When people choose to do renovations on their home, they are usually looking for more space. One way this can be accomplished is by adding more room below or above the home.
Raising your house can provide the opportunity to add a completely new level underneath. If your house is adequate, you love the block of land you’re situated on, and you have the right kind of house to raise – this could be a great option for you.
While it can be an exciting time, making sure you are following proper procedures and ensuring all the work is done in the correct order is crucial to ensure no hiccups during the process. We often get asked if the house renovation should be done before raising the house – and our answer is no, here’s why.
UNEVEN HOUSE JACKING
A house is constructed of thousands of pieces of nails, screws, lumber, wire, metal, masonry, and numerous other building materials, which are all interlocked like a jigsaw puzzle. This means a house cannot be raised or lowered like a box, instead it must be raised in small portions.
RISK OF CRACKS
There is always movement when a home is raised, regardless of care or technique. In some cases, the movement will be noticeable and in other cases it will go unnoticed. When lifting your home, there is always the risk of cracks. For this reason, jacking up a home requires time and should be done slowly, as the floor can’t be pushed up quickly without causing cracks and stress to the structure. Raising your home will likely result in some cracking, and this is completely natural and normal as the house continues to settle.
WORKING ON RENOVATIONS AFTER RAISING YOUR HOME
Issues tend to arise when renovations have been completed upstairs prior to raising a home. New bathrooms and kitchens that have been added prior to the house being raised can cause concerns during the process. Cracking in plaster and tiling can occur, which can be a costly nuisance to repair. For this reason, it’s important to consider carrying out all renovations after raising your home.
If renovations have been completed on your home recently, you should always alert the team before we begin raising your home. This can change the way the process is carried out or what type of equipment may be used to complete the job. It’s also important to note that before doing any renovations or repairs, you should consider waiting several months to a year after raising your house, otherwise you may be doing the same repair many times over.
CONTACT MEIER HOUSE REMOVALS TODAY
Preparing to raise your home? The team at Meier House Removals has over 30 years of experience in the industry. Whether you’re planning to turn your home into a split level or require a house restumping – we’re here to help. Give us a call at 07 3849 1122 or use our online contact form and someone from the team will be happy to assist you further.