Beyond the Stat Sheet: What 53% Defect Rates Really Mean for Strata
The numbers are shocking—but not surprising.
Between 2016 and 2022, over 53% of new strata buildings in New South Wales were found to have serious defects, according to data from the NSW Building Commissioner’s Office. Of those, nearly half involved waterproofing failures.
It’s a headline that’s done the rounds — but what’s often missing is the context:
Why these issues are happening
What it means for property owners and strata managers
And how to approach remediation the right way
Why Waterproofing Tops the List (Every Time)
Waterproofing is one of the first systems installed — and often the first to fail.
Why? Because it’s easy to bury poor workmanship early in the build. Once finishes go on top, it’s out of sight, out of mind… until it starts leaking into ceilings, common areas, or commercial tenancies.
At Projex Pro, these are the most common causes we see:
Incorrect membranes for the environment
Rushed installation over damp or unprepared surfaces
Missing or inadequate movement joints
Incompatible detailing between trades
And the impact? Major.
Water finds its way into everything — concrete, steel, gyprock, timber, kitchens, and electrical systems.
Left untreated, it escalates fast and quietly..
How Defects Impact More Than Just the Building
A leaking planter box or rooftop isn’t just a construction issue. It becomes a financial and emotional one too.
It impacts:
Owner confidence
Committee stress levels
Insurance premiums
Rental income
Resale value
We’ve seen buildings under 10 years old undergo four separate waterproofing repairs — all failed.
Not due to poor materials, but poor execution.
So What Do You Do When You See the Signs?
Start early. Don’t wait for the damage to spread.
The key to smart remedial work:
Investigate first. Don’t guess — get a professional diagnosis.
Scope it properly. Patch jobs won’t prevent future failure.
Execute it professionally. Focus on long-term performance, not quick fixes.
At Projex Pro, we don’t just stop the leak — we resolve the cause. Permanently.
And we make sure you understand every step of what we’re doing — and why..
3 Questions Strata Managers Should Be Asking
Do I know the root cause of the issue?
→ If not, don't sign off on a fix.Has this area been repaired before?
→ Repeating the same scope = repeating the same failure.Do I trust the team doing the work?
→ Remedial isn’t renovation. It requires experience, not assumptions.
The 53% figure isn’t just a problem.
It’s an opportunity—to build smarter, fix better, and finally stop relying on short-term workarounds.
Waterproofing shouldn’t fail this often.
But when it does—we make sure it only happens once.
What We Do Differently
When you work with us, you won’t get surface solutions.
You’ll get real investigation, scoped properly, delivered cleanly—with no shortcuts and no guesswork.
We’ve fixed waterproofing failures caused by poor sequencing, cut corners, and missed details—often by builders who should’ve known better.
At Projex Pro, we know waterproofing isn’t just a trade—it’s a system.
And we treat it like one.
