Very narrow sites
Side setbacks of a metre or less limit the width available for a treated zone and restrict machinery, so the method leans on collars and a carefully finished edge within the space that exists.
Quick answer
New homes in the Eastern Suburbs need a termite management system. The NCC requires one in termite-prone areas, installed to AS 3660.1, with collars and under-slab protection completed before the pour. Randwick, Waverley or Woollahra certifiers ask for the installation certificate and durable notice before the Occupation Certificate.
Barriers across the Eastern Suburbs
Rebuilds and infill on tight eastern blocks
The Eastern Suburbs covers 40 suburbs on this site, from Bondi, Bronte and Coogee along the coast through Randwick, Kensington and Maroubra to the harbourside streets of Double Bay, Vaucluse and Rose Bay. There is almost no greenfield land left, so every job is a rebuild, a dual occupancy, a rear secondary dwelling or an apartment slab. Blocks are tight, neighbours are close, and access is usually the first thing a builder wants to talk about.
Ground conditions vary sharply across a few kilometres. Sandy coastal soils sit behind the beaches, filled former swamp lies under parts of Kensington and Eastlakes, and sandstone runs through the harbourside streets. What they share is a century or more of gardens, buried timber and old drainage beneath any new pad. The slab itself is tested where every slab is, at its penetrations, its edge and its joints, and sealing those is only possible while the site is open before concrete.
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Local conditions
What eastern blocks demand from a barrier
Three conditions shape barrier work across the Eastern Suburbs.
Sandy and filled ground
Coastal sand and filled former swamp behave differently under a slab edge than clay, and filled land can hold buried organic material that supports colonies before construction begins.
Century-old garden soil
Rebuild blocks here have been planted since the Federation era. Stumps, sleepers and old drainage sit under the new pad, which raises the value of the under-slab component.
What we install here
Building across the Eastern Suburbs
Eastern Suburbs work covers replacement houses, dual occupancies, rear dwellings and apartment or boutique unit slabs. We collar every penetration, install the under-slab component or treated zone the design requires, and complete the perimeter and cavity protection as the structure rises, detailing carefully where a new slab meets a retained wall or neighbouring building. Access is agreed with the builder before we attend, and every stage is priced up front.
- Under-slab membraneA termite-resistant sheet laid across the prepared ground before the pour.
- Penetration collarsCollars sealed to every pipe and conduit that comes up through the slab.
- Perimeter & slab edgeA barrier at the slab edge and into the cavity, so nothing can track up hidden.
- Chemical soil barrierAn APVMA-registered treated zone in the soil under and around the building.
- ReticulationA pipe network laid before paving so the treated zone can be topped up later.
- Piers & suspended floorsProtection for bearers, piers and suspended timber floors on sloping blocks.
Councils & certifiers
Getting signed off in the Eastern Suburbs
Three councils certify across this district: Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra, with the City of Sydney taking in the northern fringe. Whichever applies, the certifier needs a certificate recording products, protected areas and the installing technician, plus a durable notice fixed permanently in the meter box with the installation date and inspection advice, both in place before the Occupation Certificate is issued.
Our eastern run covers the beach suburbs from Bondi through Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly and Coogee, the Randwick and Kensington belt near the university and racecourse, the harbourside streets of Double Bay, Point Piper, Vaucluse and Watsons Bay, and the southern pocket at Maroubra, Malabar and Matraville. Sites near golf courses and large irrigated parkland get extra attention at the perimeter.
Know your pour date?Send the slab plan and we will stage the barrier around your builder.
Eastern Suburbs
Suburbs we install barriers in
Every suburb has its own page with the local ground conditions, the councils that certify there and the questions builders ask us most.
Bellevue Hill
Bondi
Bondi Beach
Bondi Junction
Bronte
Centennial Park
Chifley
Clovelly
Coogee
Darling Point
Double Bay
Dover Heights
Eastgardens
Eastlakes
Edgecliff
Elizabeth Bay
Hillsdale
Kensington
Kingsford
La Perouse
Little Bay
Malabar
Maroubra
Matraville
Moore Park
Paddington
Pagewood
Phillip Bay
Point Piper
Port Botany
Queens Park
Randwick
Rose Bay
Rushcutters Bay
South Coogee
Tamarama
Vaucluse
Watsons Bay
Waverley
Woollahra
Systems we install
The right barrier for your slab and your site
Every photo below is from one of our own Sydney jobs. We look at your slab design, site and budget, then recommend a system or a combination.
01Under-slab membrane
A termite-resistant sheet laid over the whole prepared footprint before concreting, so termites can't come up through the slab anywhere.
