Case study · Remedial works
Lift Pit Water Ingress
Aero Apartments, Mascot
Pre-construction phase: investigation, compliant design and tender management.
- Client
- Owners Corporation, Aero Apartments, Mascot NSW
- Our role
- Client-side Building Manager / Superintendent
- Specialist consultant
- Baleh Consulting – below-ground waterproofing design
- Status
- Pre-construction complete – investigations, registered design and tender evaluation delivered
Many building management companies simply aren’t equipped to manage complex remedial works. Macquarie Facilities Management is unique in this respect: with a Registered Building Practitioner leading our remedial capability, we act as your client-side project manager and superintendent, engage the right specialists, run compliant tender processes, and manage inspections through to completion. Here is a case study to illustrate.
The Situation
During routine lift maintenance works at Aero Apartments in Mascot, contractors identified water ingress into the building’s lift pits. Water was entering through the lift pit walls and construction joints – the point where the pit base meets the walls.
This is a more serious issue than it may first appear. Lift pits typically form part of a building’s shear walls – the structural elements that resist movement and hold the building stable. Water ingress in these areas, left unaddressed, can lead to corrosion of the steel reinforcement within the concrete and, over time, compromise the structural integrity of the building.
Macquarie Facilities Management was engaged as the client-side building manager and superintendent to investigate the issue and manage the remediation process on behalf of the Owners Corporation.
Why the Right Expertise Matters
Since the introduction of the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW), remedial works of this nature carry significant compliance requirements. The Act was introduced to lift standards in Class 2 (apartment) buildings after years of a “race to the bottom” on price, and it requires:
DBP Act 2020 (NSW) requires
- Designs to be supported by a design compliance declaration issued by a Registered Design Practitioner
- Construction works to be carried out and declared by a Registered Building Practitioner
- Both practitioners to stand behind their work, with liability extending up to 10 years
- Contractors to hold the necessary registrations and insurances, including Home Building Compensation Fund cover
Engaging contractors who aren’t registered under the Act isn’t just a compliance risk – it exposes the Owners Corporation to significant liability if works are later found to be defective or non-compliant.
This is where Macquarie Facilities Management adds real value. As a Registered Building Practitioner with over 30 years in the building industry, Paul Shelley brings both the qualifications and the professional network to ensure only fully qualified, fully licensed and fully insured contractors are ever brought to the table.
Our Approach
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Engaging the right specialist
For below-ground waterproofing, Macquarie FM engaged Hacène Baleh of Baleh Consulting – one of Australia's leading below-ground waterproofing experts and who also prepares regulated designs in accordance with the DBP Act 2020. This "one-stop shop" approach means the Owners Corporation deals with a single trusted point of contact, while every box is ticked behind the scenes: investigations, compliant design, consultant coordination and contractor selection.
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Site investigations
Detailed investigations of the lift pits identified water entering through the walls and the construction joints. These findings shaped the design brief and confirmed the appropriate remediation methodology.
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Compliant remediation design
Baleh Consulting prepared a full remediation design in accordance with the Australian Standards and the Design and Building Practitioners Act, ready for lodgement on the NSW planning portal with the required design compliance declaration.
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Tender process and evaluation
Macquarie FM prepared and issued an invitation to tender to four experienced contractors – all practitioners holding the necessary insurances, including Home Building Compensation Fund cover. We then prepared a detailed tender evaluation for the Owners Corporation, outlining each contractor's capabilities and strengths, and a preferred contractor was identified. The choice of the contractor is the Owners' decision based on Macquarie FM's stringent tender analysis and recommendation.
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Ready for construction
With investigations, compliant design and tender evaluation complete, the project is fully positioned to proceed to contract and construction. During the construction phase, Macquarie FM will manage inspections at critical holding points – there are more than 20 types of testing and inspection relevant to waterproofing works, including electronic leak detection, vector mapping and electromagnetic scanning. Knowing which inspections are needed, and when, is exactly why owners corporations engage experienced professionals: if you don't know they exist, they get overlooked.
What's at Stake When Water Ingress Is Left Unaddressed
Water entering a lift pit is never just about wet concrete. The risks compound over time:
Reinforcement corrosion
Water, oxygen and carbon dioxide degrade the protective passivation layer around steel reinforcement bars, causing them to corrode and expand.
Loss of ductility
Corroded bars become brittle and lose their ductility. Reinforcement is designed to flex under movement – a brittle bar can snap instead.
Concrete cancer
Once concrete spalling appears, the entire wall needs to be scanned and investigated, as the visible damage is rarely the full extent.
Structural risk
In shear walls, the steel reinforcement is what ties the structure together. Compromised reinforcement compromises the building.
Compounding costs
Water can travel and present far from its entry point, and secondary damage (for example, corrosion to new lift equipment) can mean redoing works already paid for.
The principle is simple: the longer water ingress is left, the bigger and more expensive the problem becomes. Early investigation, a compliant design and properly qualified contractors are an investment in the long-term wellbeing of the building.
Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW)
Owners Corporation Obligations – Section 106
Under Section 106 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), an owners corporation has a statutory duty to properly maintain and keep in good repair the common property of the building. This includes structural elements such as lift pits and basement walls.
Owners corporations that are made aware of a defect and fail to act may expose themselves – and potentially individual committee members – to claims of negligence and breach of their duty of care. Conversely, engaging appropriately qualified professionals to investigate, design and manage remedial works is the clearest way for an owners corporation to demonstrate it is meeting its obligations.
The Macquarie FM commitment
We don't compete on price. We compete on getting it right, cost-effectively.
Our commitment to Owners Corporations and Strata Managers is simple: to protect your interests, support your compliance obligations, and deliver the right solutions with the right professionals at the right cost.
We focus on long-term value, quality and cost-effectiveness, ensuring your building is entrusted to professional, fully qualified and appropriately experienced consultants and contractors.
Because when it comes to your building, the cheapest option is not always the most cost-effective; the right outcome is.
Facing remedial building issues?
Contact Macquarie Facilities Management to discuss how we can help protect your building – and your owners corporation.
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