Restumping a structure involves replacing older stumps on the subfloor with newer ones due to several reasons. The main reasons include settling of the house as a result of soil movement and wooden stumps that are rotting due to termite damage or excessive moisture.
Homeowners often rely on this process as a great opportunity for raising their homes. A key reason why most people raise their homes nowadays is to stay safe from floods. A raised house stands better chances of being saved from floods.
In other cases, raising a property is seen as an effective measure of buffering against damage or destruction in areas prone to floods. But when should a property require restumping?
There are quite a several signs that can tell you when it is time to restump. These signs include some cracks on interior walls, bowed or uneven floors, doors and windows that won't open or close properly, and cracks on the bricks.
It is good to note that some of these conditions might not be evident in a house and depends mainly on the soil conditions in which it is built.
This process may be done partially or by replacing all the existing stumps that a property is sitting on. In some cases, the stumps might appear as if they are in perfect condition, but they might have some defects that aren't easily visible during the initial inspection. Hence, some circumstances might require you to raise the house anew.
Your ideal contractor will generally check the current state of timber stumps and dig into the soil to inspect the stumps beneath by scratching them. Timber stumps that require replacement tend to give easily once scratched.
Another key sign that timber stumps require replacement is watermarks that have gone high along with the stumps. This is an indication that moisture from beneath has been seeping into the wooden stump.
Once the current condition of the wood stumps has been assessed, and the contractor has determined that the house should be raised, then the necessary permits will be obtained, and the property will be elevated gradually using a heavy-duty jack.
Your contractor will replace any damaged stumps, old stumps, and those that are marked as no longer fit to support the house.
The stumps that are still fit enough can be packed to assist in dealing with soil settling. When the moving process is taking place, everyone who is residing in the property undergoing restumping should shift to a temporary location for their own safety until the process has been completed successfully.
Raising and restumping a home is a huge investment. Although it assists in improving the structural integrity, safety, and value of a house, if done improperly, there can be serious consequences. Hence, it is crucial to choose a restumping contractor with vast knowledge in the field and many years of experience in restumping. Make sure to clean your house after restumping or hire a cleaning service,
Reasons For Sub-Floor Problems
Restumping at its most basic definition solves sub-floor problems, helping to maximize the value of your home or your business. It's the process of updating the current stumps, helping to hold up your foundation with concrete or steel stumps. It will be a necessity for any home or business throughout its life.
But what is a sub-floor problem?
There are many types of sub-floor problems that are common for homes and businesses. Three of the top most popular ones are sinking floors, creaking or popping and uneven floors.
First up sinking floors. If the floor is sinking, it was probably not installed properly, to begin with. The most common reason is an excess of water or moisture. The moisture will cause the joist to rot. When the joist rots, it makes the beams sag. Confirming that the floors are sinking is an exercise that you can do on your own. To determine, you'll need to take a look at the floor from underneath, most popularly from whatever basement space you have. If a trampoline effect is occurring where the floor (ceiling) is bowing in the middle, you're looking at one sinking floor.
Creaking and popping noises are a second sub-floor problem that you need to look out for. Both creaking and popping are noises that you frequently hear when visiting older homes or structures. You probably attribute them to ghost stories or horror movies. Well, this is a different kind of horror that we're talking about– the horror of ignoring these noises. Don't overlook these noises because they may mean that your sub-floor is not secured to the underlying joists. What is a joist? You may say. Here's your restumping fun word for the day. A joist is what supports foundations, walls or beams with ceilings and floors. It runs horizontally and can be made of concrete, steel, or wood. Typically a joist has the cross-section of a plank, while a beam is bigger than a joist. Joists are often supported by beams laid out in repetitive patterns. It may also mean that your plywood or OSB was the wrong thickness. The recommended width is ¾ inch.
And finally, uneven floors. Uneven floors are simply caused by a foundation or a structure that hasn't settled correctly. This may be due to the terrain, moisture, or other issues that Mother Nature has sent your way. These most notably include floods or earthquakes. They're no fun, to begin with, but uneven floors frequently go unnoticed for years after a natural disaster, especially if the difference is very minimal. No matter how minimal the difference, however, it's a sign that your foundation is slowly buckling and that it's time to do something about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
This involves a sub-floor of horizontal bearers (beams) that support joists (a smaller, closer spaced beam on which the flooring material rests). The bearers sit on stumps which are adjusted in length to all be level with each other.
Is it okay to buy a house that has been underpinned? Buying a property that has previously been underpinned shouldn't cause an issue with your mortgage, as long as a full structural survey reveals no further problems with the property's structure.
Underpinning will devalue a property but by how much will depend upon how severe the subsidence was and also how recently it occurred. As a general estimate underpinned property is worth around 20-25% less. Despite it being worth less, don't let the fact the property has been underpinned put you off.
Underpinning is a process used to repair, strengthen, or increase the depth of an existing foundation by lowering the footing to allow it to rest on more supportive soil.
Durable and weatherproof, recycled steel and tin are affordable options for mobile home skirting. Easy to install, metal skirting attaches easily to a wooden 2 x 4″ frame with weatherproof nails or screws.
House Restumping Material Options
When it comes to replacing damaged or old house stumps, there are different options that you can consider and not all will suit everyone. This can be based on where you live and the type of house you own.
The first decision, when faced with a house stump replacement project, is to choose the type of stumps that will be most suitable for your house. Typically the two options are timber stumps or concrete stumps.
