Cobbitty Building
Inspections

Soil, slope and site classification in Cobbitty

Much of western Sydney sits on clay soils weathered from the Wianamatta Group shales, and clay ground swells when wet and shrinks when dry. The site classification under AS 2870 is set lot by lot from a soil report, so we do not quote a single class for the whole suburb. What we see on Cobbitty sites is the practical side of that: ground not yet graded away from the slab at lock-up and fixing, and water left to sit beside the footings. Getting the fall right is one of the cheapest ways to protect a slab on reactive soil.

Western Sydney's clay soils largely derive from the Wianamatta Group shales.

AS 2870 site classes are set per lot from a geotechnical report.

Your soil report and slab engineering show the class that applies to your home.

Grading away from the house was outstanding on several Cobbitty jobs we inspected.

Sloping lots can need piers, retaining walls and careful stormwater design.

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Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Cobbitty. Licensed building practitioners, NSW Fair Trading licence 366177C.

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FAQ

Soil, slope and site classification in Cobbitty: common questions

What site class is my Cobbitty lot?

Check the soil report for your lot. Classes vary between neighbouring blocks, so a suburb wide figure would mislead.

Why does grading matter on clay?

Water pooling against the slab wets the clay unevenly, which causes movement and cracking over time.

When should grading be finished?

Before handover. It is often incomplete at lock-up and fixing, so we check it again at the end.

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