02Penetration collars
A sealed collar on every pipe, conduit and service that passes through the slab. These gaps are the most common hidden way in.
03Slab edge & cavity barrier
Protection at the slab edge and into the wall cavity, which stops termites building hidden tunnels up the outside of the slab.
04Chemical soil barrier & reticulation
An APVMA-registered termiticide zone in the soil, with an optional pipe network under paving so it can be recharged later without digging.
05Suspended floors & piers
Barriers for bearers, piers and raised timber floors on sloping or elevated blocks, where there's no slab to protect.
06Retaining walls & tricky sites
Detailing for sandstone cuts, block retaining walls, step-downs and cut-and-fill sites, which are common across Sydney.
Why during construction
Do it now, or pay more to do less later
A retrofit can only treat around a finished house. A pre-construction system protects the parts nobody will ever be able to reach again.
Costs far less
A barrier put in during the build costs a fraction of a post-construction system, and far less than repairing termite damage.
Meets the NCC
New houses (Class 1) and outbuildings (Class 10) with termite-susceptible framing need a compliant termite management system.
Hidden gaps sealed
Pipe penetrations and slab joints can only be fully protected while they're still open, before the concrete goes in.
The whole footprint
An under-slab system covers ground that no treatment from outside the finished house can ever reach.
No OC delays
Your certifier needs the certificate and durable notice before issuing the Occupation Certificate. We supply both together.
Easier to sell
Documented, compliant protection gives buyers, building inspectors and lenders confidence when the home is sold.
Installation stages
Installed in stages that follow your build
A termite barrier isn't a single visit. Each part goes in when the site is ready for it, and we fit around your plumber, concreter and bricklayer.
Step 01Design / DA
Plans & fixed quote
Send your plans and slab details. We recommend a system and give you one fixed price that covers every stage.
Step 02Before the pour
Collars & under-slab
Collars go on every service once the plumber has set out, then the membrane or soil treatment is installed across the prepared site.
Step 03Walls going up
Slab edge & cavity
Perimeter and cavity protection is fitted as the brickwork or cladding goes up, so there's no unprotected gap at the slab edge.
Step 04Before landscaping
Final perimeter
Where it's specified, the chemical perimeter or reticulation system is completed around the building before paths and gardens go in.
Step 05Pre-OC
Notice & certificate
A durable notice goes in the meter box, and the installation certificate goes to your builder and certifier.
Step 06Handover
Owner advice
The owner gets simple care instructions and an inspection schedule so the system keeps doing its job for years.
Compare systems
Physical or chemical termite barrier?
Both can meet AS 3660.1. The best choice depends on your slab type, what surrounds the house and how much ongoing upkeep the owner wants.
Physical protection
Physical membrane, mesh or graded stone
No chemicals- How it worksA layer termites can't chew through, laid under the slab or around its edge.
- Life & upkeepDesigned to last as long as the slab while it isn't disturbed. No top-ups.
- Good fit forSlab-on-ground homes, and owners who prefer a non-chemical option.
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Natural, lasting defence
Entry-point protection
Penetration collars
- How it worksCollars sealed around each pipe and conduit that passes through the slab.
- Life & upkeepLong-lasting when fitted properly before concreting.
- Good fit forEvery slab, usually paired with a perimeter system.
Get this quoted
Small detail, big difference
Soil protection
Chemical soil barrier
- How it worksA treated zone of termiticide in the soil under and around the building.
- Life & upkeepDepends on the product label and soil conditions. Can be re-applied.
- Good fit forTighter budgets and some complex sites.
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Flexible and provable
Top-up protection
Reticulation system
Rechargeable- How it worksPipes laid before paving so termiticide can be pumped back into the soil.
- Life & upkeepCan be recharged for the life of the building without lifting paths.
- Good fit forHomes that will be surrounded by paving or landscaping.
Get this quoted
Protection you can renew
Most of the Sydney builds we work on use a combination: physical collars on every penetration plus a physical or chemical perimeter.
For builders & developers
Built around your program, not ours
Builders, developers and owner-builders get a fixed quote from plans, a technician who turns up when the site is ready, and paperwork that never holds up sign-off.
What we need to quote
Architectural or slab planSlab type: raft, waffle pod or suspendedSite addressRough pour dateRetaining wall & step-down details
Fitting in with your trades
- Collars in before the pour inspection
- Slab edge & cavity as walls go up
- Perimeter done before paving
Multi-unit & repeat work
Consistent pricing across lots, one point of contact and a full document set for every dwelling.
No certification delays
Missing durable notices and unclear install records are a common reason Occupation Certificates get held up. We hand everything over together so your certifier has it all in one go.
