Lower North Shore · AS 3660.1
Termite protection detailed for Hunters Hill's sandstone-era homes and waterfront rebuilds, fitted before the pour on the peninsula between the Lane Cove and Parramatta rivers.
Quick answer
A new home in Hunters Hill does need a termite management system, since the Municipality of Hunter's Hill sits within a termite-prone area under the NCC. Sandstone itself doesn't attract termites, but the timber floors, framing and joinery inside these homes do, so the system is still built to AS 3660.1 before the slab closes up. Occupation then depends on a meter box notice and a signed record of the installation.
Termite barriers in Hunters Hill
Hunters Hill sits on a peninsula between the Lane Cove and Parramatta rivers, and many of its early homes were built from local sandstone, some by Italian stonemasons employed from 1847 onward, with houses like Vienna, Milthorpe and Fig Tree House now heritage listed. New construction here is almost entirely rebuilds and renovations on these established waterfront and ridge blocks, since there is little undeveloped land left on the peninsula. Whatever the building material of the original house, any new slab still needs its own certified system, checked and documented before anyone can move back in.
Sandstone construction does not by itself invite termites, but every one of these homes still carries timber floors, roof framing and decorative joinery, and river moisture, mature gardens and waterfront bushland bring the usual subterranean termite pressure to bear on that timber. A rebuild or extension on a Hunters Hill block is the point where the ground can finally be properly protected, closing off the pipe penetrations, slab edges and garden junctions that a colony would otherwise use to reach all that valuable, original timber undetected. Heritage significance changes the method of installation, never the underlying requirement to protect the structure properly.
Reviewed by Ismail, founder · Lower North Shore coverage · Updated September 2026 · More Lower North Shore suburbs
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Local conditions
Three things about Hunters Hill's peninsula setting and older housing shape how a barrier gets planned here.
Sandstone and brick construction doesn't attract termites, but the floors, roof framing and joinery inside these homes are all timber. A new footing's barrier has to protect that timber just as carefully as it would in a fully timber-framed house.
Being surrounded by the Lane Cove and Parramatta rivers keeps ground moisture higher on many Hunters Hill blocks than an inland suburb would see. That dampness suits foraging termites, so slab edges near the water get closer attention.
Large waterfront reserves like Boronia Park hold plenty of tree cover and leaf litter right behind a good number of properties. A rebuild bordering that kind of green edge typically warrants a fuller perimeter than a block set further back from the reserve.
What we install here
Our Hunters Hill work is almost entirely rebuilds and extensions on established peninsula blocks, often involving heritage sandstone or brick homes with new footings tied into the existing structure. We use careful, non-invasive methods around original stonework, collar every new penetration ahead of the pour, and work out the perimeter around any retaining walls the sloping blocks require. Pricing is one fixed quote from your plans, covering the job from first visit to final certificate.
Local knowledge
Our Hunters Hill work concentrates around the older streets near Fig Tree Park and Boronia Park, extending toward the water at Woolwich Road and the commercial pockets near Ryde and Gladesville roads. Waterfront blocks and those backing onto Parramatta River Regional Park get the fullest perimeter detailing, while sites further from the water toward Gladesville Shopping Centre are more typical heritage rebuild jobs.
The Municipality of Hunter's Hill certifies building work on the peninsula, and its sign-off on occupation hinges on two things: a durable notice fixed permanently inside the meter box, and a written statement covering the products used, where they were applied and who carried out the work. We hand across both once the barrier is complete, with advice suited to protecting a system installed near sensitive heritage materials.
Hunters Hill at a glance
| Suburb | Hunters Hill, NSW 2110 |
|---|---|
| District | Lower North Shore |
| Distance from Sydney CBD | 7.2 km north-west |
| Certifying council | Sydney CBD Council |
| Standard applied | AS 3660.1 termite management systems |
| Installed | Before the slab pour, then staged through the build |
| Documents supplied | Installation certificate and durable notice |
| Typical builds covered | New homes, knockdown rebuilds, granny flats, duplexes, townhouses |
Systems we install
Every photo below is from one of our own Sydney jobs. We look at your slab design, site and budget, then recommend a system or a combination.
01A termite-resistant sheet laid over the whole prepared footprint before concreting, so termites can't come up through the slab anywhere.
02A sealed collar on every pipe, conduit and service that passes through the slab. These gaps are the most common hidden way in.
03Protection at the slab edge and into the wall cavity, which stops termites building hidden tunnels up the outside of the slab.
04An APVMA-registered termiticide zone in the soil, with an optional pipe network under paving so it can be recharged later without digging.
05Barriers for bearers, piers and raised timber floors on sloping or elevated blocks, where there's no slab to protect.
06Detailing for sandstone cuts, block retaining walls, step-downs and cut-and-fill sites, which are common across Sydney.
Why during construction
A retrofit can only treat around a finished house. A pre-construction system protects the parts nobody will ever be able to reach again.
A barrier put in during the build costs a fraction of a post-construction system, and far less than repairing termite damage.
