Who's responsible for backfilling around a waffle pod?

Hi, our builder made us have a waffle pad - which ended up adding a LOT more to our contract price. It's now come time to backfill the soil around the house - is this our responsibility, or the builders?

we've got a similiar prob- the exposed slab is about 12inches about the ground level and looks shocking. This included the garage so we can't even drive into it until we get it all concreted.
The builder has told us it is up to us by we are not happy as this was never explained to us or clearly stated on any documents that we received.

I guess its up to some clever negotiation if you want them to pay for it- I'm not sure what we're going to do...

Anthea

This is so frustrating - i just checked our contract and it reads:

- Class MD Engineered concrete waffle pod slab as per Engineer's report of x date $6640.

- Provide additional bulk concrete and sand t achieve correct founding depth including extra cost of cartage to x location $5825.

As far as we're aware, there was no sand used in the slab at all. we assumed the sand was to backfill. How would you guys interpret it?

cheers

Michelle

im no expert, so please correct me, but im pretty sure they lay in a position to reduce any cut and fill, and generally it will stick up a long way

then from there if you want the ground built up its a landscaping/paving/anything else you want used matter, they arent going to backfill unless there is soil to do this and it works out that way

my brother built with coral and its this way with his property, and the house across the street is a plantation and its going to be the same, they have just cleaned up the block after it nearly being ready for lockup and they just spread out the remaining soil at the front from the cut and spread it out, its still going to stick out a mile

i think its one of those things that you only learn as you build or when you watch someone build quite closely

We used a waffle-pod slab, which is quite rare in SA, so we could get the height we wanted in relation to surrounding land levels. The house is on acreage and there was a previous house on the building site that was set far too low. A consolidated fill was another option to raise the level of the house, but this is apparently an expensive gamble.

So we know we'll need some well-compacted fill before our new garage will be usable or before installing paths and landscaping.

As we haven't included any external works (driveways, paths, stormwater) in the contract, I expect this will be our problem.

BTW, our termite guru has advised us to keep all paths etc 75mm below the dampcourse. We know this is wise, but think it will look daggy. I guess we'll have to do it, but maybe paint the 75mm of exposed slab the same colour as our render (which is only on the front and one side anyway so we don't know how it will look on the face brick side and back). Anyone else with this dilemma? At our last place the paths were only a whisker below the dampcourse and we had no problems with this in the short time we lived there (29 years! )

Cheers
zeke

Sadly I would say that backfilling is your problem. The sand is there to be used for the foundation and to get the heights of the slab correct. Backfilling really is part of landscaping so I don't think the builder will do it.

Dale.

Read the plans and see what you signed for. Everything is on the plans. Lokk for RL and FL for relative and final levels etc.

Dale is right on that...

Zeke - yeah that's correct as well about the 75mm exposed.. you are able to identify for termites.. as they will leave a track entry..
If you do go level with it.. which most people do.. you will be liable if there does become termites..

Also don't forget.. insurance does not include termite

In Vic the damp course is usually at least one brick up.

Basically you shouldnt cover your weep wholes.

You can fully cover the slab and still have one brick between dampcourse and slab.