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Archive for category: Restumping

Useful articles on Restumping from our archives at Black & White House Raising services in Brisbane, Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

house and family paper

Replacing House Stumps Requires Professional Expertise

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Most modern homes in Queensland, that is, homes built in the past 40 years or so, are now concrete slab constructions, which are a complete turn-around from the methods used since European settlement. In pioneer times, houses were built on timber stumps and it was not until mid-20th century that the timber stumps were replaced by concrete. As time passed the timber stumps aged, becoming rotten and defective and it is now a multi-million dollar business to have them replaced.

Trust Only Experienced and Competent Operators

The types of stumps that are used in Queensland are either CCA (copper chrome arsenate) treated pine or concrete. Connecting the new stumps to the bearer is a crucial part of the operation as any shortcuts by dubious operators will place the whole structure at risk. This is why selecting an experienced and trusted contractor is absolutely essential.

The Black and White House Raising company is a member of the Master Builders Association and holds a BSA licence, as well as being fully insured. With 12 years of experience in raising and restumping homes, they guarantee their work and operate in all suburbs in and around Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

Some Hints to Sort the Best from the Rest

They are happy to offer the following information to people looking for reliable and experienced contractors, as they know that their operation meets all of these criteria:

  • Obtain quotes in writing and specify the type of stumps to be used and their spacing.
  • Request that when the work is completed, the floor will be brought reasonably back to level that is, within 10mm.
  • The work must be performed to meet the relevant building standards and regulations.
  • The contractor obtains the necessary building permit or permits.
  • If floorboards need to be removed, to what state are they to be restored and whose responsibility is it to remove and replace floor coverings.
  • The start and finish dates of the project.
  • The full cost including GST.

Compare Quotes Carefully

When comparing quotes, make sure that the items in all the quotes are the same. A lower price may mean that some part of the operation has been left out, which could cause major problems later on. One way that unscrupulous operators save costs is by not supplying sufficient stumps. The homeowner is usually unaware until the floor becomes uneven or cracks appear in plaster walls.

The standard of professional restumping provided by Black & White House Raising can be verified by contacting some of their many satisfied clients. For genuine, reliable service at very competitive prices, give them a call.

couple in their new home

Choosing the Right Restumping Service for Your Home

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Restumping and house raising can be very beneficial to homeowners in many ways. It is a great solution for houses that constantly have to deal with rising waters during strong rain and storms. Restumping is also a viable solution for homes that are having structural problems due to termite infestation. Old houses with timber stumps are sure to need  quality restumping intervention or the building could be in danger due to structural instability.

While it can be easy to know if a house needs a restumping and house raising job, it is not as easy to find the right restumping service. With so many companies offering restumping and house raising services, there are a few points that can be considered to find the right company.

Assess Their Technology

Much of the success of a restumping and house raising work is dependent on the technology that is being used. Make sure that the company is equipped with the latest technologies  in jacking systems to safely lift the house.

Reputation

Naturally, the company that homeowners should hire must have good reputation. It would be good to do a background check on the companies offering restumping services in the area. Ask their former clients for some feedback to get an insight on the quality of work. It is advantageous if the company is a member of reputable groups such as the Master Builders Association. It would be advantageous if the restumping company has extensive experience working with homeowners and professional builders.

Expertise and Available Services

Every homeowner will need a specific type of restumping work, depending on the existing situation. The house may simply need a replacement of the stumps or it may have to be relevelled to correct the defects caused by stump damage. The house may desperately have to be raised to be safe from torrential rains  and flooding, or the homeowner may just want to move the house to another site, perhaps to make room for a subdivision of the lot. The homeowner should be selecting a service based on the work that needs to be done on the site.

Insurance

It is important that the company hired is fully covered by insurance. There are dangers involved in restumping and house raising work, so there is always that possibility of an unwanted accident happening. But if the company is fully insured, the homeowner does not have worry about accidents and liability.

couple buying a house

Buying a House? Choose a Reliable House-Raising/Restumping

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You’re thinking of buying a house, at a temptingly cheap price, but it needs a major renovation. Or maybe you’re starting a business of buying houses for restoration and reselling after you’ve improved them. Either way, you will need some assistance such as house raising or lifting, and restumping or re-blocking services that Black & White House Raising can provide.

Before you do any restoration to the house, it’s best to consult with your agent first. Ask details about the house regarding its age and what materials were used, amongst others. This way, you can have a better idea of the house’s condition, before shelling out more money.

