Century-old garden soil
Deep blocks planted for generations hold stumps, sleepers and buried timber. That material can sustain a colony before your pad is prepared, so the under-slab component earns its place alongside the perimeter.
Quick answer
A new home at Killara needs a termite management system under the NCC, installed to AS 3660.1. Collars and the under-slab component are fitted before concrete, and the perimeter is completed as walls go up. Ku-ring-gai certifiers require the installation certificate and durable notice before issuing the Occupation Certificate.
Termite barriers in Killara
Why Killara builds need the barrier in before the pour
Killara sits in Ku-ring-gai Council about 12 km north of the city, planned from the outset as a residential suburb with very little commerce. Federation and Californian Bungalow homes still line many streets on large, heavily planted blocks, alongside heritage-listed modernist houses, while apartment buildings now account for a significant share of dwellings near the station and the Pacific Highway. Construction here is therefore split between substantial replacement homes on deep garden lots and medium-density slabs closer to transport.
Those deep planted blocks are the reason barrier detailing matters. A century of gardens leaves stumps, sleepers, buried offcuts and mulch in the soil, and Killara Golf Club and Swain Gardens add mature tree cover around the suburb. Colonies established in that material do not need to travel far to reach a fresh slab. They probe the same weaknesses every time, service penetrations, the slab edge and construction joints, and all three are sealed only while the site is open, before the concrete truck arrives.
Reviewed by Ismail, founder · Upper North Shore coverage · Updated September 2026 · More Upper North Shore suburbs
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Local conditions
What makes Killara blocks a termite risk
Three Killara characteristics shape the barrier work.
Heavy canopy and damp ground
Mature trees keep soil shaded and moist around the building line. Damp, shaded soil beside a warm slab is ideal foraging ground, which makes edge protection and a clear inspection strip essential.
Sloping, benched sites
Ku-ring-gai blocks often fall away, so pads are benched with retaining and step-downs. Each junction is a potential gap, and those details are settled on the drawings rather than on site.
What we install here
Building in Killara
In Killara we install for replacement houses on established lots, secondary dwellings, dual occupancies and apartment slabs near the station. Raft slabs are common, with piers and suspended floors where the ground falls. Every penetration is collared, the specified under-slab system goes in, and perimeter and cavity protection follows the brickwork. Where paving or garden beds will later cover treated soil, reticulation keeps future recharging possible. One fixed quote covers each stage of the program.
- Under-slab membraneA termite-resistant sheet laid across the prepared ground before the pour.
- Penetration collarsCollars sealed to every pipe and conduit that comes up through the slab.
- Perimeter & slab edgeA barrier at the slab edge and into the cavity, so nothing can track up hidden.
- Chemical soil barrierAn APVMA-registered treated zone in the soil under and around the building.
- ReticulationA pipe network laid before paving so the treated zone can be topped up later.
- Piers & suspended floorsProtection for bearers, piers and suspended timber floors on sloping blocks.
Local knowledge
Around Killara
Our work spreads through the streets near Selkirk Park, a couple of hundred metres from the centre, and along the rail corridor towards Lindfield station and the shopping village less than a kilometre away, where the denser sites sit. Blocks bordering the golf club and the suburb's larger gardens get the most attention at the perimeter, especially where a bench or retaining wall meets the slab.
Ku-ring-gai Council covers Killara, and heritage considerations often sit alongside the standard approval conditions here. Regardless, the certifier needs the same proof of termite management before signing the Occupation Certificate: a certificate recording products, protected areas and installer, plus a durable notice mounted permanently in the meter box with the installation date and inspection advice. We supply both, along with product data for the owner's file.
Slab date locked in?Tell us the pour date and we will book the stages around your builder.
Killara at a glance
Termite barrier facts for Killara
| Suburb | Killara, NSW 2071 |
|---|---|
| District | Upper North Shore |
| Distance from Sydney CBD | 11.9 km north |
| Certifying council | Ku-ring-gai 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
The right barrier for your slab and your site
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.
