Site administration: the records that protect a builder when a job turns
Most builders do not lose disputes because they were wrong. They lose because they cannot prove they were right. Site administration is the discipline of creating that proof while the work is happening.
11 min read
Topic
Defects
Articles and news about Defects for Australian builders.
Site administration: the records that protect a builder when a job turns
Most builders do not lose disputes because they were wrong. They lose because they cannot prove they were right. Site administration is the discipline of creating that proof while the work is happening.
11 min read
Wet frames and shrinking timber: the moisture defects behind cracks, nail pops and sticking doors
Timber moves as it gains and loses moisture, mostly across the grain. Enclose a wet frame and the shrinkage shows up in the linings months later. How to manage moisture from delivery to handover.
7 min read
The Design and Building Practitioners Act in NSW: what it covers, what is deferred, and what is next
The Design and Building Practitioners Act reshaped how apartment buildings are designed and built in NSW. What it requires, which parts were deferred in 2026, and how it fits with the reforms passed this month.
7 min read
House cladding compared: brick, fibre cement, timber, metal and render, and how each one fails
Cladding is the most visible choice on a house and one of the most common sources of leaks and condensation. How the main options compare, where they suit, and the installation details that decide whether they last.
7 min read
Wet area waterproofing membranes: liquid, sheet and where each one fails
Leaking showers are one of the most common and expensive defects in Australian homes. Most failures are not the membrane’s fault but the junctions, penetrations, curing and compatibility around it.
7 min read
Subcontract agreements: the clauses that decide who pays for defects, delays and disputes
Many builders run jobs on a quote and a handshake with their trades. It works until a defect, a delay or a payment dispute. The clauses that protect both builder and subcontractor, and how security of payment laws apply.
7 min read
Termite management for new homes: physical, chemical and slab systems, and how they fail
Termites cause some of the most expensive damage in Australian homes, and most attacks exploit gaps in the barrier or the inspection zone. How the systems work, what the NCC expects, and how builders and owners keep them effective.
8 min read
Wet area tiling: lipping, movement joints and adhesive selection
Lipping is rarely a tiler’s fault alone. It is the visible end of a chain that starts with the substrate, the adhesive bed and where the movement joints were put.
11 min read
360 cameras and reality capture: how to document a job so defects can’t hide
The best defence in a defect claim is a dated photo of the work before it was covered. How to build a photo routine that captures what matters, where 360 cameras and scanning fit, and how to store it so you can find it years later.
8 min read
Building defect liability and insurance: what NSW builders actually need to cover
Defect liability is a legal exposure; insurance is how you transfer part of it. The two only line up if you read the policy against the defects you actually build, and manage the job so a defect never becomes a claim.
12 min read
Winter condensation in new homes: why it happens, how to diagnose it, and how to build it out
Every winter, builders get the same call: “there’s water on the windows and mould in the wardrobe.” Here is how to work out whether it is the house or how it is being lived in, and the details that stop it happening.
10 min read
NSW lays final groundwork for 10-year defects insurance on apartments
The Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill has passed, giving insurers the certainty to bring 10-year defects cover for apartment buildings to market. It also toughens licensing and certifier discipline.
6 min read