How to address sewage leakage in new home?

[moxoliz]

Hi all, writing in to seek some advice and expertise on this. Happy to hear any. Also, sorry in advance for sounding like a mess because that's exactly how we feel now.

Came in 2 weeks ago to our brand new off the plan apartment after getting keys and one day later as we are spotting the defects, we found water leakage onto our master bedroom wardrobe and entry to bathroom as the carpets were soaked. (Indicated on floor plan attached).

Took them 4 days to send a plumber over and finally found the source by cutting out a piece of tile in the shower area, sewage water from unit above had been flowing out of an uncapped pipe within that cavity and likely through back of walls and/or floors onto our dry areas.

What should the solution be? My partner's brother being an architect is concerned about spot fixing of tile affecting waterproofing. And I'm concerned about water soaking for too long traveling up the walls - causing long term mould problem etc. (you can see it's been soaked for awhile thanks to rusty carpet nails).

We will definitely request for carpets to be changed and wardrobes which has been sitting on water to be changed etc. 

we have also rented an industrial dehumidifier for it to run for approx 10 hours and they came by to ‘fix’ it by only redoing waterproofing overlapping 100mm around the cut out area and replacing that singular tile.

i tried to upload photos in chronological order if you’ll like to see them! The floor plan indicates where the leakage was found - in two areas, master bedroom wardrobe and linen closet behind master bedroom door. 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

[Jason]

Hi @moxoliz,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. 

I was so sorry to read of your troubles and can sympathise. We have had a similar experience in the past and it is most upsetting. This should be a really special time for you enjoying your new home and instead it is very stressful and worrying.

I'm sure our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts and other experienced community members such as @Nailbag will be happy to share their thoughts, but ultimately you should be working very closely with the builder to ensure they rectify all these defects promptly and thoroughly. I assume you are also talking to the building's body corp who should be involved to assist. 

All the best, we hope you get the problems addressed promptly so you can start enjoying your new home. 

Jason

PS. I edited your first image above to remove your address and protect your privacy. 

[sheldo]

Just round the corner from our place, watched these ones get built from the ground up, such a shame it’s turned out this way for you. Probably goes without saying but the builders/developers are fully liable for this and I’d be pushing for a full remediation regardless of the extent of work required, which may (annoying as it would be) include redoing that shower given the waterproofing is certainly compromised to some extent and also replacing affected walls. They may have a reliable method to spot fix and retain the integrity of remaining waterproofing membrane too though. I’m sure there’ll be helpful responses here, I also frequent the main reddit tile forum and there’s a lot of good advice from pros there too on tiling showers/bathrooms etc , you might try to get some additional opinions on the work that would be needed there also.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @moxoliz,

From what you’ve described, it sounds like the best way forward would be to engage a private builder or independent building inspector to assess the damage and provide a detailed quote for the necessary remediation work. This would give you a professional, unbiased opinion on the extent of repairs required, including whether the waterproofing and structural integrity of the affected areas have been adequately addressed.

With this documentation in hand, you’ll have a clear, factual basis to present to both the body corporate and the developer/builder, reinforcing your case for a thorough resolution. This might include replacing the carpets, wardrobes, and any other fittings damaged by water, as well as ensuring the waterproofing is reinstated to a proper standard and affected walls are repaired to prevent future issues such as mould.

It’s also important to advocate for proper drying and sanitising of all affected areas. Although you’ve already taken proactive steps by using a dehumidifier, sewage water exposure raises health concerns, so thorough remediation is essential to ensure your home is safe.

You deserve to have your concerns taken seriously, and it’s reasonable to expect a complete and lasting solution, not just a quick patch job. While this process may feel daunting, ensuring the repairs are done right now will save you from dealing with further issues in the future. 

Wishing you all the best as you work toward a resolution, and I hope you’re able to enjoy your new home soon. 

Mitchell

[Nailbag]

Hi @moxoliz 

I really feel for you as this is devastating news on what should be an exciting moment in your lives. I agree 100% with @MitchellMc in that you are doing the right thing in documenting the issues with photos and enlisting the services of a registered building inspector. Not one that just does pest and building inspections but one that also inspect building at the various stages of construction. There is a substantial difference in skillset and qualifications between the two.

I also highly recommend you send emails with photos to the builder, body corp and any other relative parties so you have a record of everything in writing regardless of whether they reply. Find out who the governing building insurance company is and get them involved asap. Also find out if the developers/builders are registered with any of the national governing bodies such as the HIA and get in touch with them.

I agree with your brother in-law and don't recommend if possible making any repairs yourselves which could be later deemed as causing the issue. Those responsible will be looking for a scapegoat. The leaking pipe appears to have now impacted and compromised the waterproofing in that bathroom. Being a new build I would be aiming to have it completely rebuilt. 

At this stage, the cause of the issues need to be resolved before things like carpets are replaced. You just need confirmation this will occur once the causes are fixed.

Those of us within the Bunnings workshop community are terribly disappointed for you. So, please continue to keep us in the loop and ask as many questions you like and we will do our best to advise where possible.

Nailbag