Slab Heave Issue

March 2012

Victoria's volume home builders have been moving to shore up their reputations as builders of quality in the face of a foundation movement issue on reactive soils found in the western and northern regions of Melbourne.

Whilst it is an industry wide problem and amongst the top one dozen home builders some 1000 homes have been impacted to as greater or lessor degree most of the focus from the populist current affairs programs has focused on Metricon.

It is clear that Metricon has been targeted by both the shows and law firm Slater and Gordon (which is trying to muster participants for a class action) because Metricon is the largest builder in the country and therefore the biggest target.

Metricon like all volume builders have been constructing new homes on slab foundations - the slab sits on the compact soil - and this is fine as long as the correct drainage and landscaping is installed to protect the foundation.

In the past two years soaking rain, following 13 years of drought, has caused some reactive soils to swell and if there is not adequate drainage around the home then "slab heave" can occur which ultimately causes cracking in the walls as the slab is twisted.

One of the key issues facing the builders is that when they contract to build the home the customer often decides to take responsibility for the landscaping and drainage around their new home. Read extended article in our blog