Roof, bathroom, inter-floor leakage and external wall waterproofing for Cheras’s older flats, growing high-rise condos and terrace estates from Taman Connaught to Taman Bukit Cheras.
Indicative Klang Valley ranges — get a free waterproofing assessment on WhatsApp.
Cheras spans two local authority jurisdictions — the northern part (Taman Miharja, Cheras Perdana, parts of Taman Connaught near the city boundary) falls under DBKL (Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur), while the southern stretch (Taman Bukit Cheras, Taman Bukit Mewah, Balakong and the Kajang corridor) falls under MPKj (Majlis Perbandaran Kajang). This matters for permit applications.
The property stock creates three distinct waterproofing client types in Cheras:
| Job type | Typical Cheras scenario | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Flat roof re-waterproofing | Cheras terrace or rear extension roof, 1,000–1,300 sq ft | RM3,500 – RM8,500 |
| Bathroom waterproofing (during reno) | Full hack + fresh membrane during renovation | RM800 – RM2,500 per bathroom |
| Inter-floor leakage remediation | Flat or condo bathroom, source identification + re-waterproof | RM2,500 – RM8,000 |
| Balcony / service yard waterproofing | Rear service yard screed or balcony deck | RM1,200 – RM4,000 |
| External wall coating | Terrace side wall crack injection + elastomeric coat | RM2,000 – RM6,000 |
| Roof garden / planter box | Raised planter on older Cheras semi-D or terrace | RM3,500 – RM9,000 |
| System | Best for | Service life | Indicative cost / sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cementitious crystalline | Bathrooms in flats/condos, self-healing in wet environments | Permanent | RM5 – RM10 |
| Liquid polyurethane (PU) membrane | Flat roofs, balconies, exposed decks | 10–15 years | RM4 – RM8 |
| Epoxy injection + crystalline | Inter-floor leakage source sealing through drill points | 8–12 years | RM8 – RM15 |
| Modified bitumen torch-on | Large flat terrace roofs, car-park decks | 15–20 years | RM6 – RM12 |
| Acrylic elastomeric coating | External wall crack bridging, damp proofing | 5–8 years | RM3 – RM6 |
Inter-floor leakage is the dominant waterproofing complaint in Cheras — particularly in the older flat blocks and mid-2000s condos. When the bathroom floor of an upper-unit is renovated without properly re-waterproofing the concrete slab, water from showering, mopping or a slow pipe drip percolates through the slab and appears as staining on the ceiling of the unit below.
Under the Strata Management Act 2013 (Act 757) and its Regulations, there is a rebuttable presumption that the upper-floor owner is responsible for any waterproofing failure in their floor slab. Practically speaking, this means the upper-floor owner bears the cost of investigation and rectification unless they can prove the water is coming from common property or a different source. Cheras Strata Management Tribunal cases increasingly see upper-floor owners ordered to pay for ceiling remediation in the unit below after a bathroom renovation that lacked proper re-waterproofing.
For a detailed explanation of your legal rights and responsibilities, see our guide: Inter-floor leakage liability in Malaysia →.
Cheras terrace houses from the 1980s–2000s typically have flat reinforced concrete roofs with a bitumen or cementitious screed waterproofing layer that is now 20–40 years old. The most common failure pattern is at the upstand junctions where the roof slab meets the parapet wall — these joints crack as the building moves seasonally, allowing water ingress that tracks down the wall internally.
Many Cheras terrace homeowners have also added rear room extensions or kitchen extensions over the years. The roof of these extensions, being later construction, often used cheaper waterproofing and deteriorates faster than the original roof. The junction between the old and new roof is a common failure point requiring careful detailing during re-waterproofing.
See our waterproofing cost guide for full system pricing and the renovation cost calculator to estimate your project budget.
Whether you are renovating a bathroom in a Cheras terrace or a flat block, proper waterproofing during the hack-and-retile phase protects you from two problems: structural moisture damage to the concrete slab (expensive to rectify later) and inter-floor leakage claims from the unit below (a legal liability in strata properties).
The minimum acceptable standard for bathroom waterproofing in Cheras strata units is:
Older Cheras terraces and flat blocks frequently show efflorescence (white salt deposits) and dark damp patches on external walls, particularly on the north and east elevations that get less direct sunlight to dry out after rain. The underlying cause is usually a combination of hairline cracks in the cement render and failed or absent wall waterproofing treatment.
Service yards and rear balconies in Cheras terraces also frequently leak through the screed into the covered area below. The screed on a service yard is exposed to daily water use and, without a proper membrane, degrades within 10–15 years. Re-screeding with a polymer-modified screed and a crystalline additive is the standard repair.
In Cheras strata properties, waterproofing liability splits between individual owners and the JMB or MC (Management Corporation) as follows:
If you are the lower-floor owner in a Cheras condo suffering from a neighbour’s bathroom leak, you should first serve a written notice on the upper-floor owner and copy the JMB/MC. If unresolved within a reasonable period, you can file a complaint with the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) or proceed directly to the Strata Management Tribunal for an order compelling repair.
Beyond Cheras (Taman Connaught, Taman Bukit Cheras, Taman Miharja, Salak South, Taman Len Seng), ClickBina covers neighbouring areas including Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya. We also serve Sri Petaling, Bandar Tun Razak, Seri Kembangan and Kajang — WhatsApp to confirm coverage.
Tell us what you need — we reply within the hour.