What You Should Learn About House Re-Stumping

House re-stumping involves replacing the wollongong stump grinding used in a property’s subfloor due to a variety of reasons including settling due to soil movement over time and rotting caused by excessive moisture or termite damage. Property owners often use the re-stumping process as an opportunity to also raise their house. One of the most common reasons for house raising in recent times is to avoid (or at least minimise) the likelihood that the property may be flood affected. In such cases, raising a house can be seen as a preventive measure to buffer against damage in flood prone areas.

But when exactly does a property need to be restumped?

There are several tell-tale signs you can look out for. This will include cracks on the interior walls, uneven or bowed floors, cracks on bricks and windows, and doors which do not close and open properly. Do note that such conditions may or may not be seen in a property and will depend greatly on the soil condition on which a home is built.

Re-stumping can be done either partially or all the stumps in the property can be replaced. In some instances, stumps which may seem to be in perfect condition may have defects that are not visible upon initial inspection. In such circumstances, the home may need to be raised anew. A reliable company specialising in re-stumping will typically check the condition of wooden stumps and will dig below the soil and inspect and scratch the wooden stumps. Wooden stumps that need to be replaced often give easily when scratched. Another sign that wooden stumps need to be replaced are high water marks which indicate that moisture has seeped into the stump.

After assessing the condition of the wooden stumps and determining whether the property owners require home raising, and obtaining the relevant permits, the house is raised gradually with the use of a jack. The contractor will then replace stumps that are no longer deemed fit for use for the house while those that are determined to be still fit for use are packed to help better deal with the settling of the soil. In such cases, the residents of the property may have to move elsewhere temporarily until all the associated works have been finished.

House raising can be considered a major investment towards a property. While it can definitely improve structural integrity and raise a property’s value, done improperly, it can also lead to serious consequences. And as such, it is important to find a contractor with extensive knowledge and experience in such an undertaking.