Planter Box & Water Feature Waterproofing
Planter boxes and water features hold water and damp soil against the structure permanently, and roots and salts attack a membrane that was not detailed for constant immersion. We tank planters, ponds and water features with a membrane rated for permanent water contact, with the drainage and the root protection detailed, so they hold the water they are meant to and do not quietly feed it into the wall behind.
What this job includes.
- ✓Planter box, pond and water feature tanking
- ✓A membrane rated for permanent water contact and root pressure
- ✓Drainage and root protection detailed, not just a coat
- ✓Re-tanking a sound existing planter without a full rebuild
- ✓Tested to hold before it is finished and planted out
Priced by the m², itemised line by line.
The area by the m², the Standard it meets, AS 3740 inside or AS 4654 outside, the membrane system and the product, the number of coats, the prep and any strip-out, the flood test and the certificate. Not one round number for the waterproofing.
- 1 The area, by the square metre. The price broken down by the m² and the area, not one round number for "the waterproofing". A shower recess, a bathroom and a balcony are different jobs, and the quote should show it.
- 2 The Standard it has to meet. AS 3740 inside a wet area, or AS 4654 outside on a balcony, deck or roof, named on the page. The Standard is what sets the coats and the detailing, so naming it is the honest part of the quote.
- 3 The membrane system and product. Cementitious, liquid-applied or sheet, and the actual product named, not "we will seal it". The system is chosen for the exposure and the substrate, and you should see which one you are paying for.
- 4 The number of coats. How many coats, because the most common cheap shortcut is one coat where the Standard needs two. It is invisible the moment the tiles go down, so it belongs on the quote.
- 5 Prep and any strip-out. The substrate prep, and the strip-out of failed tiles or membrane where it is needed, as their own line. Prep is a real cost before any membrane goes down, never folded into a round number.
- 6 The flood test and certificate. The flood test that proves the membrane holds water, and the compliance certificate a licensed waterproofer issues. The test is the difference between it looks done and it is proven.
- 7 The membrane warranty. The 10-year membrane workmanship warranty in writing, alongside the manufacturer system warranty. The cover a cheap operator will not put on paper, because they cannot stand behind a rushed job.
What happens, step by step.
Inspect and diagnose
We look at the job and, for a leak, trace where the water is actually getting in, because the stain is rarely under the source. We check the falls, the substrate and the detailing before we quote anything.
Strip out and prepare
Where the old membrane or tiles have failed, we strip them back. Then we grind, repair cracks, and prime the substrate, because a membrane is only as good as what it is stuck to.
Detail the junctions
Bond breakers at the wall-to-floor corners, the upturns to height, the penetrations and wastes sealed in, and the fall to the drain set right. The junctions are where a wet area moves and where it leaks.
Apply the coats
The membrane system to AS 3740 or AS 4654, the number of coats the Standard needs, each cured before the next. We name the system and the coats on the quote, and apply exactly that.
Flood test
We plug the wastes, flood the area, and leave it to confirm the membrane holds water before anything goes on top. The test is the proof, and it is a real step, not an optional extra.
Certify and hand over
We issue the compliance certificate for the work and hand over the membrane warranty in writing, so your builder, certifier and insurer have the paperwork the job needs.
The paperwork behind the price.
Public liability to $20M, and a 10-year membrane workmanship, all in writing, all on request.
We hold a QBCC licence for waterproofing in Queensland, the licence that lets us flood-test and issue the compliance certificate, and we carry public liability insurance, so you are covered on site. The guarantee is a 10-year written warranty on the membrane workmanship, the part that fails first when a job is rushed, alongside the manufacturer system warranty on the accredited membrane we install to AS 3740 or AS 4654. All in writing, with exclusions named.
Planter Box & Water Feature Waterproofing: common questions.
Why do planter boxes and ponds leak into the building?
Can you re-waterproof an existing planter without rebuilding it?
Do water features need a different system to a swimming pool?
Get a free, itemised quote you can actually read.
Tell us what you need. We’ll book a walkthrough and send a quote with the work itemised, not just a number.