Learn how House Raising or Sliding can create more home space for you from articles by Black & White restumping services in Brisbane, Sunshine and Gold Coasts.

What Types of Homes Can’t Be Raised?

brick home

When it comes to raising a house, people do it for a variety of different reasons. The most common is for the purpose of elevating the building above flood waters. Other reasons could be when the house is being moved to a new location, or to increase the amount of space that is available to be used under the home, for extra rooms or for storage. It is well known that the Queenslander style wooden houses are the buildings that are most commonly raised but what sort of buildings are unable to be raised and why?

Structurally Unsound Houses

When we consider the process involved with raising a house, we can see how it is an extremely complex process whereby the building is taken off its foundations, put onto jacks and raised, before it is secured to new foundations. For this reason, houses that are not structurally sound, such as if the foundations are damaged by water, amongst others, will not fare well during the raising, and may present danger to the workers, and further damage to the structure. Before there is a commitment to raising a house it will be assessed for soundness.

Multi-story Houses

As you might imagine, due to the complex process of raising a house, multi-story houses are not able to be raised. This is due to the instability that would occur for the higher stories, during the process of raising the first level and how difficult it would be to stabilise them during the raising. Additionally, the weight of the house will determine how many jacks will need to be used to support the structure during the process, which would make it all the more challenging and costly.

Brick Houses

Most brick houses in Australia are built straight onto the concrete foundation, which does not allow for the building to be lifted easily away from its footings. Houses that have exterior brick or stucco wall coverings will complicate the lifting process as these exterior coverings will need to be removed before the house can be lifted.

Large Complex Design Houses

The shape of the house will determine how easily and if it is able to be raised, depending on how complex the raising process will be. The best houses for raising purposes are simple shapes, such as rectangles or squares that do not have too many extra additions. Houses that do have attached additions such as porches, verandas, garages or extended wings will prove to be much more time consuming and costly, as each of the additions will need to be raised separately. To speak with an experienced house raiser or for an assessment, talk to an expert from Black & White Houseraising and Restumping today.

BBQ australian way of life

Recreating the Queenslander Culture Through Your Home

Some may argue that the Australian way of life is under threat of being swallowed up in the rush of modern concerns, and that the culture is in need of a remembrance of what it truly means to be Australian. Just one glance at a good old Australian ‘Queenslander’ house can bring memories flooding back from when you were a youngster, playing under the shade of the house with matchbox cars and friends – from sunrise until sunset. For many, the Queenslander is the epitome of the Australian dream, encompassing all that is unique, wonderful and beautiful about the climate, social and cultural pastimes that are as Australian as that ANZAC fighting spirit.

Of all the many different cultures of the world, the stereotypical Australian way of life is unique to this great burnt land, with the classic style of building designed specifically for the purpose of making the most of the climate, social and cultural pastimes that Aussie’s thrive on. Typically, the design of Queenslander homes reflect the people who live in them, with verandas built for large groups of family and friends to make the most of enjoying the elements and changing seasons.

The Great Aussie Barbecue

One of the most Australian things to do is to gather a group of mates together on a sunny afternoon to enjoy the spacious breezy veranda and watch the sun go down. Usually somewhere downstairs there will be a barbecue and a few snags and possibly a XXXX beer. The extended families of cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents would join the family regularly in the old Queenslander to share in the laughter and connection that are the threads holding those families together. Recent changes in the ways of the world have begun to reignite this sense of family, with more families opting to step back to the old ways, embracing these types of buildings, and bringing back that Australian spirit of camaraderie and friendship amidst a sometimes chaotic modern world.

Weathering Storms Together

There are not many who would argue that there is anything better than watching from the safety and comfort of a wide veranda, as those great Aussie storms roll on in from the distance, with lightning and thunder bringing drenching rains that patter on the tin roof. The scent of fresh, cool water hitting the baked dirt and watching as it forms into muddy rivers that roll across the red lands is certainly best enjoyed from the deck of a Queenslander. If you dream to recreate this Aussie culture for yourself with installing a Queenslander on your property talk to Black & White Houseraising & Restumping regarding how we can help.

House Raising: Do We Need To Change Everything?

For many people, the idea that you could even lift a house up and move it somewhere else sounds like something from a science fiction movie, so it is understandable to wonder about what is involved. It is a great idea to ask as many questions as you need to, so that you are clear about what is happening and how it will change things for you.

At Black and White Houseraising and Restumping, we receive many questions about the process, as well as what actually happens during the raising or moving, so we welcome any questions that can make it clearer for you. This question is a particularly good one, and definitely worth taking a look at it.