New houses (Class 1) and outbuildings (Class 10) with termite-susceptible framing need a compliant termite management system.
Pipe penetrations and slab joints can only be fully protected while they're still open, before the concrete goes in.
An under-slab system covers ground that no treatment from outside the finished house can ever reach.
Your certifier needs the certificate and durable notice before issuing the Occupation Certificate. We supply both together.
Documented, compliant protection gives buyers, building inspectors and lenders confidence when the home is sold.
Installation stages
A termite barrier isn't a single visit. Each part goes in when the site is ready for it, and we fit around your plumber, concreter and bricklayer.
Send your plans and slab details. We recommend a system and give you one fixed price that covers every stage.
Collars go on every service once the plumber has set out, then the membrane or soil treatment is installed across the prepared site.
Perimeter and cavity protection is fitted as the brickwork or cladding goes up, so there's no unprotected gap at the slab edge.
Where it's specified, the chemical perimeter or reticulation system is completed around the building before paths and gardens go in.
A durable notice goes in the meter box, and the installation certificate goes to your builder and certifier.
The owner gets simple care instructions and an inspection schedule so the system keeps doing its job for years.
Compare systems
Both can meet AS 3660.1. The best choice depends on your slab type, what surrounds the house and how much ongoing upkeep the owner wants.
Physical protection
Entry-point protection
Soil protection
Top-up protection
Most of the Sydney builds we work on use a combination: physical collars on every penetration plus a physical or chemical perimeter.
For builders & developers
Builders, developers and owner-builders get a fixed quote from plans, a technician who turns up when the site is ready, and paperwork that never holds up sign-off.
Consistent pricing across lots, one point of contact and a full document set for every dwelling.
Missing durable notices and unclear install records are a common reason Occupation Certificates get held up. We hand everything over together so your certifier has it all in one go.
Paperwork
A complete document set for the builder, the certifier and every future owner of the property.
A permanent notice in the meter box showing the system, install date, installer, any chemical's life expectancy and inspection advice.
For: certifier, owner, future owners
Written confirmation of the system and products used, the areas protected and our licence details.
For: builder, certifier, owner
Details of the physical system or termiticide installed, including safety data sheets for any chemicals.
For: builder, owner
How to keep the system working, plus the recommended inspection frequency under AS 3660.2.
For: homeowner
From real jobs
Photos from our own Sydney sites, not stock images. Tap any photo to see it larger.
Membrane barrier across a large residential slab
Barrier work on a Sydney Harbour site
Installation through sandstone excavation
Perimeter barrier and sleeves on a new slab
Waffle pod formwork with collared penetrations
Membrane detailed against a retaining wall
Membrane sealed around a column
Protected slab edge with collar in place
Collared penetrations before the pour
Perimeter barrier on a completed slab edge
Pipe penetrations sealed into the membrane
Collars fixed through mesh before concreting
Google reviews
Real, verified reviews from homeowners and businesses we've worked with.
Pricing
Every build is different, so we don't guess. We price from your plans and give you one fixed written quote. Quoting is free.
After handover
A barrier only works while it stays intact and visible. Pass these on to the owner.
Free fixed quote
Tell us about your build and get a clear, fixed price, fast. We usually reply within 30 minutes during business hours.
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Hunters Hill questions
Still unsure? Call and talk it through with a licensed technician.
+61 450 515 215Yes. The sandstone itself isn't a termite risk, but the timber floors, roof framing and joinery inside the home are, and any new footing or extension still needs its own certified termite management system. We work carefully around original stonework and heritage materials rather than treating the site as a standard clear block.
It can, mainly through moisture. Ground close to either the Lane Cove or Parramatta river tends to stay damper for longer than an inland block, and that dampness is what a foraging colony is drawn to. We pay closer attention to slab-edge detailing on waterfront and near-waterfront properties as a result.
Reach out once your builder has a rough date for the pour, since installation has to happen after the plumbing rough-in and before the concrete arrives. On a heritage site or a sloping waterfront block, send through the plans early so we can detail retaining walls and any heritage-sensitive areas properly.
In most cases, yes. The National Construction Code requires a termite management system for new houses and outbuildings in termite-prone areas where the primary building elements can be damaged by termites. Sydney is termite-prone, so the system is installed to AS 3660.1 and your certifier asks for the installation certificate and durable notice before the Occupation Certificate is issued.
It depends on slab area, perimeter length, the number of pipe penetrations, the system chosen, site complexity and how many visits the build needs. Send us the plans and we return one fixed written quote covering every stage. Quoting is free.
Nearby
Same crew, same staging and the same certifier-ready paperwork, right across the Lower North Shore.
Service areas
From the Eastern Suburbs and Inner West to the Hills, the Shire and the western growth corridors. Every suburb has its own page with the local ground conditions, the council that certifies the work and the questions builders there ask us.
Slab pour coming up?
Send us your plans today for a fixed quote, or call and talk to a licensed technician about your site.