House Raising Defined

Efficient house raising  is a service done by construction experts. It literally denotes lifting the entire house, but of course, these contractors specialise in foundation repairs, demolition and they provide solutions to address water damage.

The three most popular reasons for having a home lifted are:

  • Preventing water damage;
  • Fixing a foundation, especially those already destroyed by water causing rotten timber foundations; and
  • Building an additional floor.

What is Restumping or Reblocking?

Restumping or re-blocking means resetting or replacing stumps or foundations that have already rotted or settled due to soil movement. When portions of the house’s flooring don’t seem to be on the same level or emit a creaking sound when stepped upon, especially on wooden floors, typically this means that restumping is necessary .

The common signs that a house needs restumping are:

  • Continually cracking interior walls;
  • ‘Soft’ or uneven floors;
  • Exterior cracking on brickwork; and
  • Doors and windows not functioning properly.

When replacing stumps, it’s usually more advisable to use concrete or hot dip galvanised steel ones, but they can be a bit expensive, although the lifespan will be almost indefinite and require low maintenance. Timber stumps are 10% cheaper than concrete, but they can only last for at most 20 years.

Not all stumps have to be replaced since the percentage of rotting may differ, depending on the amount of water damage or exposure. But if almost all your stumps have to be replaced, then it may be time to consider house lifting/raising, especially if you’re short on garage or basement space.

House-Raising and Restumping Linked

House lifting or raising and restumping are linked to each other because they’re both necessary to improve your home investment. Restumping cannot be done properly without raising the house, and a house won’t be stable enough to live in without good stumping underneath it. Once you have this settled, and hire the services of contractors like Black & White House Raising, you won’t have trouble renovating the property and eventually reselling the investment you made.

house inspection

Integrity of Home Stumps Essential

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If you live in a house that is suspended above timber or concrete stumps it is essential to regularly inspect them to ensure the integrity of your home is not undermined.

Why House Stumps Get Damaged

There are many reasons a stump may be starting to show its age:

  • Older style concrete stumps may have had the internal steel exposed to the elements. A form of rusting erosion can cause the concrete to crumble away from its core strength.
  • A timber post may be infested with white ants. These little critters can be slowly working away at the inside of your post and you may not even know it until you start to notice a particular creak or warp in the floor that was not there before.

Another cause of stump rot could be that there is moisture under the house and surrounding your stumps. Moisture around your stumps can come from a variety of sources:

  • It may be that the plumbing is also ageing and starting to show signs of that age by leaking under the house.
  • A weakened, sagging stump could be putting pressure on a join or pipe and cause a crack. A leak can create a knock-on effect and damage neighbouring stumps.
  • It may also be that the storm water  coursing through the property the house is situated on is not being encouraged to flow away from the house and could be pooling underneath it instead.

Signs of Stump Damage

With over 12 year’s industry experience, Black & White House Raising, offer the most reliable house raising and restumping service. They suggest these tips to help you to determine if you need to call in the professionals.

Your house may need restumping if:

  1. You notice that your walls or ceilings are forming cracks that indicate the house is moving.
  2. The floor feels like you are walking on a ship.
  3. You feel like you are climbing a mountain or sliding down a slide when you walk across certain areas in the house.
  4. Doors and windows do not open or close as smoothly as they should or they get stuck and cannot be opened.
  5. You notice water under the house or you can smell a sewer smell that may indicate damaged plumbing due to house movement.
  6. You see evidence of white ants in timber posts.

Should you discover any of these, it is best to let the professionals at https://www.bwhouseraising.com.au examine your stumps to ascertain what repairs or replacements may be necessary.

Protecting Your Home Through Raising and Restumping

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Dramatic changes in the climate have caused many tragic events recently. Many lives have been lost due to strong storms that resulted in major flooding in some areas. The weather pattern in the coming years is expected to continue to be erroneous, away from the normal and predictable course, so people are considering getting ready for any unforeseen accidents. One of the ways people can prepare for the unexpected is by upgrading the design of their homes to make them able to withstand strong water surges and flooding.

House raising  and restumping can be done to areas that are prone to flooding. This gives the house ample space underneath for possible floods that may strike the area. Raising and restumping is an ingenious way of providing flood solution to houses that are already standing. For a mere two weeks, experts in concrete stumping can raise a house by using an advanced hydraulic jacking system to push the house up from its foundations. Structural engineers are hired to devise new structural plans for the raised house, and the contractor for the house raising and restumping  handles the rest.