The Choice is Yours

In short, the answer to whether you need to change everything is a big “no”. The decision is completely yours, as to how much is changed during the renovation of your home, and how much remains the same. During the actual raising of the house, everything is done very specifically, slowly and carefully, which means that nothing inside the house is damaged or even moved in the process. Everything inside the house will be exactly the same as it was, only the house itself will be placed either higher or moved somewhere completely different, depending on your plans for the house.

What Will Change?

Depending on what your plans are for the house and its surrounding areas, things may change a lot or not much at all. What will change is the complete underside of your house because there will be more space than you had before. This may mean that you create extra rooms for your house downstairs, which may call for a new internal staircase, but that is totally up to you, and this will usually happen after we have finished our work. Electrical and other wiring as well as water pipes will be relocated out of the way during the raising/moving of the house, but these are reconnected and adjustments made following the work being carried out.

The process of raising a house means that you will have a lot more space than you ever had before, which could completely transform your life. As you can imagine, it is a big undertaking and we encourage you to ask as many questions as you need to, as well as providing us with your plans for the house in order to give us as much information as possible.

Worst Case Scenarios For How Flooding Damages Your Home

If flood events were all fun and games, riding wheelie bins through the neighbourhood and taking your dinghy to the corner shop, life would be all roses. Unfortunately, damage to homes during flood events costs Australians more than 300 million dollars every year, which is a lot of milky bars by anyone’s guess. Nobody wants to experience a flood event, especially not when it involves one’s home and all of their worldly goods.

 

They say that being prepared for the worst is the best way to avoid it happening, so knowing what areas may be affected by flooding could assist you with planning to rebuild, or refurbishing a dwelling.

 

Weakening of Structural Elements

 

Since the foundations of your house have such an important job to do, this is the area that you least want to experience the effects of flood damage. Weakening of structural elements such as your house stumps and flooring are the most likely areas to be affected by flood water, which, if left for any length of time, can severely impair their strength and longevity. Usually wooden stumps will last around 10 years before needing to be replaced but exposure to moisture, especially of the magnitude of flood waters could require them to be replaced sooner.

Damage to Electrical Elements of the House

 

Another area that can be extremely dangerous is if there is damage to the electrical system of the house. Live wires can cause the house area to become a liability and sufficient inspection and precautions should be followed before re-entering the home after a flood or weather event that may have compromised the elements. If the electrical elements of your house are too close to the ground, the likelihood of experiencing this problem is greater than if your house is raised high enough to allow for all electrical wiring to be well above the level of possible flood waters. Speak to Black and White Houseraising and Restumping about the recommended positioning for electrical wiring if you are in doubt or if you are considering raising your home to prevent flood damage.

 

Contaminated Drinking Water

 

On any given day, wherever your house may be situated, there are a lot of different fluids in the vicinity from local businesses, as well as other houses and sewerage. In the event of heavy flooding, there is a high chance that some of these contaminants will sink into groundwater where they could be flushed anywhere, including into your drinking water supply.

real-estateOP

Inventive Ways to Make a Small Space More Liveable

Those who have lived in a small home quickly learn many different ways of using the space available to them by changing a few things about how they use the space. This requires looking outside of the box, which is easy if you allow your mind to wander into an expanded way of thinking, and opening it to the endless possibilities that are available to you.

If you have ever watched the popular sci-fi movie, “The Matrix”, you might remember the line from the Oracle that demonstrates to Neo how to bend the spoon, saying “there is no spoon”. When it comes to allowing the mind to be inventive, it is about not looking at the limitation, but instead, like when you are watching a movie, suspend disbelief for a moment and walk down the path of what is possible.

Change Your Doors

Swap swinging doors for a curtain or doors that slide into the door frame. Keeping with the above analogy, changing your doors is a bit like changing your perception about a particular space. They are the frame with which you look at a room, and as such you don’t want the frame to be impinging on your ability to create the room how you would like to see it. So by swapping the doors for something that does not take up any space in the room you will be able to increase the amount of space you have to set up the room how you would like it to be.

Reduce Furniture and Clutter

You know that feeling when you first look at an empty house and it looks so clean and clear, with no clutter and nothing interrupting that feeling of spaciousness. Often, as humans, we have certain social conditioning that we adhere to without even realising that we are doing it. We move into that spacious looking house and fill it up with our furniture and clutter, and pretty soon that spacious feeling is gone. So instead of filling up your space with furniture, choose a few multiple use pieces that you really want to have, and leave the rest of it in the shop. You don’t need it anyway.

Raise Your House

If you have moved into a house and things have changed in your life, such as a new family member, or you have somehow acquired more ‘stuff’ than you did before, you don’t always have to move to a different house. Black and White Houseraising and Restumping can show you how to create more space by raising your house and adding another level underneath, which will give you a whole lot more room to enjoy.

family reading a book

Dreaming of More Space for you and the Family?

