Could Nearby Construction Be Damaging Your Home?
Across Australia, more homeowners are noticing a new and unsettling problem — their house shakes when nearby construction starts.
It might begin subtly:
windows rattling when trucks pass
a low rumble during piling works
doors suddenly sticking
new cracks appearing in brickwork or plaster
The first question most people ask is:
“Is this normal… or is my house actually being damaged?”
The difficult part — proving it later
Many property owners only investigate after cracks appear.
Unfortunately, by the time visible damage is noticed, the machinery has often left the site.
That creates a serious issue.
Without measurements taken during the works, it becomes extremely hard to determine:
whether vibration reached the building
how strong it was
whether it exceeded accepted engineering levels
or if it reasonably contributed to the cracking
At that point the discussion often turns into opinion rather than evidence.
Feeling vibration doesn’t automatically mean damage
People can feel vibration at levels far lower than those known to cause structural harm.
But sometimes it does matter — depending on soil, distance, building age and construction method.
The only reliable way to understand the risk is to record the vibration while it is happening.
Protecting your position early
If construction is occurring near your home, documenting conditions early can make a major difference later — whether dealing with builders, insurers or engineers.
An independent monitoring record provides a factual timeline of what your property actually experienced.
To understand how this works and what can be measured, this guide explains the process:
https://www.hamiltonbydesign.com.au/construction-vibration-monitoring-home-australia/
Don’t wait until the works finish
Once piling or compaction stops, the opportunity to capture evidence disappears permanently.
If you are concerned, the safest approach is to investigate while activity is still underway — not months afterwards.
Why this matters
Construction near residential areas is increasing across Australia.
Most projects proceed without issue, but when concerns arise, documentation becomes critical.
Because if you don’t record what is happening to your property while it’s occurring — you may never be able to reconstruct it later.
