Post Restumping

[phyllis]

I have a brick veneer house which is in the process of being restumped. As it turns out a lot of the stumps (80%) were in good condition. The house had not dropped very much but felt it was better to change all stumps now rather than to do a patch job. Once restumping complete I have to bog and tile newly plastered walls throughout the house but have been told to wait until the house settles as the plaster joins, cornices and tiles will crack. Is this true?

How long does it take for the house to settle? Weeks, months?
Don't fully understand that if I am getting concrete stumps and the house floor levelled, why should I expect the house to drop as part of the settling.
How much damage would be caused to our walls if I go ahead and bog and tile walls straight after?

Hard to know who to turn to - appreciate any help:confused:

Thanks,
Phyllis

[leeton]

G'day Phylis, welcome to the forum, I had our place restumped a few years back, and they lifted half the house about 6 inches, so you can imagine the movement in all the timber thoughout the frame and roof, I don't know how long I waited before I started some of the major rennos' however a few of the cracks from the re-stumping did close up over time, my guess would be give it a couple of months but I may be wrong, there are plenty of knowledgable people on this forum, I am sure you will get some helpful advice.

[phyllis]

thanks leeton for advice.

does anyone else have anything to add ?

I spoke with the inspecting surveyour today and he avoided to give me any advice on the matter

appreciate any comments from anyone else who has had the same experience

[JackoH]

Sorry, can't help with your specific questions, but it's possible that the stumps that you are taking out are red gum and may be quite valuable to wood turners.

[ozwinner]

How long does it take for the house to settle? Weeks, months?

How longs a ball of string??
Things will settle, beleive me.
I did an extension on my house 6 years ago, it is only now that things have started to move.
The extension is heading south, I think it likes Tassie too much.
Only 10 mm, but 10mm is 10mm.

Al :eek:

[bigdazza]

The house shouldn't settle at all if the jobs been done right. If you are on a reactive foundation type (clay) then the house will continue to move around a bit with seasonal variations in the soil moisture content.

If you are on sand or rock then you have no probs unless you have a bodgy restumper.

I would say start work on your walls when you're ready.

[attie]

I'm a little bit confused here. So I gather they are replacing timber stumps?? with concrete, under a brick veneer home. Thruthfully, I've never seen a brick veneer home with timber stumps. Not a done thing in my neck of the woods, allways concrete first up, or steel. I agree that if the job is done properly you can start your work when you are ready but a bit of a gamble. What about the brick veneer? no signs of disruption around the soffits or openings or even the mortar joints?
I reckon this would be a mongrel job, almost as bad as restumping a pole home, possibly worse.

[attie]

Just thinking over dinner. Maybe they mean to let the house settle on to the stumps, not the stumps in to the ground. It could may well have been bent for awhile.

[phyllis]

attie, just to clarify, they have only restumped the internal floors, not the external walls which sit on brick with concrete footings.

[attie]

Sorry Phyllis, I was picturing an old house on wooden stumps that had been veneered as an extension [renovation]. Still wonder why they used wooden stumps at all, not to worry. Can't see why you shouldn't attack now but give it a few weeks if you have any doubts.

[attie]

attie, just to clarify, they have only restumped the internal floors, not the external walls which sit on brick with concrete footings.

That brought back memories of some years ago when I was called to inspect severe cracking of the brick veneer on the rear walls of four homes side by side. They had been built by a developer as spec homes. When we dug down to the footings, there were none, these clowns had laid the bricks straight on to the ground. I walked away from that job so I don't know how those poor people got on. One of the reasons I gave up building, I couldn't compete with those types of builders.