Are you daydreaming of living with more space? Perhaps it’s a separate living area for the kids to go make noise, watch television and play computer games. Maybe its room for that pool table you have been dreaming of playing on when your mates come round. Perhaps you have the in-laws coming to stay and you want to give them their own space thus allowing you all to have some privacy when you want it.

The choices abound on how you can achieve any one of these dreams. The most obvious of course, is to move and find a bigger home. But, what if you love where you are and don’t want to move? There are many reasons to choose to stay where you are. Despite it being cramped, you love the house you are in or it’s close to friends, family, the city, shopping, the beach, work or the kid’s school.

Have you considered  reliable house raising and restumping? If you are living in a single story home that is currently on low or non-conforming height stumps this could be the solution you have been searching for.

Proper Planning Produces Perfect Results

It is essential you do your homework. Setting a limit on what you can afford is the very first thing to cross off the list. It is essential to keep the building rule of thumb in mind when considering this. Allow 10% for the unexpected. As with many building projects budgets can blow out very quickly.

Ensure you have checked with your local authority or a qualified building designer as to what regulatory requirements there may be. You will also need to have structural plans drawn up by an engineer outlining exactly what is required before you can start asking for quotes.

Sourcing a Contractor

Black & White House Raising, (www.bwhouseraising.com.au) is a family owned business that has been in operation for the last 12 years. They have carried out many house raises in the South East corner of Queensland covering an area from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane and surrounding suburbs and on to the Gold Coast.

As such they are in a terrific position to offer obligation free quotes and expert advice. They guarantee all work conducted and as a state of the art hydraulic jacking system is utilised, they can finish a raise in approximately two weeks.

living room

How to Double Your Living and Storage Space Without Moving

Anyone who has lived in Queensland for any length of time will, at some stage, have passed a house that is being prepared to be raised. This is one of the most economical ways for home owners to obtain more living and storage space  without going through the expense of selling up and moving to another property. They double their living space and, depending on the location of the land, they can also get million dollar city or ocean views.

While many people may have seen a house raising in operation, most will not know much about the actual process itself, and what it involves. Finding the answers to some of the most common questions is probably the best way to start.

What is the First Step in the Process?

Consulting a draftsman or architect to do structural drawings of the project is the first step and is important for a couple of reasons. Obviously, it is the first opportunity the home owners will have had to get their ideas down on paper and make decisions about what the completed dwelling will look like.

The structural drawings are also needed to get building approval from the Council for the project. The professional house raising company chosen to do the work will also need them to give an accurate quote for the cost.

Can the House be Occupied while it is being Raised?

Once the house is sitting on temporary supports it cannot be occupied as it is not stable enough. Most furniture can remain but breakable items in high cabinets, or anything unstable, should be removed and stored. Water beds and spas should be drained.

Is There an Average Time Line?

Most projects take around two weeks for the average house. For larger homes or if there is a large excavation required it can take up to four weeks. These are the time guides offered by Black and White House Raising based on more than 12 years’ experience in the industry.

What is a Typical Cost Estimate?

The cost varies with the size of the house but for a two bedroom house a realistic figure would be around $17,000. A three bedroom house of average size would be $18,000 to $26,000 and a bigger three bedroom would be from $22,000 to $30,000. This does not include the cost of the drawings, disconnection and reconnection of services or any concrete slab.

This is still much less expensive than the costs of selling a home and buying another one. There are no advertising and real estate agents fees so if you need more space and you don’t want to leave the area, having your house raised is a very attractive option.

a man doing thumbs up

Services Fit to Raise the House

Black & White House Raising & Restumping is a Brisbane based, family owned and operated business specialising in….. You guessed it—house raising and restumping .

It goes beyond that though. What they really believe they are doing is helping people just like you, do a bit of dream building and create the perfect home.

There is nothing more satisfying to them than helping people realise their dreams of having more space. Whether you are looking for extra room for the growing brood, installing a second bathroom or creating a nest egg by preparing an investment home to attract top tenants, they can help.

As members of the Master Builders Association (Member No.18825) and Building Services Australia (Licence No.893121) for the past 12 plus years, they have proved themselves to be a trustworthy company.

Food for Thought

So what is it you are hoping to achieve?

If you are considering house raising you have probably worked out that it is cheaper than demolishing and starting again. You have also probably worked out that you like where the house is situated in relation to schools, shops and work and don’t want to go through the stress of moving home. Alternatively, if this home is an investment, you have bought it because you can see the value, return, and potential it has to offer.

Develop a Plan

What is it you wish to achieve?

