who is mark porter? - qbcc.qld.gov.au · accordance with australian standard 3660.1‐2014 there...

Who is Mark Porter?

Environpest Termite Consultants39 Years termite experienceBuilder’s son & ConcretorPest controller and Fumigator (Ships, buildings, aircraft, perishables etc)Committee Member – Master Builders Qld Institute of Building ConsultantsCommittee Member – Master Builders Qld Technical CommitteeCommittee Member – Australian Standards Committee BD‐074 ‐ TermitesCommittee Member – Australian Standards Committee BD‐085 – InspectionsAustralian Standards positions for Master Builders Australia – CanberraSpeaker – Termite Working Group 2001 Qld only Building Code AmendmentsExpert witness in termite matters

Uni Q/CSIRO Joint Project – St Lucia

Old Police Barracks – Petrie Terrace

Griffith Uni Oral Medicine Gold Coast Hospital

Old Parliament House

Macarthur Chambers

Howard Smith Wharves

Drywood termite fumigation CBD Brisbane

The Enemy

Schedorhinotermes spp soldier

The REAL Enemy

Schedorhinotermes spp worker

Don’t panic!

Subterranean termites take roughly 12 months to do serious economic damage.You have time to make INFORMED decisions!

Builder’s obligations ‐ termites

National Construction CodeVolume II Part 3.1.3Termite Risk ManagementIncl Qld only amendmentsPrimary Building Elements50 year design life


AS 3660.1‐2014 Termite managementPart 1: New building workThe relevant Australian Standard for new building work


AS 3660.3‐2014 Termite managementPart 3: Assessment criteria for termite management systems

Concrete slab as part of the termite barriers

If you want to use the concrete slab as part of the termite barriers at a home, the slab must comply with AS 2870‐2011 or AS 3600‐2009

Concrete “wetting up”

Concrete compaction

Concrete compaction (poor)

Concrete shrinkage

Concrete shrinkage is typically 1mm per metre over time. The termite barriers must be flexible to deal with that expected building movement.

Termite dimensions

Older Chemical termite barriers = 1 metreModern chemical termite barriers = 10mmPhysical or chemical sheet termite barriers = 1mm

Termite entry points – Brick veneer

Older chemical termite barriers

AldrinChlordaneDieldrinHeptachlor

Older chemical termite barriers

They won’t be back!They last 30 to 35 years. Economic building life = 50 yearsStored in body fats 15 years plusThey also pass through the food chain.

Modern chemical termite barriersAltrisetBiflexChlorpyrifosPremiseTermidor

Modern chemical termite barriersLabelled expected protectionAltriset = up to 8 yearsBiflex = up to at least 10 yearsChlorpyrifos = 5 & 10 yearsPremise = up to 5 yearsTermidor = at least 8 years(South of Tropic of Capricorn)

Modern chemical termite barriersOf all the modern termiticides, Termidor seems to be delivering the best results. It’s stable, and largely un‐affected by moisture. It’s non‐repellent to termites, and is aggressive towards the termite nests.

Modern chemical termite barriers

In some sensitive applications, Altriset can be appropriate. It has NO personal protection requirements for pest control technicians or building occupants. It’s insect specific.

Modern chemical termite barriers

They ALL need a reticulation system to allow replenishment to comply with the 50 year design life requirement.They ALL have an ongoing maintenance cost for the home owner.

Reticulation system

14 psi maximum working pressure

Reticulation system

100 psi working pressure

Geotextile fabric

Physical & chemical sheet termite barriers

Ensystex Trithor FMC HomeguardKordonPlasmiteTermimesh


Graded material (granite or glass) with a strip shielding


50 year (economic life of building) design lives, with NOongoing replenishments required by the home owner. Annual timber pest inspections still appropriate and required.

Integration of termite protection systems

You can use a multitude of different termite protection systems, but the builder takes overall responsibility for the whole termite protection system, with no effective time limit on that responsibility.

Limiting consequences of termite attack

Think about recommending termite resistant framing to your clients. (Naturally termite resistant timber, treated timber, or steel).