01Under-slab membrane
A termite-resistant sheet laid over the whole prepared footprint before concreting, so termites can't come up through the slab anywhere.
02Penetration collars
A sealed collar on every pipe, conduit and service that passes through the slab. These gaps are the most common hidden way in.
03Slab edge & cavity barrier
Protection at the slab edge and into the wall cavity, which stops termites building hidden tunnels up the outside of the slab.
04Chemical soil barrier & reticulation
An APVMA-registered termiticide zone in the soil, with an optional pipe network under paving so it can be recharged later without digging.
05Suspended floors & piers
Barriers for bearers, piers and raised timber floors on sloping or elevated blocks, where there's no slab to protect.
06Retaining walls & tricky sites
Detailing for sandstone cuts, block retaining walls, step-downs and cut-and-fill sites, which are common across Sydney.
Why during construction
Do it now, or pay more to do less later
A retrofit can only treat around a finished house. A pre-construction system protects the parts nobody will ever be able to reach again.
Costs far less
A barrier put in during the build costs a fraction of a post-construction system, and far less than repairing termite damage.
Meets the NCC
New houses (Class 1) and outbuildings (Class 10) with termite-susceptible framing need a compliant termite management system.
Hidden gaps sealed
Pipe penetrations and slab joints can only be fully protected while they're still open, before the concrete goes in.
The whole footprint
An under-slab system covers ground that no treatment from outside the finished house can ever reach.
No OC delays
Your certifier needs the certificate and durable notice before issuing the Occupation Certificate. We supply both together.
Easier to sell
Documented, compliant protection gives buyers, building inspectors and lenders confidence when the home is sold.
Installation stages
Installed in stages that follow your build
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.
Step 01Design / DA
Plans & fixed quote
Send your plans and slab details. We recommend a system and give you one fixed price that covers every stage.
Step 02Before the pour
Collars & under-slab
Collars go on every service once the plumber has set out, then the membrane or soil treatment is installed across the prepared site.
Step 03Walls going up
Slab edge & cavity
Perimeter and cavity protection is fitted as the brickwork or cladding goes up, so there's no unprotected gap at the slab edge.
Step 04Before landscaping
Final perimeter
Where it's specified, the chemical perimeter or reticulation system is completed around the building before paths and gardens go in.
Step 05Pre-OC
Notice & certificate
A durable notice goes in the meter box, and the installation certificate goes to your builder and certifier.
Step 06Handover
Owner advice
The owner gets simple care instructions and an inspection schedule so the system keeps doing its job for years.
Compare systems
Physical or chemical termite barrier?
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
Physical membrane, mesh or graded stone
No chemicals- How it worksA layer termites can't chew through, laid under the slab or around its edge.
- Life & upkeepDesigned to last as long as the slab while it isn't disturbed. No top-ups.
- Good fit forSlab-on-ground homes, and owners who prefer a non-chemical option.
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Natural, lasting defence
Entry-point protection
Penetration collars
- How it worksCollars sealed around each pipe and conduit that passes through the slab.
- Life & upkeepLong-lasting when fitted properly before concreting.
- Good fit forEvery slab, usually paired with a perimeter system.
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Small detail, big difference
Soil protection
Chemical soil barrier
- How it worksA treated zone of termiticide in the soil under and around the building.
- Life & upkeepDepends on the product label and soil conditions. Can be re-applied.
- Good fit forTighter budgets and some complex sites.
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Flexible and provable
Top-up protection
Reticulation system
Rechargeable- How it worksPipes laid before paving so termiticide can be pumped back into the soil.
- Life & upkeepCan be recharged for the life of the building without lifting paths.
- Good fit forHomes that will be surrounded by paving or landscaping.
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Protection you can renew
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
Built around your program, not ours
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.
