01
Forensic diagnostic
Half-cell potential mapping, carbonation and chloride testing, delamination survey and photographic defect register — so the committee knows the true extent before anyone quotes a price.
Remedial advisory
Concrete cancer repair advisory for strata schemes
Concrete cancer is the most expensive defect most Owners Corporations will ever face — and the one most often scoped by the very contractor who profits from the repair. Strata Uplift Group is a new advisory practice whose senior engineers, planners and accountants have spent decades diagnosing these failures. We scope the works for the scheme, and run the tender and site superintendency on the owners' side of the table.
Signs your scheme is dealing with concrete cancer
- Rust staining or dark weeping lines running down balcony soffits and facade panels
- Cracking that follows the line of reinforcement bars rather than random shrinkage patterns
- Drummy or hollow-sounding render, spalling edges and loose concrete falling from slab noses
- Recurring water ingress at planter boxes, balcony thresholds and basement slab junctions
- Repairs that keep reappearing within a few years of the last remedial contract
Why independence changes the number
Where the diagnosis, the specification and the construction all sit with one contractor, the scheme has no benchmark for what the work should cost. A client-side scope tendered to a competitive field typically removes the bulk of variation exposure and gives the committee a defensible record for the Owners Corporation.
Every engagement is documented for general meeting reporting, so lot owners can see what was tested, what was specified and what each submission priced.
Our concrete remediation process
02
Independent scope of works
A written, quantified repair specification covering concrete repair methodology, anodic protection, waterproofing and coatings — authored by us, not by the builder who will price it.
03
Competitive tender & superintendency
The scope goes to a shortlist of qualified remedial contractors. We assess submissions, normalise the pricing, and act as DBPA-aligned superintendent through delivery and defect close-out.
04
Capital uplift review
Because the scaffold is already up, we test whether facade renewal, common area upgrades or airspace potential can be folded in — turning sunk repair cost into lasting lot-owner value.
Common questions from committees
What actually is concrete cancer?
Steel reinforcement inside the concrete corrodes, usually after water and chlorides reach it through cracks or failed waterproofing. The rusting steel expands, forcing the surrounding concrete to crack and break away. Left alone it accelerates, and the repair scope grows every year.
Why engage an independent advisor instead of going straight to a remedial builder?
A builder's report usually defines the scope that the same builder will then price and perform. Our scope is written client-side for the Owners Corporation, tendered competitively, and supervised independently — which is where variation risk and margin blow-outs are contained.
How is the work funded?
Our property accountants model sinking fund capacity, staged works and special levy options so the scheme understands the per-lot impact before committing at a general meeting.
Do you carry out the repairs?
No. We are not a building contractor. We diagnose, specify, tender and superintend on behalf of the Owners Corporation, which keeps our advice free of construction margin.
Get a preliminary read on your building
Send through your strata plan number, suburb and a short description of the damage. We will come back with an initial view on diagnostic scope and likely advisory pathway.
Request a scheme review