Cut ends T2 treated timber


If your client accepts your recommendation to install termite resistant framing, and termites were to occur, the termite damage is limited. Your clients pay you to limit your liability.


Recommend termite resistant window reveals and door jambs, and termite susceptiblearchitraves and skirtings. An inbuilt “early warning” system for termites.

Builder’s obligations ‐ Handover

Termite protection certificatesWarranty documentsDurable notices (to both the kitchen cupboard and the electricity meter box)

Builder’s obligations ‐ Renovations

If you’re renovating or extending, and you’re building over or installing a hard cover (slab/paving etc) over a termite protected area, YOU OWN WHAT’s UNDER IT.

Expert Witness

Defintion: An expert witness, professional witness, or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally rely upon the witness's specialised (scientific, technical or other) opinion about an evidence or fact issue within the scope of his expertise, referred to as the expert opinion, as an assistance to the fact finder.(Federal Rule of Evidence 702, 2000)

Expert Witness

The duty of an expert witness is to assist the Court, regardless of who is paying their bills. Independence plus honesty plus fairness = Credibility

What constitutes a termite dispute?

A really simple test in relation to the integrity of a termite protection system is: Can termites gain hidden access to the building?


The next question is: Is there anything the home owners have done to assist hidden termite access? If they haven’t, and termites have accessed the home, it’s typically a builder’s problem.


The next question if the issue looks like being attributed to the builder is: Have the annual timber pest inspections been carried out?


If termite damage is consistent with more than 12 months termite activity, and no inspections have been carried out, the builder’s exposure may be lessened, but not completely alleviated.


Weep hole compromised by external slab laid by the builder

DEFECT


Physical termite barrier. 75mm inspection zone not achieved, but not compromised.

TECHNICALDEFECT

NO ACTION REQUIRED

What constitutes a termite dispute? With an Australian Standard and termite barrier warranty compliant system, termites can freely access the cavity and brick cores immediately below the termite barrier, within the 75mm inspection zone.


All the Australian Standard compliant termite barrier systems are designed to prevent HIDDEN termite access to homes!


DEFECT

Termite barrier de‐laminating

Possible with any laminated termite barrier

Termite barrier issues – repellency?

Termite barrier issues – render detail

Termite barrier issues

Termiticide all through termite barrier

Termite barrier issues – Graded glass

Termite barrier stainless mesh corrosion

Termite barrier issues ‐ aluminium siliconed

Termite barrier issues plastic strip shielding

Termite barrier issue ‐ Too light to be durable?

Termite barrier issues – Installation

Termite barrier issues ‐ Slab penetration

Termite barrier issues – Post clearance

Termite barrier issues – Ant capping

Render over exposed slab edge

Termite barrier issues – Ant capping

Termite barrier issues – Excess mortar

Termite barrier issues – Slab/footing joint fail

Termite barrier issues – Cracked footing

Termite barrier issues – Footing join

Termite barrier issues – Foam in slab

Termite barrier issues – Tree root

Codemark – Can we trust it?

Summary

So what do you need to do?

Summary

Lay slabs in accordance with Australian Standard 2870‐2011Install termite barriers in accordance with Australian Standard 3660.1‐2014There are NO shortcuts!

Summary: Right way v Wrong way

The difference between doing something right and wrong is usually not much more than a bit of thought, and an attention to detail.


If there’s a cost in doing something right, you’ve only got to explain the issue to your clients properly, and they’ll be falling over themselves to pay you to do it properly!


Head down a right road, and you’ll be so busy with work being referred to you, you’ll never be out of work for the rest of your life!


Head down the wrong road in the termite issue, and there’s a very good chance we’ll meet again. Quite likely in the Queensland Civil & Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).


The purpose of tonight’s presentation is to show you a way through the termite issue, so that you should never be before the courts.

Question and answer session

I hope you’ve enjoyed this presentation.

Thank you very much for having me!

who is mark porter? - qbcc.qld.gov.au · accordance with australian standard 3660.1‐2014 there...

Documents