Steps Before You Can Raise Your House

To go ahead with a house raise or even get an exact quote there are a few steps that you need to complete beforehand.

Step 01. Plans & Engineering

The first step to getting your house raised is to get house plans and engineering. During this phase, you will work with a Building Designer to design the space you require under the house and any proposed changes that you’d like to make above. From the design plan, the engineering plan is then developed. The engineering plan provides structural support to your house. Raise My House recommends a Building Design company to carry out design and engineering, the company we have a close working relationship is Designer Planning. They will also assist you with the following equally important steps. Be prepared to pay up to $4,800 for soil testing, engineering and design plans as part of this phase

Step 02. Development Approval

This is only required in some instances. The design company will help you with this if need be and will provide the relevant town planning advice if it’s required for your project. If this step is required the cost could be up, but not limited to $3000. Our recommended designers will try to avoid this cost if possible.

Step 03. Building Approval

During this step, you can begin collecting accurate quotes for constructions. You’ll engage a private certifier to work with you and assess the application on behalf of the Council. Not all certifiers are the same it’s worth going with a recommended Certifier. Talk to Raise My House about who we recommend.

Step 04. Appoint A House Raiser

This is the last step before the physical work is carried out. Once you appoint a house raiser or a builder and sign a contract with them, they will pay the QBCC Home Warranty Insurance. This is insurance to the value of the work for defective building work and/or if the builder goes into liquidation. Once this insurance is paid the Certifier will release the plans for construction and you ultimately have your building approval. During this stage Raise My House can restump your home, re-connect your utilities and lay additional foundations and retaining walls if they are needed and we’ll build you a new set of stairs so you can access your re-modelled, raised home. Find out more about the physical house raising process here. 

Step 05. Find Alternate Accommodation

It’s a good idea to have suitable accommodation organised during the house raising and construction period. About the quickest that the project could be done in a safe manner to get you back in with all your services reconnected is 6 weeks.

For more information about house raising in Brisbane, contact the experts at Raise My House. We have experience working on flood-affected homes as well as industry insights into development application processes. Let us walk you through your planning, development, construction stages to get your home raised.