Get the skinny on slab heave

The Melbourne crisis

In June, The Age reported that thousands of home owners in Melbourne are facing financial ruin due to slab heave, thanks to untested soil conditions in many newly developed suburbs. The homes were reportedly built on a sinkhole plain, and when the soil shifted, so did the homes.

In March this year, a Victorian tribunal made Metricon pay $290,000 to an investor because of faulty slabs in his property. Further class and individual legal actions are still on foot.

The waffle slab

There are a number of ways that footings may be built, and one such way is the waffle slab. This is a concrete slab that effectively floats on top of the compacted ground.

While it is cheaper and faster to install than traditional footings, this style of slab has been blamed by many home owners for the internal and external cracking of their residences.

Who is to blame?

Waffle slabs, poorly trained and regulated soil testers, and builders failing to follow the AS2870 standard for home footings have been targeted as the root of the problem.

A recent report by the Victorian Building Authority stated that deficiencies in the stormwater drainage systems of dwellings were a key factor.

Local and state governments have also been blamed for the fast releases of land and housing estates on volatile ground.

While the matter remains in court through class and individual legal actions, the real culprits remain unknown – but what is known is the devastating impact this issue is having on homeowners not just in Melbourne, but Australia-wide.

Are you affected?

While it may be difficult to determine whether your property is suffering from slab heave, there are some good indicators. Severe cracking of internal and external walls, jammed doors and windows, roof lifting, sinking or rising parts of your structure, and plumbing/pipe problems are all telltale signs.

If you are concerned, engage a licensed builder or engineer to carry out an inspection of your property and ask that they advise specifically in relation to slab heave. The cost of fixing this issue can be significant and you may need to see what legal avenues are available to you.

If you’re buying a new home, be sure to ascertain that the property’s footings comply with all relevant building regulations.

Slab heave can be rectified, but it is costly. Seek legal advice if you are concerned with how slab heave affects you.