Choosing between a tanked or drained basement design is not as easy as taking the cheapest option; it’s a high-stakes decision that dictates the lifespan of your structure. The cost difference during construction is often a healthy six-figure sum for the developer for even mid-size developments, and potentially an ongoing maintenance cost for the eventual owner or owners.

At Waterproofing Integrity, the bathtub analogy is one we use regularly. Treat your basement like a bathtub. Either have a continuous structure that prevents water getting in or allow water to enter and drain it effectively.

The right strategy requires complex coordination between architects, builders, consultants, council mandates, and site-specific considerations— all while considering how that space is designed and will actually be used. Whether you’re designing for a high-end office, media room, laboratory or a car park, the wrong call at the design stage leads to more than just damp walls—it leads to costly disputes, loss of use of the space and can impact the health and amenity of those using the space.  

Don’t wait for the mould to tell you that the basement needed more attention during design and construction.

Water is the most patient trespasser on your site; it always finds a way, so we make sure it’s the way out.

Water will find every microscopic flaw in a basement’s construction whether that be through a shoring wall, a poorly sealed joint, and every shortcut taken during construction. Because concrete is naturally porous, it cannot be relied upon solely as your waterproofing strategy. Due consideration needs to be given to a solution that respects the intended use, design and specific site conditions—not just a “standard” fix.

So Waterproofing Integrity recommend not to treat waterproofing as an afterthought, unless you want to end up with a basement that feels more like a swamp than a structural asset. 

Stop the leak before it starts, because an ‘Indoor Swimming Pool’ should never be a surprise feature of your basement.

From 2026, the National Construction Code (NCC) will require basement waterproofing considerations to be factored in design from residential properties to large commercial developments. This requirement was previously exempt from the NCC which often meant water management was not always a key discussion point in design.

At Waterproofing Integrity, our team of structural engineers and waterproofing industry professionals look at each basement for how it is designed, how it will be used, where it is located and the site specific considerations. From that we advise on the best approaches for your site to provide confidence and peace of mind!

Please reach out to us using our contact form and we will be happy to assist you further.

In July 2021, many legal requirements for construction professionals come into effect. These changes have been on the cards for some time but with the regulations for the NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 recently made available, more is now known on the Act’s application. However, there has been some ambiguity around waterproofing in the regulation and where it fits in the legislation despite being listed as a priority building element in the Act.

As the Building Commissioner has stated, the NSW Government is pushing for ‘design, then construct’, noting that details for wet areas have too commonly been missing from issued for construction drawings. So for any project, the onus is on the principal design practitioner (architect or engineer) to design a building that is compliant with the National Construction Code (NCC) and a multitude of adopted Australian Standards. Then a principal building practitioner (builder) to execute those plans in construction and document compliance.

These plans are to be submitted to the NSW Planning Portal and will involve a compliance declaration stating that each building element is compliant and integrates with other aspects of the building. For the principal design practitioner, this is at the stage of obtaining the construction certificate and for the principal building practitioner this is part of the occupation certificate application. During construction, between each of these submissions, variations are to be documented and submitted explaining the area of the building and why such changes are occurring.

When it comes to waterproofing, the only reference in the Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2021 is that an exemption applies under the legislation for waterproofing applications to alterations in a single dwelling in a wet area. So apart from a renovation to a building presumably many years after construction, every other waterproofing application is to be considered under the Act. That is every bathroom, laundry, balcony, rooftop, podium, planter box, tank, swimming pool, retaining wall, tank or other area where waterproofing is applied. Unbeknownst to many in the remedial space, this legislation also applies to their work.

The aim is to have all buildings constructed in a way that achieves the requisite performance targets defined in the NCC. The regulation’s first clause outlines that where a design does not adhere to the deemed-to-satisfy provisions, a report detailing a performance solution needs to be prepared to verify compliance with performance requirements. The many construction practices that have become widely popular but are not listed in the deemed-to-satisfy provisions of the NCC will require performance solution documentation as per NCC 2019 Part A2.2. Pavers on pedestals and flush transitions on balconies for aesthetic or NDIS requirements are two that are most prevalent where waterproofing is applied.

