Salt Damp Quotes and Who May Do the Work in Adelaide

What salt damp quotes and who may do the work in Adelaide actually involves

The details the guide names are drill hole spacing and depth, and how the contractor will determine when sufficient fluid has been impregnated. A quote that cannot say either has not described the work.

What the Act says

Under the Building Work Contractors Act 1995, building work includes the whole or part of the work of constructing, erecting, underpinning, altering, repairing, improving, adding to or demolishing a building, and a person must not carry on business as a building work contractor except as authorised by the Act. The Act's definition says repairing or improving a building; no page we read says whether chemical damp-proofing or salt damp treatment as a whole falls inside it.

The contract and the warranty

If the job is domestic building work, the Act implies a warranty that the building work will be performed in a proper manner to accepted trade standards and in accordance with the plans and specifications agreed to by the parties, and says the contract must be in writing. Whether a given salt damp job is domestic building work was not established. One council's advice is also on record: the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters says owners of listed heritage places in its area can obtain free advice on rising damp from the Council's Heritage Adviser. Ask your own council whether it offers the same.

Ask the contractor what authority they work under, which work it covers, the references, the method and the mortar, render or coating in writing. Consumer and Business Services names undersetting in a supervisor document, covered on the options page, and nothing more specific to damp-proofing.

Salt Damp Quotes and Who May Do the Work in Adelaide — common questions

Is a damp-proofing contractor required to be authorised?

The Act says a person must not carry on business as a building work contractor except as authorised by it. No page we read says whether chemical damp-proofing counts, so ask the contractor what authority they work under and which work it covers.

What should a chemical damp-proofing quote include?

The guide says to check the contractor's references and the details of the proposed works, such as drill hole spacing and depth and how the contractor will determine when sufficient fluid has been impregnated.

Must the contract be in writing?

The Act says a domestic building work contract must be in writing. Whether a given salt damp job is domestic building work was not established, so ask for the contract in writing in any case.