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View Full Version : Is a jack and pack worth it?



rbalse
17th August 2024, 10:03 PM
Twenty-two years ago, we bought our 1940 brick veneer house. Its floors were very uneven and a couple of years later we had it restumped. Most of the old timber stumps were rotten and the restumper said the ground under the house was very damp. We assumed that this was because we had been built of a water course. The house was made relatively level with new concrete stumps, but over time it became quite uneven again. It was only about three years ago, after a period without rain we discovered chlorinated water pouring through the fence from our up-hill neighbour. The couincil found that this had come from a house much further away where the owner was emptying his swimming pool into the storm water drain. The drain itself was found to be blocked in our neighbour's yard and with every heavy rain, storm water from several properties surfaced in the neighbour's yard and flowed into our property and under our house. The blockage was removed and we have since had no further water coming in, and the ground under the house is now quite dry. My question is: would a "jack and pack" now be worthwhile or is it likely to move again?

r3nov8or
18th August 2024, 03:02 AM
You could try suing the owner emptying chlorinated water into the storm water, as it should be into the sewer.

Regardless, if you're sure the issues have been stabilised/rectified, it's worth another go at leveling

ErrolFlynn
18th August 2024, 10:03 AM
A claim to the council might be worth a try too as their lack of maintenance in allowing the drain to be blocked is related to the problem.

mic-d
18th August 2024, 11:47 AM
I would just move on and try the jack and pack it is a relatively simple/cheap fix. If the ground now has a more consistent moisture content it’s likely to heave and slump less. If you haven’t already done so it’s a good idea to paint the concrete stumps. That will maintain a more consistent moisture content in the posts and stop them degrading by efflorescence which can cause spalling and rusting reo.

johnc
26th August 2024, 08:39 PM
Yes, Jack and pack, if the ground has dried it should have stabilised, reset the levels and hopefully everything will hold in the future