# Forum Home Renovation Structural Renovation  Raising a Queenslander

## alice19

Hi i have just came across this forum and find it great i am thinking of raising a queendslander home in North Brisbane  i will get it raised by the proffesionals and also get the slab done by the pros as well and i will  do all the rest myself has anyone done this recently in Brisbane also is there any good books mags etc out there that i could read up on in relation to raising a house cheers

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## nww1969

> Hi i have just came across this forum and find it great i am thinking of raising a queendslander home in North Brisbane  i will get it raised by the proffesionals and also get the slab done by the pros as well and i will  do all the rest myself has anyone done this recently in Brisbane also is there any good books mags etc out there that i could read up on in relation to raising a house cheers

  Can't help you but have recently looked at Drake home movers website and they
have some interesting pic's of raised Queenslanders which come up well.
Might give you some ideas for designs. I believe they are up your way. http://www.drakehomes.com.au/
They look impressive when they add the the fancy woodwork underneath.
 I'm sure there is an appropriate term for describing this woodwork.

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## GraemeCook

I helped a friend raise a Queenslander - about 40 squares including verandahs - in Toowong in the early eighties.   It was originally set at chest height with wooden stumps on about 8 - 10 feet spacing.    As he wanted clear space underneath all those stumps had to go.  He got in an engineer who did the calculations. 
*  Replaced wooden bearers with full length I-beam steel bearers.
*  Installed three "super bearers" (bigger I-beams) under the steel bearers.
*  We jacked up the house with stacks of railway sleepers under the super bearers and using a service station type hydraulic jack.
*  Jack up one corner by 160mm, insert two new sleepers, remove jack, go to next pile of sleepers, repeat.
*  It was so easy to do that midway we changed the plans and lifted it to give 10 feet rather than 8 ft clearance under the normal bearers.
*  Only nine steel posts were needed to hold entire house.
*  Concreters gave skating rink surface in a day. 
Sorry I cannot be more helpful. 
Cheers and good luck 
Graeme

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## Mr Tricky

Hi.  Currently going through that exact exercise myself in Brisbane.  Recently had the house raised and a slab laid and am currently framing. 
You are correct in that the insights and advice on this forum are supurb. 
A few of the things I've found are: 
You will need to obtain owner / builder certification;
Allow for a number of associated costs with fees for council and other things, (mine were over $1,300);
The number of approvals required are a logisitcal nightmare, (plans, raising, slab, pest, structural, framing, electrical, etc);
You will need to take into account height restrictions and slope of land and any other local council requirements;
Allow for electrical and gas disconnection / reconnection while lifting;
You generally can't be in the house while it is lifted and you will need to knock down and rebuild any steps to access points in the house;
The house will sway after it is lifted even with bracing.  Not much and you get used to it but a little un-nerving to begin with;
House raising was approx $18,000.  From memory it was $4,500 to lift, $280 per post and $120 per meter for steel.  When you ring around they'll explain it;
The slab was approx $16,000 and covered a 14m by 9m area.  1 corner of my house required meters of concrete and the amount of steel used was phenominal;
You will need to take into account termite protection prior to pouring the slab.  Talk to whoever lays your slab about this as some concretors do and some don't;
You'll need to take into account any under slab plumbing prior to pouring the slab and this requires a seperate approval process;
Prior to raising take into account how high you want your ceilings down stairs as the lifter will use this as their lowest point for steel work.  (This is important as if you work to standard sizes for sheeting then you can potentially save money by minimising off-cuts);
Your plans should have all timber sizes and structural guidelines so just follow those; 
I am sure that there are heaps and heaps of things that I've missed but these are my ramblings and I'm sure that the more qualified will chip in and correct me. 
Thanks

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## kombiman

There is a place that advertises as 'Up and Under' and they come, measure, draw it all up and give you plans, engineering etc in a box. 
I have no affils, never used them, dont know them, have just heard the ads.  They should be able to give connections to companies too if they are worth their fees.

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## Theremin

We've done this, and I did a post on it a while ago. See here:  http://www.renovateforum.com/showthread.php?p=126278

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