Dear Construction Industry…

As a long-standing partner to the building and construction industry, one that shares in both your frustrations and your ambitions to build better, safer, and more durable homes, Demtech Australia would like to keep solution-based innovation for wet area construction at the forefront of industry leaders’ minds.

Over the past 20+ years, we’ve witnessed a concerning trend that can no longer be ignored; the growing volume of structural damage, wet area failures and costly rectifications stemming from screeded shower bases, balconies and other internal and external wet areas. Although a nationwide issue, lightweight residential construction across Victoria is particularly ‘defect heavy’.

‘2023 VBA Stats’ outlined in this ABC ‘Waterproofing Crisis Article’ Building industry fears around waterproofing as leaks reach crisis point in Victoria - ABC News tell us 70% + of defective balconies alone were found to have inadequate waterproofing applied to them, while 9 in every 10 building Insurance claims have at least one water related defect.

In a more recent article published via the VBA, data shows that 92% of claims from 2018-2020 had at least one water related defect.  Examining indoor mould and moisture damage in Victorian residential buildings | Victorian Building Authority.

What isn’t highlighted in all this are the failed substrate materials and sub-systems as well as poor design and construction methods that contribute to compromising the waterproofing system even when waterproofing systems have been installed properly.

A 2024 ABCB Waterproofing Impact Analysis outlines the extent of the issue pertaining mostly to Class 2 buildings and Class 3 through 9 in NSW. Report. The report goes on to outline the need for intervention and a pathway to initiating reform.

Class 1 buildings experience the same or similar failures and the data simply shows water related failures are prevalent throughout industry in all categories.

Systems once considered standard practice are now, in many cases, a liability.

These failures are not isolated. We are seeing widespread water ingress, structural damage, mould proliferation, and long-term degradation of homes.

Many failures begin to occur only a few years or even a few months after a build has been completed. Builders are facing warranty claims, financial stress, and reputational harm. The industry as a whole is absorbing the cost—both monetary and in public trust. All the while, homeowners are suffering with the initial failure and through the seemingly impossible and open-ended assessment and rectification process.

We cannot continue down this path using outdated methods that are simply not fit for purpose especially in modern lightweight builds. The tolerance for risk is now non-existent. The expectation for compliance and long-term performance is at an all-time high, and rightfully so.

Many of us who have been in industry for a while may have heard the statement claiming that ‘waterproofing is 2% of the build cost and can be attributed to 80% of defects that arise’ what if spending 3% of the build cost on superior systems could reduce the 80% defect rate to 10% or less... even Zero.

Mindset must change in order for action to change and for results to be gained.

There are better solutions available. Proven systems exist that deliver fully-integrated solution-based design, Code Mark-Certification, DTS compliance and NCC compliance from day one. Systems that eliminate the guesswork, the inconsistencies, and the failures associated with traditional screeds. At Demtech, we’ve spent over 17 years working alongside builders, certifiers, and regulatory bodies, Trades and Distributors to provide exactly that: reliable, high-performance alternatives that safeguard your projects and your reputation.

By eliminating practical short fall, emotional toll on consumer and industry partners will organically ease.

This is a call to action. The risk must finally be acknowledged as a concern for human health and wellbeing.

Let’s raise the standard. Let’s move away from legacy practices that are no longer serving us. Let’s start building in a way that’s faster, smarter, and fundamentally more secure for the people who rely on us to deliver at the highest standard.

For existing failures, out with the old, in with the new. For new builds start with the new, finish with peace of mind.

If you share the same industry concerns, If you agree that we can and should build better, If you’re seeing the same issues within your projects, or, if you want to prevent wet area issues from the outset, Demtech Australia is here to help, with practical support, systems that work and an ambitious, forward thinking mind set to match.