Eastern Suburbs · AS 3660.1
Termite barriers fitted before the pour as Chifley's 1960s public housing blocks make way for new family homes and townhouses, from Doctor Walters Park to the Banksia Scrub remnant on the western edge.
Quick answer
Yes, a new home or townhouse replacing older Chifley housing stock needs a termite management system. Local soils are sandy and free-draining, which suits subterranean termites, and Randwick council will not certify a build here without a system meeting AS 3660.1. Collars and any under-slab barrier go in before the pour, and we hand over the paperwork your certifier needs.
Termite barriers in Chifley
Chifley is a small residential suburb about 11.5 km south of the Sydney CBD, in postcode 2036 and the City of Randwick. Named after Prime Minister Ben Chifley, it became a separate suburb in 1964, and a large public housing development of multi-storey buildings was part of its growth through that decade. Much of that original low-rise housing has since been replaced by larger family homes and townhouses, so the streets now mix older houses, newer builds and unit blocks, with the redevelopment still ongoing block by block. Every knockdown rebuild and every new townhouse on a former public housing site still needs a termite management system signed off before it can be occupied.
Chifley sits between Malabar and Little Bay, close to open headland, and a small remnant of Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub survives on its western edge, a reminder of the native vegetation that once covered the area. Sandy local soils here suit subterranean termites, which can travel through loose, well-drained ground more easily than through heavy clay. A knockdown on an older Chifley site can also disturb termite activity that has been established nearby for years, pushing it toward the new build rather than removing it. That combination, sandy soil and a knockdown right next to established activity, is exactly why the barrier has to go in before the new slab, not after.
Reviewed by Ismail, founder · Eastern Suburbs coverage · Updated September 2026 · More Eastern Suburbs suburbs
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Local conditions
Three things make redevelopment sites in Chifley worth extra care before the pour.
Local sandy soils drain quickly and let subterranean termites move through the ground with less resistance than heavy clay would offer. That makes a continuous, well-sealed barrier at the slab edge more important here than in suburbs with denser ground.
Demolishing older Chifley housing can disturb termite activity that has been established on or near the site for years, pushing it toward the new build rather than eliminating it. We treat redevelopment sites as higher risk and inspect surrounding structures where practical.
A small surviving pocket of Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub on Chifley's western edge is a reminder of the bushland that once covered this part of Sydney, and remnant native vegetation like it can still harbour termite colonies close to nearby blocks.
What we install here
Most of our Chifley work is new townhouses and family homes replacing older public housing stock, plus knockdown rebuilds on individual blocks scattered through the older streets. Waffle pod and raft slabs are standard, and because many of these sites sit on sandy ground, we pay particular attention to a continuous, well-jointed under-slab membrane rather than relying on soil treatment alone. Collars go in once the plumber finishes the rough-in, we build the schedule around the builder's own pour date, and one fixed written quote from the plans covers the whole job.
Local knowledge
Chifley's redevelopment sites cluster around Doctor Walters Park and Chifley Sports Reserve, where irrigated playing fields and park edges keep the surrounding ground damp for longer after rain. Toward the suburb's south-east, Malabar Headland National Park adds a larger stretch of coastal bush, and the small Banksia Scrub remnant on the western edge is a reminder of how much native vegetation, and the termites that live in it, once covered this part of Chifley.
Chifley builds are certified through the City of Randwick, which requires two documents on file before it will release an Occupation Certificate: a notice fixed permanently in the meter box that records the termite management system, and a second document that lists the products applied, names the licensed installer and states exactly which parts of the building are protected. On redevelopment sites replacing older public housing, we also keep a record of any termite activity found during demolition, in case the certifier wants to see it.
Chifley at a glance
| Suburb | Chifley, NSW 2036 |
|---|---|
| District | Eastern Suburbs |
| Distance from Sydney CBD | 11.5 km south |
| Certifying council | Little Bay Council |
| Standard applied | AS 3660.1 termite management systems |
| Installed | Before the slab pour, then staged through the build |
| Documents supplied | Installation certificate and durable notice |
| Typical builds covered | New homes, knockdown rebuilds, granny flats, duplexes, townhouses |
Systems we install
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.
