HDB Mandatory Water Proofing Test ... Please advise ...

[goldenchasis 1]

My HDB estate is currently undergoing Home Improvement Programme (HIP). HDB units (especially those just renovated their houses) who do not opt for toilet/bathroom upgrading must undergo a compulsory water proofing test. According to HDB, the toilet floor will be flooded to 2.5cm of water for 4 hours. If there is leak to the ceiling of the flat below then the water proofing test has failed.

We all know HDB flats are strictly residential. I can't think of anybody who bathe for a continuous long period of 4 hours and able to flood the toilet floor to even 1cm of water. The diameter of drainage outlet is so much bigger than diameter of shower tap. Water outflow is anytime faster than water inflow.

Is the criteria for HDB water proofing test a little too far fetched and UNREALISTIC.

Also, are water proofing membrane done by HDB authorised contractors designed to withstand 2.5cm of water for 4 hours; because I never hear it mentioned when I talked to renovation contractors and it was never even in the terms and conditions.

I have people in other forums insisting this is standard test. Since this criteria was never mentioned or noted in renovation contract, can we assume it is standard HDB requirement and so is IMPLICIT in the agreement. And suppose water test failed, can we get contractor to compensate/foot cost of repair ?

I hope HDB, MND, URA, building professionals, and knowledgeable people can kindly contribute, comment, and advise on this matter.  Thank you.

 

PS: I am not so IT literate and my friend help me post this article. If there is a proper forum to raise this issue, kindly help me port this over or do advise. Thank you.

Edited April 13, 2017 by goldenchasis
GRAMMAR

[snoozee 98]

I was in the same situation as you several years ago when my previous HDB estate was undergoing HIP. I had written to HDB and ST forum about this and had also offered to have a written agreement to foot any costs involved in repairing the floor if leakages happened in future but HDB said there's no such policy. 

basically as long as the water test fail, meaning water seepage/marks can be seen (need not be dripping water) on the downstairs neighbor's ceiling, you WILL need to renovate the toilet even if it's just a tiny seepage. You must understand that when you "BUY" a HDB flat, you are actually leasing the flat from HDB for the balance of the 99years that is left on the flat. So as the actual "owner" of the flat which you have leased from, you are subjected to their terms and conditions of living and maintenance of the flat which includes this HIP toilet renovation.

The water test is designed such to cater for situations where there is water pipe leakage/burst and also the drainage pipe choked for a period of time which will cause flooding in the toilet. Hence the 2.5cm of water for 4 hours.

If you had done your renovation recently and the toilet test failed, it's up to you to see how much warranty your contractor had provided you for the toilet renovation. From my understanding, the toilet works by HIP contractors will have a 5 years warranty against leakages.

Just for info, when the HIP contractors do the test, they will flood your toilet and use those blue pills for WC to colour the water so that the seepage (if any) can be seen clearly downstairs. if your toilet fails the initial test, you have several options.

1. do the toilet renovation following the HIP

2. get your contractor to renovate the toilet and after renovation, get the HIP contractors to perform water test again

3. get your contractor to waterproof/fix the leakage then do the water test again

Basically you have 2 chances to prove to HDB that your toilet does not leak at all. if it leaks, you are given the option to go with HIP works or engage your own contractor (subject to water leakage tests again afterwards).

for fixing of leakage, there is an option to inject some sort of sealant into the ceiling downstairs. this will cause some inconvenience to your neighbor and will also need their approval since workers would need to go into their house. Cost wise would end up about the same as doing the entire toilet under the HIP package.

Luckily for me previously, the seepage was in a small area which normally would not be wet (as we had an enclosed shower area and the seepage was outside this area). After doing some waterproofing of the toilet floor by applying sealant, we managed to pass the 2nd water test and avoided renovating our toilet.

Hope the above information helps. Good luck!

[accidentalgenius 2]

This waterproofing test is very important. If your house has water leakage in future to the floor below, you need to hack away all your floor tiles and redo your waterproofing.

