What Would You Suggest Next?

[Metal Head]

Hi,

As some of you will know, early last year we had our our house restumped for the second time within 10 months (by different trades people). However, my beloved wife is upset that different parts of the floor in the house have become uneven, as well as being concerned by the numerous cracks (that appeared before the winter) and have either got bigger or remained the same size. I thought that some may have closed over the winter but alas haven't. Well the rain (we needed here in Melbourne & the catchment areas) never came and look set for a even harsher summer.

Given that we have already spent $14,000 on 2 restumps in the recent paste and they haven't prevented the house to continue to move, what course of action(s) should I now take to sort this problem out?

Would having the soil tested be of any use?. Is there a professional body that cover's this sort of problem(s) in Melbourne - any recommendation(s)?

I would really appreciate any positive feedback before the house cracks to bits.

Btw, what are those electronic/electrical levellers known as that the restumpers use to level the floor with (they are not lasers)? I have just spent over a hour on google & Ebay trying to find one but to no avail .

Cheers
MH

[OBBob]

Hi There Metalhead ... sounds like a very annoying situation. There are companies that will do subsurface investigations ... we had one on an apartment block. They try to locate the source of teh movement, could be the dry weather or tree roots or drainage. Then they provide recommendations on how to help it. The apartments were brick and they determined where seep holes were requyired to water the foundations.

Unfortunately I can't remember the name of them ... but someone like Archicentre wopuld be able to help or make a recommendation.

Also, I have a document about soil types etc. and how to maintain your foundations ... I'll see if i can send it to you.

[thebuildingsurv]

The electronic leveller was probably just an electronic water level.

You could get a soil test, and it may specify the stumps need to go much deeper than they are at the moment. Not many people get a soil report for a restump as restumpers usually quote to go down to existing stump depth only. Have the cracks changed, have you measured and monitered them. Who was the reblocker ? You can complain to BACV which is part of consumer affairs that deal with building issues.

[Dirty Doogie]

MH

Where are these cracks? what is your house made of and what age is it? Did they run new bearers underneath the house?

Doog

[Metal Head]

The electronic leveller was probably just an electronic water level.

Nothing as cheap as a Zircon water level. The equipment used was a sophisicated device that was zerod at the base of the chimney and moved around the house giving reading of whether it was above or below thiat level. The second group who used this device were far more professional and a member of the M.B.A. They dug all the external holes a metre deep far greater than the previous company that only went down 450mm. I was going to take the original company to VCAT but it would be at least 6 months before there would be an hearing. Given we wanted the job done straight away we had the second company in pretty quickly.

You could get a soil test, and it may specify the stumps need to go much deeper than they are at the moment. Not many people get a soil report for a restump as restumpers usually quote to go down to existing stump depth only. Have the cracks changed, have you measured and monitered them. Who was the reblocker ? You can complain to BACV which is part of consumer affairs that deal with building issues.

Thanks Building serve for your advice as well as OBob - who's PM I just replied to. I will get in touch with archicentre over the next day or 2 to see what they suggest.

Cheers
MH

[Metal Head]

MH

Where are these cracks?

All over the house unfortunately

what is your house made of and what age is it?

It is a 3 bedroom weatherboard and was built in 1954 in the northern suburbs of Melbourne

Did they run new bearers underneath the house?

No - it was never suggested.

Doog

Thanks for your interest Doog

[Dirty Doogie]

Hi MH,

It is difficult if not impossible to determine the exact cuase without inspecting the house and I would recommend that you get someone to do this first up.

Something has gone dodgy - the first thing I would suspect is that the house was built on the King stud system like they used to build colonial timber houses. When they restumped they didnt put a post back where there was one originally. If you can get under the house look along the bearers and you might see a light patch on the underside of the bearer where a stump used to be.

Secondly I'd just check that the new stumps are vertical and / or havent moved in the ground.

The third thing is that your roof may have a structural sag which is pushing your walls outward. If cracks are appearing in your internal wall linings - running through solid surfaces - that will require immediatte attention.

All up you will need to get the house inspected.

[thebuildingsurv]

Would not bother getting archicentre out, you would probably learn more from the info on their website, they have some good brochures on cracking etc. areas in the north west like bundoora have high incedence of footing problems due the reactive clays. Do you have any large trees that could be sucking the soil dry? Have you written down the size differences of the cracks since you had it done? If you want to know if the stumps are not deep enough a soil test will confirm this. You could also drill some say 50mm holes to the base of the pad footing neer the stumps that seem to be moving and wet that area and see if it makes a diffference. Generally with restumps you will always get a bit of cracking during and after untill everything settles.

[Geebung]

My own house dropped 8 cm at the back...this was prior to restumping mind you. After restumping it started sagging again. When I started renovating I found that the pipes running across the back of the house were leaking...it was bizarre, when you walked across the ground it was like being on a water bed.


So, after the renovation and fixing the pipes I am happy that the house will not sink anymore. But, due to the drought conditions we have had cracking (mostly at the front in the lath and plaster walls) permeate the house. Unfortunately our house is on clay - like a lot of the inner areas of melbourne - and this issue will continue to be a problem in future. If you are on sand you wouldn't have as much trouble. My block slopes from front to back so it is obvious that the front of the house will be affected first as the moisture drains from the soil in drought.

If the stumps are not deep enough then you will obviously have issues with the foundation...our renovation used exactly the same stump depth as the rest of the house. I would get a geotechnical mob to come and do a test and advise (in Melbourne you could use Hardrock Geotechnical).

I had a mate whom lived in Malvern East / Ashburton area and straight after restumping his house it began sinking again...he tried everything, digging drainage channels etc. He eventually found out that the entire street (on the same side as his house) had similar problems...across the road they had none! It was something to do with the hydrological conditions in the subsurface....there was really nothing that could be done - he sold up and moved interstate.