# Forum Home Renovation Structural Renovation  Jack and Pack, Adjustable Steal Stumps

## Vincent999

Gooday All,  I'm in Ferntree Gully, Victoria. Our 25 Year old BV house with concrete stumps is sagging in places. When I put up a string line on a line of stumps I can see that a few of them have sunk by 10 mm or more. Also where there is a large space between some stumps like 1750mm, some bearers have sagged by 10-15 mm and I have two walls that are sitting in the middle of sagged bearers with no stumps underneath. For this last problem, I want to think about the pros and cons of adjustable steal stumps to be put in as additional stumps to help fix the problems. Where can I buy these from in Victoria?, how much are they for 1 meter size? Looking for someone to help me with this job also (jack and pack and some new stumps) and have put a separate post in for this.

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## rrobor

I think you need some engineering advice before you start on this. I dont recon to know enough about this to be sure but I believe your issue is the drought we have had, and you have clay soil. If this is correct and you start jacking up your house then we get a wet summer, you could be in more strife. All you may need is some form of rehydration. I have a cracked foundation and the house moves. I have an aggi pipe 3 feet down that when we have a dry spell the wife can empty the washing machine into, about once a month. Just thought about your extra steel stumps. Bad idea. If I am correct and your soil is causing it, you would need to dig  to solid, You will never do that under a house. So you will end up with surface stumps that will go up and down like organ stops.

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## Vincent999

Yes, I need some expert advice and looking for some one that can help. To give some more info. There is room to dig the stumps in and floorboards can be removed where needed to assist with room to do this. The existing stumps are COPE1 stumps. One of them for example that I think has sunk by 10 mm when compared to the line of stumps next to it stands 400 mm above ground and I dug next to it 450 mm down before I hit the start of the concrete mix. The stumps look quite solid.  I have had this house for 3 years and there has been some movement and cracking, but the wonky floor is about as wonky as it was when I bought it. Part of the problem I think is bad design in that a few  walls don't have stumps under them and the bearer has sagged in the middle where the wall sits on it  This is why I think I need some extra stumps and though I can put in a few adjustable steal stumps in concrete and then adjust the hight up.  Need to re-tile the entrance / kitchen / laundry that are all connected.  The old tiles where on black plastic sheet topped with some sort of thick cement mix with wire mesh in it. This tiling job stood the test of time and movement.

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## zaff

Vincent, I think whoever built your place, built mine in Wantirna shortly before  :Doh:  I have similar issues with il-placed walls and large spans between bearers. 
I too was after an adjustable steel stump, much like a car axle stand (screw type). You can buy them for about $50 a pair from auto shops but it's a bit agricultural.  I needed some temporary props so I used some ¾ inc threaded rod and some 25mm RHS and welded a plate on each end, not much of a permanent fix though.<O :Tongue: </O :Tongue:

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## Vincent999

Now for an update: I’ve had two restumping companies come and have a look. The foundations are solid and the stumps seem to be in good order, but from my string lines, I can see that some stumps have sagged a bit which I'm told would have largely happened in the first 5 years of the house being built. The sagging problem is equally if not more due to green timber being used when house was built 25 years ago. One guy said 25 years ago, they would chop down the tree and build the house with it the next day. I was under the house the other night and I learned that we have under floor heating..... the old ducted heating pipes are leaking! I suggest you check your ducts if they are old. I did find one interstate company that can supply and deliver adjustable stumps to Victoria. I can list the prices if anyone wants to have an idea. Don't have that email with me today as its at work. I'll post more updates

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## zaff

So what do you plan to do with the sagging bearer? If the timber has been that shape for that long, it won't move that easily. Keep us posted.

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