Know what things to consider before deciding on House Raising. Read these articles by Black & White restumping services in Brisbane, Sunshine and Gold Coasts.

What Is the Correct Equipment for Restumping?

There is a Russian proverb that says “If you don’t have time to do things right, you must have time to do it over”. When it comes to restumping a house there is no room for error, and often the margin for doing things over is very, very small, since the stability of the house depends upon getting it right the first time. It is for this reason that having the correct equipment for the job is as important as the professionalism and expertise of the person who will be doing the restumping. Because it is such an important part of the house, getting the right person to do the job is definitely worth researching to ensure that you don’t get any nasty surprises down the track.

Stumps and Pads

The choice of stumps will vary depending where in Australia you live. In Victoria, many houses are restumped with rot-resistant Victorian Redgum, which is slightly cheaper than concrete but will only last up to 20 years before it needs to be replaced. For many homes throughout Australia, concrete stumps are a popular choice, which are secured to both the floor frame and at ground level.

In Queensland, some houses also use Copper Chrome Arsenate treated pine, which is an effective stump for withstanding many of the factors that corrode the stumps. In some cases, pads are used as well but this is not always the case. Galvanised steel stumps are another popular option that is available for restumping or raising a house.

Ant Caps

Ant caps or stump caps are put in between the stump and the house to prevent termites from entering the flooring of the house above, if they do happen to get into the stumps. They are an extra defence against the wood chewing menaces that cause havoc for homes across Australia.

Anchor Bolts

In areas where the house is subject to high wind conditions, anchor bolts are usually attached to each corner of the house, around the perimeter at a distance of approximately every four metres and also under bracing walls.

Structural Beams

These are steel beams that are put in place when the area underneath the house is going to be used as a living space or as an undercover car park. They provide extra support between the beams of the house.

Jacks

An important part of the restumping process is the jacks that raise the house up and holds it there while the stumps are being replaced. Experienced, quality restumping companies such as Black and White Houseraising and Restumping use an advanced hydraulic jacking system to lift the house safely from its foundations. This reduces the possibility of human error as the house is held at the intended height.

For more information about the process, contact Black and White Houseraising and Restumping and we can come to you to assess what is needed and how to best achieve results that last.

How To Create A Flood-Free Property

While it would be lovely to imagine that we could choose not to live in a flood prone property, with the booming population and shortage of available land in the areas that we want to live, often this can be unavoidable. In the event that you may need to live somewhere where there has been previous flooding there are ways of reducing the impact of possible flood events and using some careful planning to create a flood-free property.

Risk Assessment

The first thing that you will need to do is have a risk assessment of actually how flood prone the property is, and what is the probable flood depth that may put the house at risk. Knowing what level the risk of flood may be can be helpful to determine how to best tackle making your house flood free. Should the possible flood risk to the house be more than 500mm, the best option might be not to plan for how to keep the water out when it does rise, but to use materials that will dry out quickly following the flood event.

Build High or Raise Your House

Another option for keeping your house safe from possible flood waters is to build it high above the predicted flood levels, on stilts made from treated hardwood or galvanised steel posts. If you have already purchased a property and have a house on it but have discovered that it is prone to flooding, in some cases, it can make sense to have the house raised. In terms of weighing up the possible cost of replacing flood damaged personal belongings, measured against the cost of raising your house, peace of mind is worth its weight in gold. Be sure to speak to a professional house company such as Black and White Houseraising and Restumping, for an assessment about what would work best for you.

Drainage and Planning

Adequate drainage and planning is needed for creating a flood-free property to live on. Using permaculture principles can be of great assistance during planning as you will be able to utilise the lay of the land to get the most out of your property. The use of different materials can have an impact on how well your property copes during a flood event, so be sure to seek professional advice before getting your property development underway.

The Need to Follow Lifting and Restumping Laws and Codes

Having your house raised or restumped is a big job, and one in which there are many variables where something could go wrong. It is for this reason that there are specific laws and ordinance codes that are in place, to ensure that all work is carried out properly. If the work is not done correctly or not according to local codes and laws, it could cause any number of problems for you down the track and you may lose your home. Worst case scenarios could mean that your house will need to be pulled down due to lack of compliance, or that it may fall down of its own accord, and cause injury to yourself or someone else.

Ensure the Work is Legal

If the house raising or restumping work is not completed according to the laws and local ordinance codes, then it is likely that it will not be legal. This means that the council can come along and ask you to pull your house down, and there is nothing that you can do about it. The checks and balances that are put in place for all industries, is done so for the protection of all parties concerned to ensure that work is carried out properly and to minimise any harm.

