Facade and balcony waterproofing: protecting your strata building and budget

A well-maintained strata building costs less to own. Early inspection, the right repair scope and properly inspected work protect the building, protect the owners' money, and give committees and strata managers a clear record to stand on. That is what we bring to strata: the same building knowledge and oversight we apply to new construction, applied to the day-to-day care of an existing building.

How we help strata managers and committees

Most committees are volunteers and most strata managers look after many buildings. Neither can be expected to read a facade the way a builder does. Here is where we fit in.

• Regular inspections with plain-English reports. Scheduled site visits that spot early signs (staining, cracked render, failed sealant, blocked drains, ponding on balconies) and record them with photos and locations, so the committee can decide what to do and when.
• Finding the cause, not just the symptom. A stain on a ceiling is where water ended up, not where it got in. We trace the path and write the repair around the cause, so the fix lasts.
• Scoping and pricing repairs properly. A clear scope lets quotes be compared like for like. Vague scopes produce cheap quotes that become expensive variations.
• Overseeing the work. Concealed work such as membranes and flashings is inspected and photographed before it is covered, using the same hold-point approach set out on our How We Build page.
• Emergency call-outs. When something fails out of hours, one point of contact who knows the building.
• Records that hold up. Inspection reports, repair records and photos give the owners corporation what it needs for the capital works plan, for insurers, and for any warranty or defects claim.

Where the money is saved

We do not promise a fixed saving, because it depends on the building. The savings come from four places:

1. Catching problems early. Water damage compounds. A failed balcony membrane found early is a repair, and found late it can involve rotted framing, damaged units below and much larger works.
2. Repairing the right thing once. Fixing the cause avoids paying for the same repair again in two years.
3. Comparing like with like. A proper scope stops committees comparing a full membrane replacement to a surface coating.
4. Planning ahead. Predictable works can go into the capital works fund plan, so owners see them coming and levies are smoother.

The legal frame, briefly

Under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, the owners corporation must properly maintain and keep in good and serviceable repair the common property. A lot owner can claim damages for reasonably foreseeable loss caused by a breach of that duty. It also has to prepare a 10-year capital works fund plan of anticipated major expenditure, and review it at least every five years. Facade and balcony works are exactly the kind of expenditure that plan is meant to capture. This is general information, and your strata lawyer can tell you how it applies to your scheme.

A specific problem: facade and balcony waterproofing

If we had to pick the single issue that costs strata buildings the most, it would be water getting in through the facade and balconies. Balconies are exposed on several sides, carry foot traffic and furniture, and connect the floor, wall, door and balustrade in a small space. Each connection is a chance for water to get in.

Why balconies and facades fail

• The membrane is missing, thin or damaged. The waterproofing layer under the tiles or coating can crack from movement, wear out with age or be pierced during later work.
• Falls are wrong. If water does not drain towards the outlet, it ponds and finds its way through weak spots.
• Upturns and junctions are poorly detailed. Where the balcony floor meets the wall, door threshold or balustrade posts, the membrane needs to turn up and be protected by flashing or cladding.
• Drains are not properly connected to the membrane, or are blocked.
• Sealant is doing the job of flashing. Sealant ages and cracks, and flashing should be the primary barrier.
• Facade joints and cladding age. Cracked render, failed sealant at panel joints and window perimeters, and coatings that have reached the end of life all let water in.
• Fixings and penetrations for balustrades, air-conditioners, awnings and services break the barrier if they are not sealed.

In our earlier post on where buildings leak we describe these junctions in more detail.

Warning signs to look for

• Stains, bubbling paint or efflorescence (white salt deposits) on ceilings below balconies, or on facade walls
• Cracked or hollow-sounding tiles, and cracked grout
• Ponding water that stays a day after rain
• Rust staining from balustrade fixings and reinforcement
• Cracks or spalling in balcony slab edges or soffits
• Failed or missing sealant around windows, doors and panel joints
• Damp smell in units below, or repeated leak reports from the same area

Concrete cracking, spalling or exposed reinforcement can be a structural matter. In that case, get an engineer involved promptly.

A sound approach to the repair

1. Investigate first. Inspect a sample of balconies and the facade, and record the condition of each. Where needed, open up small areas, take moisture readings and, if the situation warrants, use water testing to find where water is entering.
2. Write the scope around the cause. Decide between local repairs, replacement of membranes, re-detailing of junctions, or a full facade program. Specify the membrane system, the standard it follows (external above-ground membranes are covered by AS 4654), substrate preparation, falls, drains, upturns and flashings.
3. Check who is responsible. Whether a balcony's waterproofing is common property or lot property depends on your strata plan and by-laws. Confirm it with your strata lawyer before the works are approved.
4. Check approvals. Depending on the building and the work, a certifier or engineer may need to be involved. Confirm this before you tender.
5. Tender on the same scope. Ask contractors for the membrane product, warranty terms, sequencing, access arrangements, and their licensing and insurance.
6. Inspect at hold points. Inspect the substrate and falls before the membrane, the membrane and upturns before tiles or coatings, and test where appropriate, before the next trade covers the work.
7. Get the paperwork. Product data sheets, photos of each stage, test results, and the contractor's written warranty should be handed over and filed with the owners corporation.
8. Plan the cycle. Put inspections and the next round of works into the capital works plan.

Red flags in a quote

• A price far below the others, with no explanation of what is left out
• A surface coating over the existing tiles or membrane, with no investigation of falls, drains or junctions
• No named membrane system or standard
• No inspection or hold-point process
• No written warranty, or a warranty that depends on conditions no one explained
• Pressure to approve quickly

Questions to put to any contractor

1. What did you find on the sample balconies, and what caused it?
2. Which membrane system will you use, and to which standard?
3. How will falls, drains and upturns be dealt with?
4. What will be inspected before it is covered, and by whom?
5. What warranty do you provide, in writing, and what does it exclude?
6. How will residents be protected and kept informed during the works?

Timing matters

Statutory warranty periods under the Home Building Act run from completion and are short for non-major defects. Major defects, which include waterproofing failures, have a longer period. If a building is fairly new and balconies are leaking, do not wait. Get an inspection report and advice on time limits from a strata lawyer, and read our post on strata defects reports.

Working with us

We can walk your building, report on the condition of the facade and balconies, help scope and tender the works, and oversee the repair through to handover. We work alongside your strata manager, who stays your point of contact, through our Strata Inspections & Repairs service.

To talk about your building, get in touch.

Sources

• Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, section 106 (Duty of owners corporation to maintain and repair property), NSW Legislation via AustLII
• Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, section 80 (10-year capital works fund plan), NSW Legislation via AustLII
• Home Building Act 1989, section 18E (Proceedings for breach of warranty), NSW Legislation via AustLII

This article is general information, not legal, engineering or technical advice for your building. Responsibility for balconies, approvals and time limits depend on your strata plan, by-laws and building, so get advice from a strata lawyer, an engineer where structure may be affected, and a qualified building consultant. Full website disclaimer