[bepgof 20]

Professionally speaking, the soak test should last for 24 hours instead of 4 hours for a more conclusive finding. The timing depends largely on the concrete permeability and thickness. You may read Darcy's Law for further understanding.

Anyway, HDB Quality Group must have some certifications reaching the '4 hours' conclusion.

If one can observe damp patches on the soffit within 4 hours, the 'leakage' is very serious and need immediate action.

Water can be retained in the slab/concrete and slowly spreads horizontally and vertically, over months or even years and the damp patches can be observed on the soffit....(in another word - HDB is signalling 'Pls settle with your neighbor next time and don't look for me', if you opt out)

It is often found the 'leakage' happens at floor trap area and stackers' (we don't call pipes) perimeter. The water 'travels' along the stacker wall (if waterproofing material not sticks to the stacker, or tall enough with the tile.....) then, i would say 'good luck'.

I personally told the ID and supervised the contractor on this very particularly, in late 2009. 2016, HIP came, i opted in just to pleased my neighbour down stair tot there was a 'downgrade' in everything in the toilets.

[Debrahkok7777 1]

The information given were all so useful. Thanks guys !

[Marcushann 0]

Planning to renovate the bathroom and changing the floor tiles. But I've also heard how some of my friends did and there's leakage and it's a hassles to settle it. Any recommendations for a good contractor? 

[tanjiro 0]

Hi,

I'm currently renovating the house.

Is there any directives from HDB how to do waterproofing test? I was told 2 layers of waterproofing would be done for the toilet but ID is usually not on site to supervise worker and worker also casually told me 1 layer would be applied and no need to flood the toilet for test.

ID also say the way to test waterproofing is just fill up toilet and drain off, no need to flood and monitor any drop in water level. I have a very shallow kerb of around 10-15mm between toilet and kitchen. Initially worker proposed level the kitchen and toilet floor and he will slope the floor towards toilet floor trap but was rejected by me. Is 10-15mm acceptable? I didn't want a high kerb but was expecting at least 20mm.

[Ylll 0]

Anyone asked by hdb to do toilet floor even HIP water test passed 6 months ago. The downstairs leaking stain had been there for 2 yrs.

Edited February 16, 2021 by Ylll
Typo

[Ylll 0]

Anyone asked by hdb to do toilet floor even HIP water test passed 6 months ago. The downstairs leaking stain had been there for 2 yrs.

[snoozee 98]

10 hours ago, Ylll said:

Anyone asked by hdb to do toilet floor even HIP water test passed 6 months ago. The downstairs leaking stain had been there for 2 yrs.

if water test passed then shouldn't be need to do the floor. by right the contractor should take photos of downstairs ceiling on before and after the 2 hour test to verify that there is no leaks. if the contractor insist on you doing the floor, request for another water test and let HDB know about this as well. There will be an officer from HDB that would be in charge of your estate so you need to let them (HDB) know about these things. Can submit the correspondence inside HDB portal.

[Andrew66 0]

* deleted *

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Andrew66

[Simon3 0]

Water proofing test which is similar to stress/durability test should be done when the flooring is newly completed/renovated. Such stress tests should not be applied proactively on floorings which have been in use for years and have not shown any leakages (stain in ceilings of the downstairs neighbours). 

Under what Regulations does HDB invoke to impose these on residents? 

In the same spirit, does HDB do such stress test on their roofs which have created leakages into ceilings of top floor units? I am sure they will find leakages from the roof slabs reaching top floor units ceilings!

[Topless 0]

Guys, help me, or please let me know at least if there is a company in the same area that deals with pumping water from the house's basement. These days have been heavy rains, and we, without realizing it, left the basement ventilation window open. Now it is full of water, and it is impossible to take it out with the buckets. We urgently need a water damage restoration service to take care of this. It is a real burden to live in a rainy area with above-average humidity.