Filled former swamp ground
Much of Kensington was levelled swamp. Filled ground holds moisture and can contain buried organic material, so the under-slab component and a properly treated edge both matter on these sites.
Quick answer
Building new at Kensington means installing a termite management system. The NCC requires it in termite-prone areas and AS 3660.1 sets the method, with collars and under-slab work completed before the pour. Randwick certifiers ask for the installation certificate and the durable notice before the Occupation Certificate is issued.
Termite barriers in Kensington
Why Kensington builds need the barrier in before the pour
Kensington runs along Anzac Parade about 4.6 km south of the city, in the City of Randwick. Flats and apartments make up most of its housing, but streets of Federation houses and California bungalows survive between them, and those older blocks are where knockdown rebuilds and dual occupancies happen. Larger work follows the Anzac Parade spine, where light rail arrived in 2020 and residential development has followed. The University of New South Wales occupies the old Kensington Racecourse site, with NIDA and The Australian Golf Club nearby.
The ground under much of the suburb was swamp before it was levelled last century. Filled, low-lying land holds moisture and often contains buried organic material, and that combination suits subterranean colonies far better than clean sandstone. On a building site their route in is always the same: a service penetrating the slab, an unprotected edge, or a joint in the concrete. Those routes close properly only while the site is open, which is why the barrier is designed from the slab plan and staged around your pour.
Reviewed by Ismail, founder · Eastern Suburbs coverage · Updated September 2026 · More Eastern Suburbs suburbs
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Local conditions
What makes Kensington blocks a termite risk
Three conditions shape a Kensington barrier.
Tight rebuild blocks
Replacing a bungalow between existing buildings leaves little room for machinery or for a wide treated zone. The perimeter has to be detailed for the space that actually exists, not the space on a standard drawing.
Apartment podium slabs
Residential development along Anzac Parade puts dozens of hydraulic services through one slab. Collar counts and coordination with the hydraulic trade run these jobs.
What we install here
Building in Kensington
Kensington work covers replacement houses on the older streets, dual occupancies, secondary dwellings and apartment slabs along the Anzac Parade corridor. We collar every penetration, install the under-slab membrane or treated zone the design calls for, and complete perimeter and cavity protection as walls go up. On tight sites we plan access with the builder before attending. The quote is fixed from your plans with each stage set out, and visits are timed so the pour date holds.
- 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.
Local knowledge
Around Kensington
Residential jobs cluster in the streets near Wills Reserve, a couple of hundred metres from the centre, with larger slabs closer to the Anzac Parade light rail corridor. The Australian Golf Club and Gunyama Park sit about a kilometre away, and irrigated open ground like that keeps soil moisture high along neighbouring boundaries, which is worth knowing when a new slab edge is being detailed on an adjacent block.
The City of Randwick certifies building work in Kensington. Your certifier cannot issue the Occupation Certificate without evidence of the termite management system, and that evidence takes two forms: a certificate stating the products installed, the areas protected and the licensed installer, plus a permanent notice in the meter box recording the same detail with the recommended inspection interval. Both are handed over at completion with product information.
Slab date locked in?Tell us the pour date and we will book the stages around your builder.
Kensington at a glance
Termite barrier facts for Kensington
| Suburb | Kensington, NSW 2033 |
|---|---|
| District | Eastern Suburbs |
| Distance from Sydney CBD | 4.6 km south |
| Certifying council | Anzac Parade 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
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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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
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Kensington questions
Answered
Still unsure? Call and talk it through with a licensed technician.
+61 450 515 215Does Kensington's filled swamp ground change the system?
It raises the importance of what goes under and around the slab. Filled, moisture-holding ground can carry buried organic material from earlier decades, which supports colonies close to where you are building. On those sites we lean on a complete under-slab component plus a fully treated edge rather than relying on the perimeter alone.
We are rebuilding on a narrow Kensington block. Is there room for a barrier?
Yes, though the detailing changes. Narrow sites limit the width available for a treated zone and restrict machine access, so the design leans more heavily on collars, the under-slab component and a carefully finished edge. We look at boundary clearances with your builder before quoting so the method suits the block.
Can you work on an apartment slab off Anzac Parade?
Yes. Podium slabs carry a large number of hydraulic penetrations, so the work is coordinated with the hydraulic contractor's set-out and completed in one pass ahead of the pour inspection. Documentation is prepared so the certifier can match the installed system to the development approval for the whole building.
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.
Nearby
We also install barriers around Kensington
Same crew, same staging and the same certifier-ready paperwork, right across the Eastern Suburbs.
Service areas
Termite barriers across 379 Sydney suburbs
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.
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31 suburbsSlab 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.
