Bored pier inspections in Truganina

Stage1 of 7

When to bookWith the holes drilled and cages placed, before the concrete truck is booked

Time on siteAbout 1 hour on site

Inspected againstAS 2870, AS 3600, the geotechnical report and the engineer's footing design

What is included in a Truganina bored piers inspection

Every pier located against the footing layout
Shaft width taken at the top of the hole
Depth compared with the engineer's figure
Base cleaned back to firm founding material
Spoil, water or collapse noted in each shaft
Reinforcing cage size and bar count
Cage spacers and cover to the sides
Starter bars placed to suit the beams above
Pier and beam connection detail
Set-out pegs and boundary offsets sighted
Drainage and stormwater near the pier line
Photo record of every hole before concrete

Why it matters here

Bored piers inspections on Truganina builds

The basalt plains under Truganina carry clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, sometimes over rock at uneven depth. Piers are specified to reach stable material below that movement, so a hole left with loose spoil in the bottom, or stopped short, can undo the design before the house is even framed.

What we find at this stage in Truganina

Loose spoil left at the base of the pier holes
Soil falling back into a drilled shaft
Hole depth short of the engineer's figure
Cage sitting on the base with no cover
Pier set out away from the footing plan
Site levels that will drain towards the slab

Dirt fallen back into a bored pier shaft before the pour, Donnybrook, Truganina — Dirt fallen back into a bored pier shaft before the pour, Donnybrook

Site that will need grading after the pour so water cannot pool near the slab, Donnybrook, Truganina — Site that will need grading after the pour so water cannot pool near the slab, Donnybrook

Block levels to be regraded once the slab is down, so rain drains away, Donnybrook, Truganina — Block levels to be regraded once the slab is down, so rain drains away, Donnybrook

Sample findings

Sample defects found during our bored piers inspections in Truganina

Annotated findings from Bored piers inspections.

Loose spoil left at the base of a bored pier ahead of the concrete, found during a bored pier inspection in Donnybrook — Loose spoil left at the base of a bored pier ahead of the concrete, Donnybrook

Pier hole still holding loose soil that has to come out down to firm ground, found during a bored pier inspection in Donnybrook — Pier hole still holding loose soil that has to come out down to firm ground, Donnybrook

Bored pier bottom not yet cleaned down to the hard founding layer, found during a bored pier inspection in Donnybrook — Bored pier bottom not yet cleaned down to the hard founding layer, Donnybrook

Loose material in a pier that would sit between the concrete and firm ground, found during a bored pier inspection in Donnybrook — Loose material in a pier that would sit between the concrete and firm ground, Donnybrook

Bored pier needing its base cleaned out before the concrete goes in, found during a bored pier inspection in Gisborne — Bored pier needing its base cleaned out before the concrete goes in, Gisborne

The other stages of a Truganina build

All construction stage inspections in Truganina →

Guides

Construction stage guides for Truganina

4 September 2026 · 6 min read

When the frame does not match the engineering: Truganina frame findings

Beams at the wrong size, connections fixed another way and strongbacks without grips. Why frame stage on a Truganina build is a drawings exercise.

14 August 2026 · 5 min read

Set-downs, slab edges and the 10mm and 20mm limits on Truganina builds

Shower set-downs under the wall line, slab edges in the cavity and honeycombed concrete. What we measure when the frame first sits on the slab.

26 June 2026 · 5 min read

Frame items that are still open at lock-up, and how to stop that happening

Why the lock-up visit on a Truganina build rechecks the frame report, and what a cut top plate, slack bracing and missing tie-downs have in common.

All guides →

FAQ

Bored piers inspections in Truganina: common questions

Does every Truganina build need bored piers?

No. Piers are specified by the engineer where the soil report or the design calls for them, for example deep fill, a sloping lot or a heavy load point. Many homes go straight to a slab with deepened edge beams.

What harm does loose soil at a pier base do?

The pier is designed to bear on firm material. Loose soil at the bottom compresses under load, so the pier can settle even though the concrete above it is sound.

How long does the bored pier check take?

About an hour on site for a typical set of piers, longer for a large footprint.

What are the piers measured against?

The engineer's footing design and soil report for your lot, AS 2870 for residential footings and AS 3600 for the concrete work.

Can piers be checked after the concrete is in?

Only the tops. Depth and base condition cannot be seen after the pour, which is why this stage has to be booked before the concrete truck.

What if the concrete goes in before the inspector gets there?

Ask your builder for evidence of the pier inspection by their engineer or surveyor. Then make sure the slab stage is booked in good time so the next opportunity is not missed.