Benched, retained pads
Blocks fall towards the water, so building platforms are cut and retained. Every batter, retaining wall and step-down is a junction the barrier must follow without leaving a gap.
Quick answer
New buildings on the Lower North Shore with termite-susceptible elements need a management system under the NCC, installed to AS 3660.1. Collars and under-slab work precede the pour. Your council's certifier, whether North Sydney, Willoughby, Mosman, Lane Cove or Hunter's Hill, needs the certificate and durable notice before the Occupation Certificate.
Barriers across the Lower North Shore
Steep harbourside blocks and apartment slabs
The Lower North Shore covers 33 suburbs on this site, from North Sydney, Cremorne and Mosman around to Lane Cove, Chatswood, Hunters Hill and Woolwich. Building here is dominated by two things: substantial replacement homes on established, heavily planted blocks, and apartment or townhouse slabs concentrated around Chatswood, St Leonards and the larger centres. Heritage controls apply across a good number of streets.
Terrain is the constant. Land falls towards the harbour and its bays, so pads are benched with retaining walls and step-downs, and suspended floors or pier construction are common where the drop is steep. Mature canopy keeps soil shaded and damp along the building line, and reserves and bushland gullies run down to the water in most suburbs. On any slab the entry points stay the same, penetrations, edge and joints, all of which have to be closed before concrete arrives.
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Local conditions
What lower north shore blocks demand
Three conditions drive barrier detailing on the Lower North Shore.
Dense canopy and damp soil
Mature trees keep ground shaded and moist around the building line, and damp soil beside a warm slab is exactly the condition foraging colonies favour.
Difficult access
Narrow streets, steep driveways and constrained sites limit what can reach a pad, so the method and the staging are agreed with the builder well before the pour.
What we install here
Building across the Lower North Shore
Work here covers replacement homes on established blocks, substantial additions, secondary dwellings and apartment or townhouse slabs near the centres. We collar every penetration, install the specified under-slab component, and complete perimeter and cavity protection as the structure rises, including piers and suspended floor framing where the design steps down the fall. Access is planned in advance, and every stage is itemised in a fixed written quote.
- 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 Lower North Shore
Five councils certify across this district: North Sydney, Willoughby, Mosman, Lane Cove and Hunter's Hill. Heritage conditions are common and govern appearance rather than the termite requirement. Whichever authority holds your approval, they need the installation certificate covering products, protected areas and installer, plus the durable notice fixed in the meter box, before the Occupation Certificate is granted.
Our run covers the harbourside streets of Mosman, Cremorne, Neutral Bay and Kirribilli, the Lane Cove and Chatswood belt with its reserves and golf courses, the peninsula suburbs at Hunters Hill and Woolwich, and the ridge suburbs around Willoughby, Naremburn and Artarmon. Blocks bordering reserve country or falling to the water get the fullest perimeter treatment and the closest attention at retaining junctions.
Know your pour date?Send the slab plan and we will stage the barrier around your builder.
Lower North Shore
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.
Artarmon
Cammeray
Castle Cove
Castlecrag
Chatswood
Chatswood West
Cremorne
Cremorne Point
Crows Nest
Greenwich
Hunters Hill
Lane Cove
Lane Cove North
Lane Cove West
Lavender Bay
Linley Point
Longueville
McMahons Point
Middle Cove
Milsons Point
Mosman
Naremburn
Neutral Bay
North Sydney
Northbridge
Riverview
Roseville
Roseville Chase
Waverton
Willoughby
Willoughby East
Wollstonecraft
Woolwich
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.
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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.
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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
Lower North Shore questions
Answered
Can't see your question? Call and talk it through with a licensed technician.
+61 450 515 215Our block is steep and retained. Can a barrier still be installed?
Yes, and the detailing is where the work sits. Benched pads leave retaining walls, batters and step-downs, each a point where a barrier can be compromised. Send the engineering drawings with the slab plan so those junctions are priced and drawn rather than improvised once the formwork is standing.
Do heritage controls stop a compliant system?
No. Heritage conditions govern what can be altered and how the building looks, while the system sits under and around the slab. The method may change to suit retained fabric and limited access, but the installation still follows AS 3660.1 and the same documentation goes to your certifier.
Which council handles my approval on the Lower North Shore?
It depends on the suburb: North Sydney, Willoughby, Mosman, Lane Cove and Hunter's Hill all certify parts of this district, and boundaries run through some suburbs such as Lane Cove North. We confirm the right authority when quoting so the completion documents match your approval.
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.