Paperwork
Everything you get at handover
A complete document set for the builder, the certifier and every future owner of the property.
Durable notice
A permanent notice in the meter box showing the system, install date, installer, any chemical's life expectancy and inspection advice.
For: certifier, owner, future owners
Installation certificate
Written confirmation of the system and products used, the areas protected and our licence details.
For: builder, certifier, owner
Product information
Details of the physical system or termiticide installed, including safety data sheets for any chemicals.
For: builder, owner
Care & inspection advice
How to keep the system working, plus the recommended inspection frequency under AS 3660.2.
For: homeowner
From real jobs
Recent termite barrier installations
Photos from our own Sydney sites, not stock images. Tap any photo to see it larger.
Membrane barrier across a large residential slab
Barrier work on a Sydney Harbour site
Installation through sandstone excavation
Perimeter barrier and sleeves on a new slab
Waffle pod formwork with collared penetrations
Membrane detailed against a retaining wall
Membrane sealed around a column
Protected slab edge with collar in place
Collared penetrations before the pour
Perimeter barrier on a completed slab edge
Pipe penetrations sealed into the membrane
Collars fixed through mesh before concreting
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What Sydney clients say about us
Real, verified reviews from homeowners and businesses we've worked with.
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Pricing
What sets the price of a barrier
Every build is different, so we don't guess. We price from your plans and give you one fixed written quote. Quoting is free.
- 01Slab area & perimeterBigger footprints need more material, more edge protection and more labour.
- 02System typeFull under-slab, perimeter-only, chemical and reticulation options are all priced differently.
- 03Number of penetrationsEach plumbing and electrical service through the slab needs its own collar.
- 04Site complexityRetaining walls, step-downs, sandstone and suspended floors add detailing.
- 05Number of visitsStaged installs follow your program. Multi-dwelling sites can often be combined.
- 06Site accessTight blocks, steep driveways and limited street frontage slow the set-out and add time on site.
After handover
Keeping the barrier working
A barrier only works while it stays intact and visible. Pass these on to the owner.
- Keep at least 75 mm of the slab edge exposed. Don't cover it with soil, mulch or paving.
- No garden beds or stacked timber against the house
- Keep weep holes clear of render and debris
- Fix leaking taps, downpipes and hot water units near the walls
- Ask the installer before drilling through the slab or adding pipes
- Book a timber pest inspection at least every 12 months
Annual timber pest inspection
Handed over recently? We inspect the barrier and the building every 12 months.
Free fixed quote
Protect your build
before the pour
Tell us about your build and get a clear, fixed price, fast. We usually reply within 30 minutes during business hours.
- Send your detailsBuild type, suburb and rough slab pour date.
- Share your plansSlab plan or architectural drawings, plus any retaining wall details.
- Get your fixed quoteOne written price covering every installation stage.
- Fast responseWithin 30 mins
- Licensed expertsQualified & insured
- Trusted locallyAcross Sydney
Get a fixed quote
Tell us about your build
within 30 minutes
Eastern Suburbs questions
Answered
Can't see your question? Call and talk it through with a licensed technician.
+61 450 515 215Is there room for a barrier on a narrow eastern block?
Yes, though the method adapts. With little side clearance there is limited width for a treated zone and restricted machine access, so the system relies on collaring every penetration, the under-slab component and a carefully detailed edge. We review boundary clearances with your builder before quoting so nothing is assumed on the day.
Do boutique apartment blocks here need a barrier?
Where the building contains primary elements that termites can damage, the requirement applies regardless of how many dwellings sit above. The work concentrates at slab level: every hydraulic and service penetration collared in one coordinated pass before the pour, with the perimeter completed as the structure goes up.
What does sandy coastal soil mean for the system?
Loose coastal soils move more than clay and behave differently at a slab edge, so edge finishing and keeping the inspection strip visible matter. Both physical and chemical systems can comply; where a treated zone is used and paving is planned over it, a reticulation line makes recharging practical later.
Does a new home need a termite barrier in NSW?
In most cases, yes. The National Construction Code requires a termite management system for new houses and outbuildings in termite-prone areas where the primary building elements can be damaged by termites. Sydney is termite-prone, so the system is installed to AS 3660.1 and your certifier asks for the installation certificate and durable notice before the Occupation Certificate is issued.
What does a pre-construction barrier cost?
It depends on slab area, perimeter length, the number of pipe penetrations, the system chosen, site complexity and how many visits the build needs. Send us the plans and we return one fixed written quote covering every stage. Quoting is free.
Slab pour coming up?
Lock in your termite barrier before the concrete truck arrives
Send us your plans today for a fixed quote, or call and talk to a licensed technician about your site.
