Slab Edge Concealed by Soil, Paving, or Raised Garden Beds
I walked the perimeter and could not see a continuous strip of exposed slab edge - raised garden beds, soil, paving, or decorative stone have buried it. Reference: AS 3660.1 and AS 3660.2. In my experience a concealed slab edge lets subterranean termites bridge the edge barrier out of sight, entering the cavity or framing without leaving mud leads where I can find them.
Causes
- Landscaping additions after handover raising finished ground level
- Driveway or path concrete poured flush with or above the slab edge
- Decorative pebble, bark, or raised bed retaining walls installed hard against the dwelling
Symptoms to look for
- No visible strip of concrete slab between external wall and finished ground
- Garden beds, lawn, or paving finishes at or above internal floor level
- Termite inspection report flagging inaccessible perimeter
Remedies
- Excavate soil, mulch, and paving to expose at least 75 mm of slab edge around the full perimeter
- Install agricultural drain and graded fall away from the slab where water pooling is contributing
- Relocate raised garden beds a minimum of 300 mm clear of the structure
Where we see this most
These suburbs show the highest concentration of slab edge concealed by soil, paving, or raised garden beds in our inspection data (minimum five observations). Click a suburb to see its full defect profile.
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