Benefits of Concrete Stumps

There are many benefits of concrete stumps to the house being raised. The prime benefit is of course protection from flooding incidents, especially so if you are living in an area that has experienced flooding once or twice already in the recent years. Because of the unpredictability of the climate and weather, it is but safe and assuring to carry out a raising and restumping  of the house. Some houses sitting on old stumps would need replace their stumps to ensure stability to the structures. Otherwise, it could pose danger to the people residing in the place.

Concrete stumps can also effectively protect the house from termite infestation, which are expected to happen in structural foundations that have been subjected to flood waters. Providing new concrete stumps for the house would keep them away from termites and other pests feeding on the wooden portions of the house.

Added Benefits of a Raised House

A house that has been restumped will also have better air circulation and cooler breeze coming in as it would be situated higher up. The space underneath that will be gained after raising and restumping can be used for other purposes as well, particularly during dry seasons when no storms are seen to come. Providing stumps to the house would allow healthy exercise to residents of the house since they will then be climbing steps to access the house.

Finding the Right Restumping Contractor

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Restumping services may be called for if your house have rotting or damaged stumps that may become potentially dangerous. Defective stumps are usually found in older types of houses that utilised wooden stumps. Because timber stumps are meant to last for only a few decades, most of the old houses that used wood stumps will definitely need restumping. Defective stumps could cause floors to be uneven or cause cracks to appear on the flooring. Damaged stumps may also cause the windows or doors to get crooked. There are many benefits that can be obtained after a restumping job. Many of these benefits can be reaped if the right restumping service is chosen.

Results of Unqualified Service

Many problems could occur if an unqualified restumping service is picked to do the job. You must remember that this type of construction repair work is not that simple. If not done right, floors may be left unlevelled. Stumps may also cause cracking of the floor if the stumps are not securely fixed. This would result in unpleasant noise when stepping on the floor.

The Right Restumping Service

In finding the right restumping contractor, experience would play a major role the selection process. Contractors with a good deal of experience in the industry are more likely to provide high quality service. Your contractor of choice should also have the latest hydraulic jacking systems for the restumping job. The restumping required in your house may be for a restumping of the whole house. Using high tech hydraulic jacking systems would ensure that your house is raised safely for the restumping.

Be Careful of Cheap Service

You will need to be careful about the price quote of a restumping service. Cheaper service could mean low quality service and bad quality of stumps, so do not be taken in by low price for such a complicated job. You can do a background check on the potential restumping services you are eyeing. It would be good if they are a member of the Master Builders Association, which means that they are aware of the governing rules, regulations and standards set on construction. The contractor should also have full insurance coverage to ensure that any untoward incidents would be covered accordingly. You can check on the contractor’s past projects to see if they went well and if the end results were satisfactory.

Restumping projects are sometimes necessary to restore a house to its former glory. There are many restumping services in Brisbane , so the trick would be to find the best service for you restumping requirements.

Lifts and Holds from Black & White House Raising and Restumping

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If a house becomes skewed or unlevelled, there are most likely some problems with the foundations. The most probable culprit would be damaged stumps. In other cases, the house needs to be lifted and re-stumped so as to put it on a higher level. This solution is viable for houses that lie on a flood prone area.

Black and White Raising and Restumping has been specialising in restumping and house raising in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Backed by more than 12 years of experience in the restumping and house raising business, Black and White offers quality service that fits the budget of homeowners.

Quality Lifts and Holds

The quality of house raising, particularly, lifts and holds, depends much on the  expertise  and the technology being used. Black and White makes sure that the house is raised safely to the height that is desired. The company uses advanced hydraulic jacks to safely lift the building to the intended height.

Upon lifting, Black and White holds the house in place using structural steel columns and beams. To make sure that the house is held in position securely, Black and White uses only Duragal steel, which has been tested for optimum strength and stability.

The Price Advantage

People often ask, how much to raise a house, when deciding whether or not to pursue restumping and house raising. The project cost will depend a lot on the size of the house being lifted.

If you have a house that is small with two bedrooms, the price is in the range of $15,000 to $17.000. A regular 3-bedroom house can cost somewhere from $18,000 to $26,000, but if it is a bigger 3-bedroom home, it could cost from $22,000 to around $30,000. Price does not incorporate other related costs, which include costs of plans, services disconnection and new concrete slabs.

The lift and hold costs are still considered more advantageous as you get to enjoy the better condition of your raised home without having to spend much more for a new building. Lift and hold  is also a very good way of preserving the classic old style of a residential building, such as a Queenslander house.