The regulation provides 18 design practitioner registration classes including various types of fire, facade, drainage, mechanical and structural specialties though there is no classification for waterproofing practitioners. With waterproofing defects commonly acknowledged as the single largest source of defects this is surprising and begs the question of where this responsibility falls?

Based on our interpretation and discussions with industry professionals, this responsibility falls with the architectural design practitioner. We are currently seeing waterproofing designs being developed through collaboration between architectural design practitioners, builders and specialist waterproofing consultants to ensure the design is both buildable and achieves compliance with NCC requirements. In this process it is important to remember that generic section details developed by material suppliers can be a starting point but are not project specific.

Compliance inspections and onsite testing reports during construction provide the support for the principal building practitioner to make declarations in submitting for the occupation certificate. Both quantitative measurements and testing and qualitative inspections are means to quantify installation methods and

The commencement of this Act is one of a number of changes in reference documents that will impact waterproofing over the next couple of years with changes and updates afoot for AS3740 and the NCC.

If you or someone you know requires assistance in navigating the requirements of the legislation in waterproofing, whether they are an architect, builder or other industry professional, please call Waterproofing Integrity on 1300 025 944, email advice@waterproofingintegrity.com.au or complete the below form.

Earlier this month, two pieces of legislation passed through NSW Parliament and its fair to suggest that the waterproofing industry is going to be under the microscope as a result.

The two acts are the Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2020 and the Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Bill 2020. Both of which form the first wave in the changes that will come into effect to give greater powers to the NSW Building Commissioner and his growing team of Compliance Officers.

Some of the outlined requirements have already come into effect, while other requirements are still 12 months away. Then there are requirements which we may not know for another couple of months until the relevant Regulations are released.

So what is changing?

Everyone is accountable for one. Developers, builders, designers, engineers, certifiers and subcontractors are all to be held more accountable in the way they do business. The ‘extension of duty of care’ is already active under the Design legislation in that a “person who carries out construction work has a duty to exercise reasonable care to avoid economic loss caused by defects”. Then under the Residential Apartment legislation, the government will have the powers come September to investigate, take samples and order rectification to ‘serious defects’.

For waterproofers, as with other trades, waterproofing is considered a ‘building element’ and that its installation is considered ‘specialist work’. The fact that waterproofing is listed as the second example of building elements, ahead of structural foundations, electrical and plumbing and second only to fire safety systems provides some insight into where it sits on the list of items to watch for the Government regulator.

All those carrying out building work will need to be registered with the Government to become a ‘Registered Specialist Practitioner’. Registration will be for one, three or five-year periods and some level of training (CPD – continuing professional development) may be required. Once the legislation is enacted, anyone found to be on site and not being registered faces a $55,000.00 fine.

Where it is not rectified, disciplinary action may also apply for work “that has fallen short of the standard of competence, diligence and integrity that a member of the public is entitled to expect of a reasonably competent practitioner.”

When does it come into effect?

• Design and Building Practitioners Bill – Part 4 (extension of duty of care) – 11 June 2020 and retrospective 10 years
• Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Bill – 01 September 2020
• Design and Building Practitioners Bill – majority of Bill – 01 July 2021
• Design and Building Practitioners Bill – specialist work requirements – TBA; it should be in line or after the rest of the Design legislation comes into effect but it could be at any time
• Then there will be “any other matter prescribed by the regulations” which we should know more about by September.

These new regulations apply significant accountability and liability to designers and building practitioners that could lead to significant penalties when found lacking. At Waterproofing Integrity, we recognise that every project is unique and we work together with our clients to develop a quality control regime targeting their specific needs. Waterproofing Integrity offers independent quality control testing of waterproofing membranes to ensure compliance with standards and manufacturer’s specifications to minimise issues in waterproofing applications.

Do you want to implement a waterproofing quality control regime? Call 1300 025 944 or complete our Contact Form to find out how today.