What we need to quote
Architectural or slab planSlab type: raft, waffle pod or suspendedSite addressRough pour dateRetaining wall & step-down details
Fitting in with your trades
- Collars in before the pour inspection
- Slab edge & cavity as walls go up
- Perimeter done before paving
Multi-unit & repeat work
Consistent pricing across lots, one point of contact and a full document set for every dwelling.
No certification delays
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
Everything you get at handover
A complete document set for the builder, the certifier and every future owner of the property.
Durable notice
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
Installation certificate
Written confirmation of the system and products used, the areas protected and our licence details.
For: builder, certifier, owner
Product information
Details of the physical system or termiticide installed, including safety data sheets for any chemicals.
For: builder, owner
Care & inspection advice
How to keep the system working, plus the recommended inspection frequency under AS 3660.2.
For: homeowner
From real jobs
Recent termite barrier installations
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
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Pricing
What sets the price of a barrier
Every build is different, so we don't guess. We price from your plans and give you one fixed written quote. Quoting is free.
- 01Slab area & perimeterBigger footprints need more material, more edge protection and more labour.
- 02System typeFull under-slab, perimeter-only, chemical and reticulation options are all priced differently.
- 03Number of penetrationsEach plumbing and electrical service through the slab needs its own collar.
- 04Site complexityRetaining walls, step-downs, sandstone and suspended floors add detailing.
- 05Number of visitsStaged installs follow your program. Multi-dwelling sites can often be combined.
- 06Site accessTight blocks, steep driveways and limited street frontage slow the set-out and add time on site.
After handover
Keeping the barrier working
A barrier only works while it stays intact and visible. Pass these on to the owner.
- Keep at least 75 mm of the slab edge exposed. Don't cover it with soil, mulch or paving.
- No garden beds or stacked timber against the house
- Keep weep holes clear of render and debris
- Fix leaking taps, downpipes and hot water units near the walls
- Ask the installer before drilling through the slab or adding pipes
- Book a timber pest inspection at least every 12 months
Annual timber pest inspection
Handed over recently? We inspect the barrier and the building every 12 months.
Free fixed quote
Protect your build
before the pour
Tell us about your build and get a clear, fixed price, fast. We usually reply within 30 minutes during business hours.
- Send your detailsBuild type, suburb and rough slab pour date.
- Share your plansSlab plan or architectural drawings, plus any retaining wall details.
- Get your fixed quoteOne written price covering every installation stage.
- Fast responseWithin 30 mins
- Licensed expertsQualified & insured
- Trusted locallyAcross Sydney
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Tell us about your build
within 30 minutes
Killara questions
Answered
Still unsure? Call and talk it through with a licensed technician.
+61 450 515 215Our Killara block has heritage controls. Does that affect barrier work?
Heritage conditions usually govern what the building looks like rather than what goes under the slab, so a compliant system is still required and still installed to AS 3660.1. What can change is access and how much disturbance is acceptable around retained trees or original fabric, and we work through that with your builder and certifier before the pour.
The block is planted with mature trees. Any extra risk?
Canopy keeps soil shaded and damp along the building line, and old root systems and buried timber add food to the ground. Both favour colonies already foraging nearby. We keep the treated edge continuous, make sure the inspection strip stays visible once landscaping goes back in, and recommend reticulation where beds will sit over the treated zone.
Can you install on a sloping Killara site with retaining?
Yes, and it is worth involving us early. Benched pads leave batters, retaining walls and step-downs, and each of those junctions is a place a barrier can be compromised. Sending the engineering details with the slab plan lets us price and draw the detail properly rather than improvise once the formwork is up.
Does a new home need a termite barrier in NSW?
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.
What does a pre-construction barrier cost?
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
We also install barriers around Killara
Same crew, same staging and the same certifier-ready paperwork, right across the Upper North Shore.
Service areas
Termite barriers across 379 Sydney suburbs
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.
St George
31 suburbsSlab pour coming up?
Lock in your termite barrier before the concrete truck arrives
Send us your plans today for a fixed quote, or call and talk to a licensed technician about your site.