Reblocking With Timber Stumps
One of the main benefits of timber stumps is that they can be the cheaper option. Treated timber can also be more effective in wet conditions when compared to the other alternative, which is concrete stumps.
When it comes to the disadvantages of timber stumps, it is that their life expectancy is really only about 20 years. This is due to the fact that they are natural materials that, like all-natural materials, break down over time.
Reblocking With Concrete Stumps
Option two when it comes to house stump replacement is concrete stumps. These are made with the use of steel as well, to provide extra support and often to provide the most secure connection to the house itself.
Generally speaking, concrete stumps will last indefinitely, and flat blocks will only deteriorate if there is a lot of dampness, which can corrode the metal parts, or if there is a lot of vibration in the ground.
Professional Restumping Advice
The contractor that you use should be able to advise you on which type of stump replacement will best suit your home. Other factors that can influence the decision might be how sloped the block is, the soil under it, access and the design of the home and more.
When deciding which stumps to use, the restumping contractor should look at your existing home, the stumps it has and be able to provide confidential feedback about the process, how long restumping will take and an agreed cost.
What To Remember
Remember, in time that all houses generally need to be restumped. This can be due to a wide variety of reasons. It is a serious job, so please only speak to qualified restumping companies that can provide the right advice and help protect what is most likely your biggest asset, your home.
In short, we only really build new concrete stumps as they are long-lasting and, in almost all cases in Melbourne, provide long-lasting support and stability. We do repair timber stumps for clients that have deteriorating timber stumps and don't want to change over to concrete when we are working with them.
If you have concerns about the house stumps underneath your home, contact us for an inspection and quote to repair or replace them.
.Importance And Benefits Of House Restumping
Are you starting to notice that the floors and windows in your house are no longer level? Homeowners face the same problem. In most cases, this is a revealing sign that your house needs Restumping Melbourne. This technique isn't very popular among most owners, but it's one that needs to be done in purchase to protect the reliability of the entire house. When left ignored, the foundations in your house might damage, resulting in serious architectural damage. You must act quickly to save more money in the long run.
First, it's important to get a clear understanding of what House Restumping Melbourne actually is. This technique is sometimes known as reblocking. It requires the removal of existing stumps in order to get substituted for new and more powerful ones. The involved area must be jacked up for the defective stumps to be removed. Consequently, the floor joists are once again lowered on top of the new stumps.
Benefits Of House Raising!
The advantages of house Raising are overflow prevention, giving the best possible chances of no loss of life or resources, cooler temperatures inside the house, better wind capturing being higher, and it is also said that strolling up and down stairways is not an only good exercise but great for a healthy heart.
By Restumping Melbourne, you take advantage of safe and even floor mats at the house and less risk of being swarmed by harmful termites when using concrete stumps. Another advantage of raising a house is being able to build a gran flat beneath later.
Get Residing Area Above Flood Level
- Raising the current dwelling above flood level gives them the security they need to live without fear of prolonged rain events. The advantages they experience are an increase in the value of their property as it is now considered flood-free and a reduction in insurance premiums for the same purpose.
- In most tropical nations, the homes are normally brought up on the stilts. However, in countries like Australia, where we often encounter rains with extricating and moving of soil, the homes are based on stumps. These stumps frame the establishment of the base of the house.
- Stumps can utilize different materials like wood, metal or tangible. Wooden or timber stumps are the most affordable solution, particularly for self-made up of wood. These stumps ought to be frequently inspected by skilled and professional House Restumping in Melbourne as they ensure the legitimate wellbeing of the house.
Create Extra Living And Storage Space
However, being flood-free is not the only purpose we see improved demand for the house increasing services. With teenagers now remaining in the family house well up, space is of a top-quality, and the fastest way to make more living space is to increase a low-set house. The lower level residence provides housing and space for storage without any loss of yard space. It could also provide the same purpose of looking after an elderly parent.
Factors You Should Remember When Picking Your Restumping Expert
If you have detected some squeaky sounds whenever you walk around, or if there are noticeable cracks on your walls, you may need to seek restumping service sooner than later. This procedure involves removing the existing stumps and installing new ones to secure your house. This task is very complex, and if an expert does not handle it, you could incur significant property losses and injuries. But once you choose to work with the best service provider in your area, you won't worry about your structure's stability even if your house faces constant rising water issues whenever it rains. But how can you find the right restumping specialist in your area? The following tips will come in handy.
Reputation
Service providers usually don't build their reputation in a day. So as you search for a professional restumping, be sure to consider their reputation. You can either talk to people you know, especially if they recently restumped their houses, or read online reviews and customer testimonials. If this isn't satisfactory, consider doing a background check on the different companies on your list. Once you meet with their representative, be sure to ask for a comprehensive list of references. You can contact the customers and confirm if they were satisfied with the service and if they can hire them again.
Technology
The technology in the construction sector keeps changing rapidly to offer property owners more value. As you select a restumping company, it is vital to ask about their technology. What techniques do they use, and do they have up-to-date equipment for the job? Are their workers trained regularly to keep up with the changes? The truth is that your project's success will be determined a lot by the technology your restumping uses. The more advanced their techniques and equipment are, the better.
Price
Another factor you cannot disregard as you search for a restumping specialist is the costs. So, once you confirm that a company is reputable and uses the latest technologies, ask for a quotation—three quotations from different companies will be better. The experts will ask you to visit the site to assess the job so you can get realistic cost estimates.
Once you get the quotations, be sure to make a comparison. You also have to consider other additional factors like reputation, qualifications, staff expertise, technology, service warranty and insurance. Opt for a company that offers value for your money.
