In 2011, the VBA was made aware of several dwellings in an area of Melbourne’s western suburbs that were experiencing slab heave (floor slab movement causing cracks in the floor and walls).
Research was commissioned into several homes in Melbourne’s west.

The research found that 5.3 percent of dwellings built in an area of Melbourne’s western suburbs between 2003 and 2011 showed some form of distress (such as cracks in the floor and walls).
Building industry sources suggested that the breaking of the long drought in 2011 may have been a factor in these problems. However, the high number of dwellings with no cracks (almost 95 percent) suggested that weather was not the main cause.

 

The research found the key issues relating to slab heave were associated with deficiencies in the stormwater drainage systems of the dwellings. Bona Constructions recommend that stormwater drains are double checked for breakage before keys are handed over to the client.

 

As a result of the research, the VBA recommends

owners read material for owners about foundations

and slab maintenance published by the CSIRO

 

Under section 93 of the Act, the property owner must arrange insurance cover prior to the commencement of the protection work.

An owner must ensure that a contract of insurance is in place against damage by the proposed protection work to the adjoining property. The insurance policy needs to have the neighbour’s name, address and the insured amount included on the policy and must continue to be in place for 12 months after the completio...n of the protection work.

Although the likelihood of damage occurring is small, it's still a wise to know your obligations as the owner of the property.