Concrete cancer repairs in Sydney
Spalling concrete and corroded reinforcement found, mapped and repaired from the rope, inside containment netting, on occupied buildings.
- Every defect mapped and photographed
- Containment netting
- Residents stay home
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We reply the same day. ★ 5.0 from 12 Google reviews
Concrete cancer repairs in short
Tactical Height Solutions provides concrete cancer repairs for buildings in Sydney using IRATA-certified rope access technicians instead of scaffolding. Spalling concrete and corroded reinforcement found, mapped and repaired from the rope, inside containment netting, on occupied buildings. Every job is supervised by an IRATA Level 3 technician, carried out under NSW contractor licence 478674C, and covered by $20 million public liability insurance. Site inspections in Sydney are free, enquiries get a reply the same day, and most jobs can start within 48 hours of an approved quote.
Updated October 2026 by Naldo Neto, IRATA Level 3 and licensed painter.
"Concrete cancer" is the common name for spalling caused by corroding steel reinforcement. As the steel rusts it expands, cracks the concrete around it and eventually pushes pieces off the face of the building. On balconies, slab edges and columns it can become a safety risk as well as a leak.
Sydney's coastal air, older buildings with thin concrete cover and years of water getting in through cracks all make it common across the city. The repair needs to deal with the cause, not just patch the surface, or it comes back.
We locate and map concrete cancer from the rope, then carry out the repairs inside containment netting so nothing falls on residents, cars or the footpath. This is the work we did on our Bankstown strata high-rise project.
Urgent? Water coming in or concrete falling? Text a photo and the address to 0478 152 630, or see emergency make-safe.
Licensing and regulated work
Our NSW contractor licence is in painting (478674C). On apartment buildings, concrete, render, sealant and waterproofing repairs over $5,000 may need a licence class other than painting, and remedial work on class 2 buildings falls under the Design and Building Practitioners Act, which needs an engineer's regulated design and a registered building practitioner. On those jobs we work as the specialist rope access contractor alongside your engineer and remedial builder. On commercial and industrial buildings, and for painting, cleaning and inspection work, we contract with you directly. We'll tell you at the inspection which applies to your building.
Why choose our concrete cancer repairs
- Safe for people belowContainment netting and exclusion zones during all breaking-out work.
- Repairs that lastCorroded steel is exposed, cleaned and treated before the concrete is rebuilt.
- No scaffoldRepairs scattered across a high-rise façade can be reached without scaffolding the building.
- Clear recordsEach defect is marked, photographed and logged before and after repair.
Concrete façade remediation on a strata high-rise in Bankstown
Concrete defects mapped from the rope across an occupied Bankstown high-rise, then repaired inside full-height containment netting while residents stayed at home.
Read the case study
★★★★★Great team of rope technicians. Always punctual and organised with tasks we set for them. Naldo's experience on remedial jobs excels and often makes our work easier to complete.
George H., Google review
How the job runs
- Inspection and soundingWe sound the concrete from the rope, mark cracks, drummy areas and spalls, and photograph each one.
- Scope and quoteA defect map, repair method and fixed price, often with an engineer's specification for larger jobs.
- Break out and treatLoose concrete is removed back to sound material, and reinforcement is cleaned and coated.
- RebuildThe section is rebuilt with polymer-modified repair mortar to the original profile.
- Protect and finishAnti-carbonation or protective coating, then paint to match.
Technical details
| Repair system | Breaking out, reinforcement treatment, bonding primer, polymer-modified repair mortar, protective coating |
|---|---|
| Products | Proprietary repair mortars and Dulux coating systems |
| Standards | AS 3600 principles, engineer's specification where provided, manufacturer data sheets |
| Protection | Containment netting, catch trays, exclusion zones |
Questions about concrete cancer repairs
What causes concrete cancer?
Water and air reach the steel reinforcement through cracks or thin concrete cover. The steel corrodes and expands, cracking and pushing off the concrete around it. Coastal salt and carbonation of older concrete speed it up.
How do I know if my building has concrete cancer?
Common signs are rust stains, cracks running along the line of the steel, bulging or drummy concrete and pieces that have fallen off balconies or slab edges. A rope access inspection can find early defects you can't see from the ground.
Is concrete cancer dangerous?
It can be. Loose concrete can fall from a height, and in serious cases the strength of a balcony or slab edge can be affected. If pieces are falling, fence off the area below and get it inspected promptly.
Do we need an engineer?
For small, isolated spalls an engineer is often not required. For widespread defects, structural elements or a large strata project, an engineer's report and specification is recommended, and we work to it.
See this work on real buildings in our projects, or read about our safety and insurance.