Your Peace of Mind

At Black and White, we put a lot of importance on your peace of mind. That is why we employ only the best technology in our projects. Our team is also fully insured, so there is no need to worry about any untoward incidents that might happen during the house raising operation. As a member of the Master Builders Association, Black and White is dedicated to providing quality workmanship in the construction work we are handling. Black and White can be contacted online at https://bwhouseraising.com.au/.

Importance of Restumping Your House

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Australian homes that are built on timber stumps will have to eventually be restumped. Timber stumps, which are usually found on older homes, lead to serious problems over time. Wooden stumps can easily fall prey to termites, or they can rot with continued exposure to moisture.

Restumping  is so much like a facelift; it is a major makeover, except that restumping is not merely meant to enhance or repair the appearance of the house. Once the house starts showing its age with creaking floors or cracks on walls or on the floor, it is time for a restoration work through restumping. Here are some reasons for restumping your house.

Fixing Floor Damage

When there are damaged stumps in the house, the floors can become uneven. This can destroy the overall appearance of your home. You may have a beautifully designed and decorated home, but if the floor is not level, all the decorations go to waste.

You may also see some cracks on the floor when some portions are not fully supported; this is because some of the stumps have already deteriorated. There may also be squeaking sounds when one walks on the floor.

Damaged floors are not only visually unappealing; they can also be dangerous. With damaged stumps, you can never be sure about the stability of the floor. People could trip or fall onto cracks if the problem gets worse.

Fixing Doors and Windows

Uneven flooring due to damaged stumps can also lead to misaligned windows and doors. Doors and windows may not close or open easily because of the misalignment. When this starts to happen, it is a sure signal to you that your house needs restumping.

You must realise that fixing the doors and windows will not fix the problem. If left unattended, the problem could get bigger and the repairs could become enormous.

Flood-Prone Areas

If your house is lying in a flood-prone area, restumping is a good opportunity to get your house raised . Black & White House Raising & Restumping offers clients restumping services using advanced hydraulic jacks to lift the house.

As the house is lifted, the stumps are replaced with sturdier materials. Black & White installs new stumps, which may be formed as a base to elevate the structure, leaving an extra floor space below the house. This is very helpful for houses that frequently face problems whenever a big storm hits the area.

More information about efficient restumping and house raising can be found at https://bwhouseraising.com.au.

Re-levelling Floors

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A house can get into a lot of problems if the floor gets uneven. Aside from the aesthetic issue, a house with unlevelled flooring also faces danger from unstable structures. Unlevelled flooring is usually caused by damaged or defective stumps. Some parts of the floor might sink and floor tiles might misalign because of the unevenness of the floor. Unlevelled floors might also cause some problems with the doors or windows not fitting correctly because of the unlevelled flooring. A good way of solving uneven flooring due to defective stumps is through a restumping job  that will restore the floor to its original condition. This service can be obtained from a fully licensed house raising and restumping company.

Stumps Get Damaged Over Time

Unlevelled floors result from defective stumps. Old style stumps are typically the victim of termite infestation. After a few decades, old houses with wooden stumps rot or get damaged as they get exposed to the natural elements. Some portions of the flooring subside, resulting in the floors being uneven. This situation needs to be corrected because it will only get worse as termites and natural degradation eat up the wooden stumps.

Restumping Process and Stump Materials

Uneven flooring can be corrected with the help of a restumping company. To correct the problem, the house will be raised using hydraulic jacks. The amount of work that will be done will depend on the severity of the problem. If the problem is not too severe, it may only require replacement of one or two stumps. If the problem is severe or if other stumps need to be upgraded to avoid future problems, the entire house will need restumping. It requires replacement of the stumps with better stump materials. The restumping service may use wood treated with CCA (copper chrome arsenate) or concrete stumps, which will last longer than timber stumps. These materials are resistant to damaging insects, particularly termites, so they are expected to provide better support for the flooring.

Professionals Recommended

While some may suggest that the re-levelling can be done by the homeowner, it is still recommended that a professional and licensed builder be contracted for this type of work. A professional restumping service is sure to have the needed technical equipment to safely and properly raise the house for restumping. A licensed restumping business also has valuable experience to handle different problems with stump damage. It would be good to hire a professional service with proper insurance coverage so there is little worry in case some mishap happens during the restumping and re-levelling work.

Things to Consider When Raising Your Home

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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.