Professional Workmanship

Putting time and money into having your house raised and restumped means turning your whole world upside down for a period of time with a view to having newly refurbished premises to call home. Choosing a reputable business, such as Black and White Houseraising and Restumping, to carry out this work is paramount to getting the job done properly on all counts. We are a professional company with many years of experience. We will be able to advise you on everything that needs to be done, ensuring that you adhere to the appropriate codes and laws.

Protect Yourself Against Injury and Litigation

Choosing a company that knows what they are doing will save you on issues and problems both during the time when the work is being carried out and later when you are left with your house. Should you decide to opt for cutting corners to save time or money, would only leave yourself open to the possibility of something going wrong in the future. It may not be as simple as needing work to be redone, but could lead to injury and the possibility of litigation, which could cost you a lot more than it would have if you had it done properly in the first place.

Soil Erosion Effects And Prevention

Jimi Hendrix sang about castles made of sand falling into the sea eventually, but soil erosion does not only affect castles made out of sand. Soil erosion can occur anywhere, and for any number of reasons but the most common is water, which is ever flowing, continuing its way to the sea.

Three of the best ways to prevent erosion are to use land according to its capabilities, protect the surface soil with a cover of some sort, and manage water run-off to prevent it from eroding away at the soil. By doing the appropriate soil testing you will be able to determine a lot about the soil and surrounding conditions, giving you are clearer picture of how to prevent further erosion. It can also give you an indication about what is required with building, relocating or raising a house.

Capability of Land

The position of land, its slope and soil type are important factors, which determine what the land can be used for. Different soil types are best for different types of land use, as the various types of soils have different strengths. Land that is good for crops and grazing may not be the best choice for building a house. A house that has been built on soil that is not strong enough, could cause the house to crack, sag or even fall down.

Run-off and Surface Cover

A major cause of erosion is through the natural elements of wind and water. Surface cover is important to prevent rain from eroding bare soils and wind eroding the soil particles, which can cause erosion problems. Water run-off, if not appropriately deviated, can cause extreme erosion in some cases, which can massively deteriorate a land mass over time. Before building a house, the area needs to be thoroughly assessed by a soil expert to determine these factors of wind and water, and how to prevent them from causing soil erosion around the foundations.

House Foundations

Black and White Houseraising and Restumping assess all aspects of the land when planning and working on raising or restumping a house. Knowing the quality of the soil will determine what preparations are required for carrying out the work, as well as which materials will be the best to use for the foundation of the building. Proper assessment of the soil and land capability, leads to a ‘best case scenario’ with house raising and restumping, preventing erosion of the soil around the foundations of the house, and minimising the impact of the elements.

Things To Consider Before Choosing Professional Restumping

When tackling a home renovation project, the first thing you will want to consider is whether to restump the house. The foundation of the house is the most important part, as without a strong foundation, it would be a complete waste of time to do any other work to a house. The best thing you can do when renovating is to work from the bottom up, and deal with the most important part first, the foundation, and go from there. Here are some things to consider before choosing to engage the services of a professional restumper.

Is the House Worth Restumping?

One glaringly obvious question to ask is whether the house is worth going to the trouble of restumping. If the house itself has issues such as termite damage, dry rot throughout, or has been badly constructed to begin with, then restumping it will mean that you are throwing your money away. If the house itself is not in good order, it might be a better idea to take the whole house down and start afresh.

Restump or Raise?

If you have had the building inspected and deemed it worth saving, the next thing you might want to think about it is, how high? If you are planning on raising the house to restump it, you might want to go the extra mile and have it raised enough to build extra rooms underneath. This would often mean a bit more of a long-term financial investment but creating more space could really change the house significantly and increase its resale value.

Choice of Stumps

So once you have made your decision about what you want to do with the house, you will need to choose which materials you want to use for your restumping project. Most of the older stumps were timber, which need to be replaced anywhere from 15 years to 80 years, depending on other factors such as wood used, soil conditions and other external factors. Most new stumps are made of concrete with galvanised steel inside, which will last a lot longer than the average timber stumps.

Building Permits and Relevant Paperwork

Before you can go ahead and get the restumping underway you will also need to organise building permits and other relevant paperwork. If you are choosing the services of a professional such as Black and White Houseraising and Restumping, they will provide information to you about what is needed and the costs involved.

Things to Consider When Raising Your Home

Some houses just need to be raised. The house could be located in a flood-prone area and house raising is a viable solution to keep it safe during the storm season. House raising is also a good way to get more space in the house or to repair old and damaged stumps.

If your house needs to be raised from its current position, it would take you a significant amount of money before that task is done. It is therefore wise to plan well before you engage in the project. Here are just some of the things you have to consider when raising your house.

Type of Stumps

Old, damaged stumps need to be replaced to properly restore the house to its former glory. There are various types of stumps that you can use to replace the old timber stumps in your house. Timber stumps do not last that long, especially if they get damaged by water or termites.

