High penetration counts
Apartment and podium slabs carry dozens of hydraulic and service penetrations. Collaring is the bulk of the work and has to be coordinated with the hydraulic trade in one pass before the pour.
Quick answer
New buildings at Zetland containing termite-susceptible elements need a management system under the NCC, installed to AS 3660.1. Collars are fitted to every slab penetration before the pour and the perimeter follows. City of Sydney certifiers require the installation certificate and durable notice before the Occupation Certificate.
Termite barriers in Zetland
Why Zetland builds need the barrier in before the pour
Zetland sits about 4.4 km south of the city in the City of Sydney, its name taken from Zetland Lodge, a stable established in 1874. The land later held Victoria Park racecourse, a vehicle assembly factory between 1950 and 1975, and a Naval Stores depot until the mid-1990s. Today it forms part of the Green Square Town Centre, with medium and high density apartments, Green Square Plaza, retail along Ebsworth Street and the Gunyama Park aquatic centre, so construction here is overwhelmingly multi-dwelling.
Industrial history and dense development set the conditions. Ground that has carried a racecourse, a factory and a naval depot is made ground in places, with fill and buried material below the surface, and the low-lying southern city fringe holds moisture. On an apartment slab, the risk concentrates in the sheer number of hydraulic and service penetrations, each one a route unless it is collared before the concrete goes down. Edge protection and joint detailing complete the picture on these podium slabs.
Reviewed by Ismail, founder · Inner South & City Fringe coverage · Updated September 2026 · More Inner South & City Fringe suburbs
Get my fixed quote
Local conditions
What makes Zetland blocks a termite risk
Three Zetland conditions drive barrier planning.
Made ground and fill
Former racecourse, factory and depot land often means fill and buried material beneath new slabs, which changes what the under-slab component has to deal with.
Low-lying city fringe
Ground here sits low and holds moisture, and damp soil against a slab edge keeps foraging pressure up even in a dense urban setting.
What we install here
Building in Zetland
Zetland work is dominated by apartment and podium slabs, with occasional townhouse and mixed-use developments. We work from the hydraulic set-out, collar every penetration in a single coordinated pass, install the under-slab component specified for the design and complete the perimeter as the structure rises. Documentation is prepared so it can be matched to the development approval for the whole building. Everything is priced as one fixed quote with stages listed against the construction 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 Zetland
Sites sit within a short walk of Nuffield Park, about a hundred metres from the centre, with Green Square station less than a kilometre away and The Australian Golf Club a little beyond it. The dense Green Square precinct means most work is multi-dwelling, so the program is set by the main contractor and the hydraulic trade rather than by the weather or the size of a single footprint.
The City of Sydney certifies development at Zetland, and Green Square projects are usually large enough to involve a private certifier working to that approval. Either way, the evidence required before the Occupation Certificate is the same: a certificate identifying products, protected areas and the licensed installer, plus a durable notice fixed permanently in the building's meter box or services area with the inspection recommendation.
Slab date locked in?Tell us the pour date and we will book the stages around your builder.
Zetland at a glance
Termite barrier facts for Zetland
| Suburb | Zetland, NSW 2017 |
|---|---|
| District | Inner South & City Fringe |
| Distance from Sydney CBD | 4.4 km south |
| 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
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.
Get this quoted
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.
Get this quoted
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.
Get this quoted
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.
Get this quoted
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
Google reviews
What Sydney clients say about us
Real, verified reviews from homeowners and businesses we've worked with.
5.0
Read our reviews on Google
View
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
Get a fixed quote
Tell us about your build
within 30 minutes
Zetland questions
Answered
Still unsure? Call and talk it through with a licensed technician.
+61 450 515 215Do apartment buildings in Zetland really need termite barriers?
Where a building includes primary elements that termites can damage, the NCC requirement applies regardless of how many storeys sit above. In practice the work concentrates at slab level, collaring every hydraulic and service penetration and protecting the edge, which is exactly where concealed entry would otherwise occur.
The site was a factory and depot. Does history matter?
It affects what is under the slab. Made ground and fill from earlier uses can contain buried material and behave differently to natural soil, so the under-slab component and the way the edge is finished are chosen with that in mind rather than assuming clean, undisturbed ground.
How do you fit into a large construction program?
By working to the hydraulic contractor's set-out and completing the collar stage in one pass ahead of the pour inspection, with the perimeter finished as the structure rises. Dates are locked with the main contractor in advance, and the documentation is issued so the certifier can match it to the approval for the whole development.
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 Zetland
Same crew, same staging and the same certifier-ready paperwork, right across the Inner South & City Fringe.
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.
