Failed balcony? We strip it back, fix what’s underneath, and re-membrane it properly.
Balconies are the single most common waterproofing failure in Sydney, and the most common source of disputes between neighbours and strata committees. They sit fully exposed – sun, driving rain, salt air – and they’re often the last thing detailed properly on a build.
How you know it’s gone
- Water staining on the ceiling of the space below
- Tiles lifting, drumming or cracking along one line
- White chalky residue creeping through the grout – efflorescence, which means water is moving through the slab
- Rust staining or spalling concrete at the balcony edge
- Paint bubbling on the wall underneath
In apartments the unit below usually notices before you do. By the time it shows on their ceiling, water has been tracking through the slab for months.
Coastal balconies fail faster
A balcony in Bondi, Coogee or Cronulla takes a beating no inland balcony does. Salt-laden air, UV, and southerlies driving rain horizontally into the building. Membranes that would comfortably last fifteen years somewhere sheltered give up considerably earlier.
Add the Eastern Suburbs’ stock of 60s and 70s walk-ups – many still on their original membrane or a patch-up from decades ago – and you get the pattern we see constantly. The tiles look fine. Underneath, the membrane has gone brittle and let go at the edges.
What the job involves
- Investigate first. Before anyone removes a tile, it’s worth knowing where the water is actually entering. We’ve traced plenty of “balcony leaks” back to a window seal, a planter box or a failed drainage outlet.
- Strip back to the substrate.
- Repair what’s underneath – concrete cancer, spalling, falls that don’t drain.
- Correct the falls if water is pooling. A membrane under standing water fails early no matter how well it’s laid.
- Detail the junctions – upturns at the wall, the door threshold, around the outlet and along the edge.
- Membrane rated for exposure, then tile.
Strata and common property
We work with strata committees and building managers across Sydney, provide written scopes and reports for meetings, and coordinate access around residents.
If you’re comparing quotes, look at what each one includes rather than the number at the bottom. Balcony remediation is an area where the cheap quote reliably becomes the expensive one, because the cheap version skips the preparation and the falls.
Frequently asked
Do the tiles have to come up?
If the membrane beneath has failed, yes. Coatings applied over existing tiles are a short-term measure at best and usually buy a year or two. We’ll tell you honestly which situation you’re in.
Who pays in an apartment building?
It depends where the boundary sits between lot property and common property, which varies by building. A written report identifying the source helps that conversation considerably – we can provide one.
How long does it take?
A typical residential balcony is several days once stripped, plus curing time. Larger or badly deteriorated balconies take longer, and we’ll give you a realistic timeframe with the quote rather than an optimistic one.
Book an inspection
Call 0450 679 512 or email sam@sydneychoicewaterproofing.com.au.
NSW Contractor Licence 299661C · ABN 62 623 342 898 · Fully insured · 7 year warranty
Got a job that needs doing properly?
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