When replacing stumps you should consider using the more long-lasting material. Steel columns are the recommended material to replace stumps, especially for raising houses, because of their durability and low maintenance.

Steel columns may be hot dipped galvanised to make them more resistant to corrosion. Galvanised steel columns would cost you much more, but it would be worth it because the columns would last longer and require very low maintenance.

You also have to consider the height of the steel column. It would be good to make good use of the extra space you are gaining on the ground floor when your house is raised. The height of the steel columns would depend on the use you are envisioning. Higher steel columns would need braces for support to make the columns sturdier.

Hiring the Right Contractor

Getting the right contractor is very important if you are raising your house to a higher level. Look for a reliable and well-experienced raising and restumping company to do the house raising job. The company must have advanced equipment, including hydraulic jacks to safely raise the house to the desired level.

While it is good to check the pricing, the quality of the work should be the prime consideration when hiring a contractor for the house raising. This job requires a lot of experience and expertise, and if something goes wrong, you could end up paying so much more, as you would have to hire a better company to rectify the mistakes. Make sure that your contractor has the necessary expertise in the field and will use the right materials and equipment for safe and proper house raising.

The Importance of Elevating your Home

Raising your home becomes inevitable when it is located in flood-prone areas . If your house has suffered damage before from massive flooding, raising your home will prevent further damage to it and save you from additional expenses. Even if your house is not constantly inundated by floodwaters during the rainy season, it is more sensible to elevate it.

What is Home Raising?

Lifting your home basically involves elevating the lowest floor of your home past the floor protection elevation (FPE), a level at which your house is considered safe from flood waters. A house that has been raised beyond FPE will be safe from floods or will only suffer minimal damage in case of stronger-than-usual floods.

The process of raising a house involves separating it from its foundations using hydraulic jacks. Temporary supports are placed under the house until a new or extended foundation is built underneath the house. The choice of new foundation can either be extended walls or independent piers, columns, pilings or posts.

Professionals like Black & White House Raising and Restumping are called to raise your home. The company offers its home lifting services at competitive prices. Black & White House Raising and Restumping uses an advanced hydraulic jacking system to raise your home safely and efficiently. For more information on house raising and restumping services, go to www.bwhouseraising.com.au.

Things To Do Before Home Lifting Begins

You have to seriously consider raising your home  if time and again rains and floods cause you to worry about your home and the valuables inside it. But before making an appointment with a professional domestic house raising company, there are a few things you need to do before the actual home lifting proceeds.

Familiarise yourself with local ordinances and codes so the process and act of lifting your home is done in a lawful way.

Decide on the level of elevation you want to implement for your house. This will determine whether your house will be protected from flood-based level, the 100-year flood, or the 500-year flood.

Perform a pre-study to know the kind of flooding your house is likely to experience. You will need to verify the following things: how deep the flooding is; the speed by which floodwaters could rise; the number of times floods could occur in any given year; the level at which floodwaters could rise and fall; how long the floodwaters will remain still before they fade; and how your house would fare with floating.

Look Before You Leap: Considerations For House Raising

Many residents in Brisbane are looking at having their homes raised for a variety of reasons. Recent floods over the last few years have caused a need to make sure their homes are above flood level in prone areas. Any future floods that may occur will no longer be a problem and selling a home that is raised in a flood area will be much easier.

Renovations and extensions are another motivation behind getting a house raised. This allows for enclosing and for extra rooms or family space to be added underneath the house or a larger covered outdoor area. The value of the home is then increased and larger or growing families have the space they need to spend time together or apart.

Before you go ahead with house raising, here are a few pieces of advice that could save you some heartache and money.

Go professional

DIY is a huge industry and in some cases this is totally fine. When it comes to house raising though it is strongly advised that you get a qualified professional to do the work for you. The search for the best team possible ends when you contact Black & White House Raising and Restumping.

Black & White House Raising and Restumping are fully insured and have over 12 years of experience in the industry, which will give you peace of mind that the project will run smoothly.

Check the plans

Extensions and add-ons need to have council approval. If you don’t enlist the services of a professional on this job then you could end up with a big mess and changes that are not allowed. Black and White House Raising and Restumping will work with you on your plans to ensure that they will be approved and you can go ahead without error.

Budget for costs

You will receive an outline of the costs. If you are unsure of anything you can discuss this with one of the friendly team. Once you are aware of what you can expect to pay it’s important to budget for this. Just as with any spending, a budget will ensure you have the funds to pay for what needs to be done without you stressing over finances.

Advice and service from a professional when it comes to house raising is the only option you should take. For more information on this service from Black & White House Raising and Restumping click here.