Grading, and the water you never see
The ground around a house is part of the house.
In short: Site grading recorded three times at frame stage and again at completion in Oran Park.
What grading is
The fall of the finished ground away from the building, so surface water leaves rather than collects. It is designed, not incidental.
What we recorded
Site not graded, three separate records at frame stage in Oran Park, and grading still required at practical completion on a different job in the same suburb.
Why it matters on reactive ground
Water held against a footing changes the moisture in the soil beneath it. Reactive clay responds to moisture change by moving, and slab engineering is sized to resist that, not to absorb it forever.
What it does to the rest
Water at the base of a wall reaches unsealed penetrations, damp proof courses and any timber near the ground. It is the root of several other findings rather than a standalone one.
What to check before you buy
Walk the perimeter and look at where the ground sits relative to the slab edge, and where water would go in heavy rain. Then look at the same thing on the inspection report.
Written by the Owner Inspections team from inspections carried out in Gledswood Hills. Licensed building practitioners, NSW Fair Trading licence 366177C.