01A termite-resistant sheet laid over the whole prepared footprint before concreting, so termites can't come up through the slab anywhere.
02A sealed collar on every pipe, conduit and service that passes through the slab. These gaps are the most common hidden way in.
03Protection at the slab edge and into the wall cavity, which stops termites building hidden tunnels up the outside of the slab.
04An APVMA-registered termiticide zone in the soil, with an optional pipe network under paving so it can be recharged later without digging.
05Barriers for bearers, piers and raised timber floors on sloping or elevated blocks, where there's no slab to protect.
06Detailing for sandstone cuts, block retaining walls, step-downs and cut-and-fill sites, which are common across Sydney.
Why during construction
A retrofit can only treat around a finished house. A pre-construction system protects the parts nobody will ever be able to reach again.
A barrier put in during the build costs a fraction of a post-construction system, and far less than repairing termite damage.
New houses (Class 1) and outbuildings (Class 10) with termite-susceptible framing need a compliant termite management system.
Pipe penetrations and slab joints can only be fully protected while they're still open, before the concrete goes in.
An under-slab system covers ground that no treatment from outside the finished house can ever reach.
Your certifier needs the certificate and durable notice before issuing the Occupation Certificate. We supply both together.
Documented, compliant protection gives buyers, building inspectors and lenders confidence when the home is sold.
Installation stages
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.
Send your plans and slab details. We recommend a system and give you one fixed price that covers every stage.
Collars go on every service once the plumber has set out, then the membrane or soil treatment is installed across the prepared site.
Perimeter and cavity protection is fitted as the brickwork or cladding goes up, so there's no unprotected gap at the slab edge.
Where it's specified, the chemical perimeter or reticulation system is completed around the building before paths and gardens go in.
A durable notice goes in the meter box, and the installation certificate goes to your builder and certifier.
The owner gets simple care instructions and an inspection schedule so the system keeps doing its job for years.
Compare systems
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
Entry-point protection
Soil protection
Top-up protection
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
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.
Consistent pricing across lots, one point of contact and a full document set for every dwelling.
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
A complete document set for the builder, the certifier and every future owner of the property.
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
Written confirmation of the system and products used, the areas protected and our licence details.
For: builder, certifier, owner
Details of the physical system or termiticide installed, including safety data sheets for any chemicals.
For: builder, owner
How to keep the system working, plus the recommended inspection frequency under AS 3660.2.
For: homeowner
From real jobs
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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Pricing
Every build is different, so we don't guess. We price from your plans and give you one fixed written quote. Quoting is free.
After handover
A barrier only works while it stays intact and visible. Pass these on to the owner.
Free fixed quote
Tell us about your build and get a clear, fixed price, fast. We usually reply within 30 minutes during business hours.
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Chifley questions
Still unsure? Call and talk it through with a licensed technician.
+61 450 515 215Yes, a new townhouse or unit block is treated the same as any other new residential building under the NCC. It needs a termite management system that meets AS 3660.1, with collars at every penetration and a perimeter or under-slab layer completed before the pour, plus the durable notice and installation certificate for the certifier once the building is finished.
Sandy, free-draining soil lets subterranean termites move through the ground more easily than dense clay does, so a gap or a poorly jointed section of barrier is more likely to be found and used. We pay close attention to overlaps in the under-slab membrane and to sealing every penetration properly on Chifley's sandy blocks, rather than treating it as routine work.
It is worth asking about. Demolishing an older Chifley house can disturb termite activity that was already established nearby, and that activity does not disappear, it looks for a new way in. A properly installed barrier on the new slab closes that route, and we are happy to flag anything unusual we notice on site during the demolition and construction stages.
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.
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.
Nearby
Same crew, same staging and the same certifier-ready paperwork, right across the Eastern Suburbs.
Service areas
From the Eastern Suburbs and Inner West to the Hills, the Shire and the western growth corridors. Every suburb has its own page with the local ground conditions, the council that certifies the work and the questions builders there ask us.
Slab pour coming up?
Send us your plans today for a fixed quote, or call and talk to a licensed technician about your site.
