Pre-Construction Termite Barriers Sydney

A physical barrier is built into the structure during construction. I install TermSeal, the physical barrier, in two parts: collars fitted around every pipe and service penetration before the pour, and sheeting bonded to the exposed slab edge after the pour, while the edge is still accessible. Alongside the collars, I also apply a Termidor soil chemical treatment at those same penetrations before the pour, closing the gap around pipes that the physical barrier alone can't fully seal.

The sheeting bonds to the slab edge to create a continuous barrier between the ground and the building. The collars seal the gaps around pipes, which is one of the common ways termites get into a home that doesn't have a barrier. Together they close off the paths subterranean termites use to travel from the soil into the timber.

It's a physical barrier, not a chemical one. There's no chemical in the soil to break down and no treatment to reapply over the years. Termites can't get through the material, so the protection holds for the life of the building, as long as the barrier isn't breached by later work. New-build termite protection is set out in Australian Standard AS 3660.1 and the National Construction Code (Part 3.4).

Pre-construction only: this can't be retrofitted

This is the part to be clear on. A physical barrier of this type has to go in while the slab edge is still exposed. It cannot be retrofitted to an existing home, because the slab edge is already covered by cladding, render or landscaping. Once that edge is closed over, the option is gone for good.

If your home is already built, the barrier you want is a chemical barrier or a baiting and monitoring system. Those are the treatments that work on existing structures.

What I do, and when

The install has to happen at the right stage of the build. Collars go in before the pour; the sheeting bonds to the slab edge just after, while it's still exposed. I work directly with the owner or the builder to schedule both stages so nothing gets covered before the sheeting's on. Miss that window on a slab-on-ground build and the chance is gone.

I install pre-construction barriers across Sydney and work with major Sydney builders on new projects. If you're building, raise the barrier early, ideally when you're still planning the slab, not the week before the pour.

The 50-year warranty

TermSeal pre-construction barriers carry a 50-year warranty. A correctly installed physical barrier doesn't degrade the way a chemical treatment does, which is why the cover runs so long.

There's one condition. Like any termite protection, the warranty stays valid as long as the annual inspections are kept up. The barrier handles the slab and the penetrations, but a house can still be breached by later building work, landscaping, or a path bridging over the barrier, and the annual inspection is what catches that before termites find the way in. The physical barrier and the annual inspection work together.

How I work

The barrier is installed by me. I've been doing this since 2015, and I'll tell you straight what your build needs and when it has to happen. If you're a builder, you get one person who turns up at the right stage, collars before the pour and sheeting straight after, with no subcontractor chain.

Common questions

Can I add a physical barrier to my existing house?
No. Pre-construction physical barriers have to bond to an exposed slab edge, and on an existing home that edge is already covered by cladding, render or landscaping. For a home that's already built, a chemical barrier or baiting system is the way to protect it.

Why put a physical barrier in on a new build?
It goes in once, during the build, and protects the structure from day one with no chemical to reapply. For a new slab-on-ground home it's a straightforward long-term protection, and the 50-year warranty reflects that.

Does the warranty really last 50 years?
Yes, as long as the annual inspections are kept up. The physical barrier doesn't break down like a chemical treatment, so the cover runs the life of the building, provided the barrier isn't breached and the inspections stay current.

Do I still need inspections if I've got a barrier?
Yes. The barrier protects the slab and the penetrations, but the rest of the property still needs an annual termite inspection, and keeping those up is also what keeps the warranty valid.

Do you work with builders directly?
Yes. I install for owners and builders across Sydney. The key is getting me in at the right stage for both parts of the job, collars before the pour and sheeting right after, so book the install early in the build.