrete or clay paving); or
(ii) 50 mm over the first 1 m from the building in any other case.
(b) Slab-on-ground — finished slab heights:
the height of the slab-on-ground above external finished surfaces must be not less than (see Figure 3.1.2.2);
(i) 100 mm above the finished ground level in low rainfall intensity areas or
sandy, well-drained areas; or
(ii) 50 mm above impermeable (paved or concreted areas) that slope away from
the building in accordance with (a); or
(iii) 150 mm in any other case.

LouLou86 · Jun 03, 2024 4:23 pm

building-expert

LouLou86

building-expert

Has your pool been installed too high?

Yes, we believe when they put the slab in the ground for the pool that is where the height issue must have started due to wrong measurements, these images above are how they tried to 'solve' the problem

Are there any levels and cross sections on your drawing?

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

No there are not

LouLou86 · Jun 03, 2024 4:25 pm

Eng. B A

Their solution is not acceptable as it currently direct stormwater and pool water toward the house which is non compliance with the BCA. Even if the strip drain is designed to take such amount of water which I doubt, it will require regular maintenance.

Section 3.1.2.3 of the BCA states:
‘Surface water must be diverted away from Class 1 buildings as follows:
(a) Slab-on-ground — finished ground level adjacent to buildings:
the external finished surface surrounding the slab must be drained to move surface water away from the building and graded to give a slope of not less than (see Figure 3.1.2.2);
(i) 25 mm over the first 1 m from the building in low rainfall intensity areas for
surfaces that are reasonably impermeable (such as concrete or clay paving); or
(ii) 50 mm over the first 1 m from the building in any other case.
(b) Slab-on-ground — finished slab heights:
the height of the slab-on-ground above external finished surfaces must be not less than (see Figure 3.1.2.2);
(i) 100 mm above the finished ground level in low rainfall intensity areas or
sandy, well-drained areas; or
(ii) 50 mm above impermeable (paved or concreted areas) that slope away from
the building in accordance with (a); or
(iii) 150 mm in any other case.

Thank you for your reply