Covered Slab Edge Creating High Termite Risk
Covered Slab Edge Creating High Termite Risk is a critical soil & foundation defect SURE inspectors have documented across 20 inspection reports.
Causes
- Obstructions (paths, paving, garden vegetation, soil) covering the slab edge
- Landscaping or construction choices that conceal the slab edge.
- Slab edge covered by paths/paving/garden vegetation or soil
- Landscaping features covering slab edge
- Construction details
Symptoms to look for
- Slab edge obscured by surrounding elements like paths, paving, garden vegetation, or soil.
- High degree of risk for termite infestation and concealed entry
- High risk of undetected termite entry
- Slab edge not visible
- Concealed slab edge
Remedies
- Expose at least 75 mm of the slab edge above ground level to facilitate the detection of termite entry.
- Expose at least 75 mm of the slab edge to allow for inspections for termite activity/entry
- Expose at least 75mm of the slab edge
- Expose at least 75mm of the slab edge to allow inspection for termite activity/entry
- Expose at least 75 mm of the slab edge above ground level to allow for inspections
Get an inspector through this property.
Findings in this category skew high severity. If you are under contract, we can usually book inside the cooling-off window. Every inspection includes 12 months of free advice.
Curated entries in Soil & foundation
- Curated 1–4/5Trees in Close Proximity to Dwelling
Large trees within the foraging radius of the dwelling - typically any tree within 3 m for small species, or within 10 m for large eucalypts - introduce two distinct risks: root-driven soil moisture fluctuation that causes differential footing movement on reactive clay, and a direct termite foraging corridor between a timber food source in the crown or root system and the building structure. Neither defect is always present, but the proximity constitutes a conducive condition that warrants ongoing monitoring.
- Curated 2–5/5Reactive Clay Soil Movement Affecting Foundation
Seasonal expansion and contraction of reactive clay soils causing cyclical foundation movement, wall cracking, and floor level changes. Prevalent in Sydney Western Suburbs and some Perth clay zones. Severity depends on soil class (H, H1, H2, E) and footing design adequacy.