Scope
What a leak job involves
An internal look first, so we know exactly where the water appears and what is above and outside it.
Staged water testing on the facade, starting below the suspect area and working up, one element at a time.
Window and door perimeters, sill and head flashings, and the junctions between different facade materials.
Sealant joints, control joints and penetrations: the single most common entry point on a Brisbane tower.
Balcony thresholds, drainage outlets and the upstands that nobody looks at until the carpet is wet.
Cracked render, failed patches and any opening big enough to take wind driven rain.
Cutting out and replacing failed sealant properly, rather than running a new bead over an old one.
A report with photographs of what was tested, what leaked and what was sealed.
Process
How we find it
01
Look inside first
We start in the affected apartment. Where the water appears, how long after rain, and which direction the weather was coming from all narrow the search before anyone goes on a rope.
02
Test from the bottom up
Water is applied to one element at a time, lowest first, with somebody inside watching. Testing everything at once tells you nothing except that it leaks.
03
Seal what failed
Failed sealant is cut out and replaced, not covered over. Cracks are opened, filled and finished. We only seal what we have actually seen leak.
04
Report and retest
The element is retested after sealing where the weather and the programme allow. You get photographs of the test, the failure and the repair.
Diagnosis
Where the water is really coming from
A wet ceiling on level 12 tells you almost nothing about where the water got in. This is the honest picture of what we find.
The facade
Failed sealant at a window perimeter or a control joint, by a long way the most common cause.
Wind driven rain through a crack that is bone dry and invisible on a still day.
A flashing that was never lapped correctly and has worked since only because the wind never came from that side.
This is what rope access can find and fix, and what we quote for.
From above
Roof membranes, box gutters and overflow outlets backing up in a heavy Brisbane storm.
Planter drainage, which fails quietly and tracks down through the structure for years.
Air conditioning condensate lines and plant deck penetrations.
We look, photograph and report these, but the repair is usually a roofer or a waterproofer.
Inside the building
Plumbing, failed wet area waterproofing and shower recesses in the apartment above.
Condensation on cold surfaces, which looks exactly like a leak and is not one.
Slab penetrations and services running through fire rated walls.
If the water keeps coming after the facade is sealed, this is usually why.
Photos
On site
Why us
Why building managers call us back
Abseil Pro has been working Brisbane buildings since 2017. This is what that actually buys you.
Certified and insured
IRATA certified technicians on every job, supervised by a Level 3.
$20 million public liability and $10 million professional indemnity.
Work carried out to the Australian Standards for rope access and height safety.
SWMS, JSA and a job specific rescue plan in your hands before anyone arrives.
One crew, many trades
Rope access plus real trade tickets: arborist, painter and height safety installer.
Cleaning, gardening, painting, repairs and inspections from the same crew on the same ropes.
One mobilisation instead of four, which is where most of the saving actually comes from.
The same faces each visit, so nobody has to relearn your building.
It all gets documented
A free photo inspection at the end of every job, not just the big ones.
Anything we notice on the facade, flagged with a photo and a location.
Fixed prices, with variations quoted before the work rather than after it.
A fixed price with the assumptions written down, and a free on-site consult if you would rather we looked first.
FAQ
Questions building managers ask
Can you guarantee the leak is fixed?
No, and anyone who does on an existing building is guessing. We can guarantee our workmanship on the sealant we install. We cannot guarantee that the facade element we sealed was the only path water was taking, because on an older building it very often is not. What we do is test methodically, seal what we actually saw leak, and document all of it so the next step is informed rather than another guess.
What if it leaks again after you have been?
A return visit is quoted like any other job. That is not us being difficult, it is the consequence of the point above: we are paid to find and seal a path, not to underwrite every future path. Where our own workmanship has failed, that is different, and we fix it.
What does leak detection cost?
Most jobs are one to two days for a team of two at $2,400 a day, which covers the internal look, the water testing and the sealing of what is found. Buildings with several affected apartments, or a leak that has been chased before, take longer because more has to be eliminated.
Do you need access to the apartment?
Yes, for the internal inspection and while the water testing is running, because somebody has to be watching the inside when the outside gets wet. That is usually a couple of hours, and we work around the resident's availability.
Can you do it in the rain?
We would rather not, because a facade that is already wet makes the test useless. A few dry days before the job is worth more than an early start.
The carpet is still wet weeks later. Does that mean it is still leaking?
Not necessarily, and it is worth checking before assuming. Carpet and underlay hold water for a long time and will not dry on their own in a closed apartment. If there has been little rain since the repair, the first question is whether the floor has been professionally dried rather than left to air.
How do we get a price?
Start with the free quote, or book an on-site consult if you would rather we looked at the building first. Most jobs can be quoted without a site meeting. Either way you get a fixed price with the assumptions written down, usually within two business days, with no charge and no obligation.
What areas do you cover?
Brisbane and south east Queensland, from the Sunshine Coast down to the Gold Coast, which is where the great majority of our work is. We travel further for portfolio clients and for buildings that are hard to get anyone else onto, including interstate. If you are not sure whether your building is in range, ask.