What is a waterproofing method statement?

A waterproofing method statement is a written document setting out exactly how the works will be carried out — the sequence of operations, materials and specification, environmental limits for application, hold points requiring approval, quality control records, and health and safety controls. It is submitted before work begins and forms part of the contract record.

What must a waterproofing method statement include in Ghana?

At minimum: project and scope details, materials with technical datasheets and GSA certification, substrate acceptance criteria including moisture limit, surface preparation method, detail treatment at junctions and penetrations, application sequence with coat thicknesses and intervals, environmental limits for temperature and rain, hold points, inspection and test plan, and HSE controls.

What are hold points in a waterproofing method statement?

Hold points are stages where work must stop until the client or consultant inspects and approves. For waterproofing the standard hold points are: substrate acceptance before priming, detail reinforcement before the field coat, first coat before the second, and completed membrane before any protection layer or screed is laid over it. Once a screed is down, defects cannot be seen or economically corrected.

Waterproofing Method Statement in Ghana — Template & Guide (2026)

August 27, 2026

Waterproofing Method Statement — What It Must Contain

A method statement sets out how the works will actually be done: sequence, materials, environmental limits, hold points, quality records and safety controls. On a Ghanaian project it is also your defence when someone asks, two years later, why the roof leaked.

Use this as a template. Each section below is one you should expect to see — and one a serious contractor will provide without being asked.

1. Project and Scope

Project name, location, client and consultant
Element being waterproofed and measured area
Reference to the specification and drawings
Programme dates and working hours

2. Materials

Product names, manufacturer and batch traceability
Technical datasheets attached
GSA certification
Safety data sheets
Storage requirements on site — temperature, shelf life, out of direct sun
Stated dry film thickness the system will achieve

3. Substrate Acceptance Criteria

State the conditions the substrate must meet before anything is applied:

Moisture content below 4%, verified by meter and recorded
Free of dust, laitance, oil and loose material
Falls established, minimum 1:80 to outlets
Cracks routed and repaired
Substrate temperature within the manufacturer's stated range

4. Surface Preparation

Method — wire brushing, grinding, or mechanical preparation
Dust extraction
Treatment of spalled or contaminated areas
Priming — product, coverage, and overcoat window

5. Detail Treatment

The section most often omitted, and where roughly 80% of leaks originate.

Parapet and upstand junctions — fleece band width, upstand height minimum 150 mm
Drain outlets — collar detail and dressing into the outlet
Pipe and service penetrations — collar and sealant
Movement joints — banded both sides, debonded over the joint
Construction joints
Terminations and edge trims

6. Application Sequence

Trial area applied and approved before proceeding
Detail reinforcement completed first
First field coat — stated spread rate, applied in one direction
Overcoat interval — minimum and maximum stated
Second field coat applied perpendicular to the first
Full cure period before trafficking or flood test

7. Environmental Limits

Condition	Limit
Substrate moisture	Below 4%
Rain forecast	No application if rain expected within cure window
Substrate temperature	Per datasheet — typically 5–35°C
Working hours	Avoid peak surface temperature on dark roofs
Wind	Overspray control if spray-applied

8. Hold Points

Work stops for inspection and approval at each of these:

Hold point	Why it matters
Substrate acceptance	Cannot be verified once primed
Detail reinforcement complete	Invisible once field coat is on
First coat before second	Confirms coverage and thickness
Membrane before protection layer	Last chance before it is buried

9. Inspection and Test Plan

Substrate moisture readings — recorded, with locations
Wet film thickness checks during application
Dry film thickness verification on completion
Flood test — duration, depth, and inspection below
Photographic record at each stage
Non-conformance and corrective action procedure

10. Health, Safety and Environment

Work at height — access equipment, edge protection, inspection regime
PPE including respiratory protection where required
Ventilation for enclosed or internal application
Fire precautions — critical for torch-applied systems
Waste and container disposal
Emergency procedures and site induction

11. Handover Documentation

As-built record of areas treated
Thickness verification records
Flood test certificate
Material datasheets and certification
Photographic record
Warranty certificate and maintenance recommendations

Why This Protects Everyone

If a roof leaks in year two, the method statement and its records answer the only question that matters: was the system installed as specified? Without them the argument is opinion against opinion, and the client usually loses.

We Provide This as Standard

Fest Ghana Limited issues a project-specific method statement before commencing any commercial or institutional works, with the full inspection and test plan, and a complete documentation pack at handover. 3-year workmanship warranty, 3-year material warranty, 20-year design life.

👉 Request a Method Statement · 0555 548 001

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