Once you have an idea in your head the next step is to talk with an architect or designer. They will need to know what your vision is, what budget you are planning and the timeframe you are hoping to achieve. If you do not know where to start to find a designer, Black and White House Raising and Restumping can recommend a reliable and reputable professional whom they have worked with many times. The bonus of choosing someone they know and trust means they understand each other. They are able to easily transmit the end design you are trying to achieve.

Once you have this step out of the way, the next and final step is to obtain Building Approval from your local council authority. As Black and White House Raising and Restumping have performed effective house raising from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast and everywhere in between they have worked with all local Councils and are familiar with each authority’s requirements.

So, if you want the best, visit https://www.bwhouseraising.com.au.

Renovating Through House Raising

Houses can get really distorted and crooked if there are stump problems. Stumps essentially form the foundation of the house, so if the stumps are rotting, the house will likely be misaligned or unlevelled. This is the primary reason why some homeowners decide to do a restumping job. Some homeowners, however, make house raising a part of their overall renovation to improve the whole look of the house.

Repairing Structure

Stump damage creates many problems to the house. First, there is the safety factor. If there is massive damage to the stumps of the house, the structural soundness of the building is in peril.

Stumps made from timber usually get damaged easily when they start to attract termites. Termites could be attacking the foundations of the house unnoticed, only showing signs when the damage is already huge.

If there is any sign of stump damage, the stumps should be repaired right away. In a worst case scenario, there is the possibility of the floors actually collapsing. In such a case, repairing the stumps is the first step you should be making if you are planning a renovation.

Lifting Up the House for Aesthetics

Stump damage can negatively affect the overall appearance of the house. Because the floors are unlevelled due to defective stumps, the walls may also not align. Also, the doors and windows may not close properly because of the crookedness of the house. To bring back the original quality of the house, restumping is important. A good restumping service will be able to formulate solutions for homes that are having problems with defective stumps.

How The Job is Done

In house raising and restumping, the service specialists use a hydraulic equipment to lift the house and repair the stumps. Stumps are replaced with a rot resistant material, and durable steel columns are applied to hold the raised house in place.

House lifts and holds are also done to bring the house to a higher elevation. This treatment is recommended for houses lying on flood prone areas. House lifting will help to avoid property damage and other problems caused by floods.

Make More Room

House raising is also a great way to gain extra space in the home. The ground floor can serve many uses. It can be used as parking space or a place for a garden shed.

House renovations can be done properly if all the structural portions of the house are considered, including the stumps of the house. House lifting is a great way of starting renovation if a house is suffering from stump defects or if it is lying on a flood-prone area. Find out more about house raising and restumping here.

Big Yard But No Space? House Sliding Could Be the Solution

While modern housing trends for small blocks of land or apartment living have started to make their mark on the Australian landscape, most dwellings still sit on large blocks with much of the space occupied by lawns and gardens. As demographic changes take place with each succeeding generation, and it becomes harder for young people to save a housing deposit, the necessity to better utilise this space has become more urgent.

Better Use of Existing Space Needed Now

All major Australian cities have become a victim of urban sprawl. Not all that long ago the only solution to the need for more housing was to push further away from urban centres by subdividing the cheaper land that was readily available. This created unemployment and social problems in many areas because affordable housing was too far away from vital infrastructure.

Recognising that this could not continue, local government agencies have relaxed the planning laws that applied to existing dwellings, to allow more than one dwelling to be built on these larger blocks of land. As a company that specialises in raising houses to create extra living space underneath, here at Black & White Houseraising and Restumping we also offer house sliding services  to our clients.

Time to Correct Early House Siting Mistakes

House sliding is a perfect solution to creating extra yard space. When many of these older homes were built, they were situated in the middle of the block, so that any attempt now to use wasted land for additional housing does not meet planning requirements. The only way to optimise this very valuable commodity is to slide the existing house to another location on the same block.

It sounds easy doesn’t it, but in practice it is actually quite difficult. House sliding should only be undertaken by experienced contractors  with all the relevant insurances and professional associations. We are members of the Master Builders Association and also hold a current BSA (Building Services Authority) licence.

We use our advanced hydraulic jack system to lift the existing house off its stumps and position it to the desired location on the property, hence the term “house sliding.” The house is held in position to allow the installation of structural steel columns, or if necessary, restumping. When everything is in place, we lower the house onto its new site, leaving the extra space our clients need.

Subdivide for Profit, Build a Second Dwelling or Install a Pool

Some of our clients move their houses to subdivide the back half of the block  and sell it as an investment opportunity. Others want a safe home for elderly loved ones, a teenage retreat for emerging adults juggling work and study or an independent living arrangement for a young couple just starting their lives together. A tennis court, a pool, space for large hobbies, the need varies with each project we undertake.

If any of these scenarios sound like something you need, contact us here at Black & White Houseraising and Restumping for a quote. We can help you turn your wasted space into a value proposition.