DESIGN AND PROVIDE US WITH DRAWINGS
After deciding to do a HOUSE RAISE, below is a guideline of steps you will need to take

• Start by consulting with local council and building authorities to identify, restrictions and permits you will require.

• If you are doing a House Riase through the Resilient Homes Fund, they have service navigators that can assist with all aspects of the House Rasing process, including facilitating funding for your house raise, currently $ 150,000, sourcing additional funding and streamlining dealing with the government. Refer to the report you received from the Resilient Homes fund with approved options.

• Speak to an experienced draftsman or an architect to obtain a quote to prepare drawings. This is the first step so drawings can then be passed onto a structural engineer. We can assist with contacts if required

• You will also require the services of a structural engineer who will prepare drawings known as structural drawings. (Ask your draftsman or architect if they can recommend an engineer to make the process easier).

• Before the draftsman can commence his drawings, he will require a soil report, and a land survey to be carried out by a land surveyor. Try to engage a surveyor that is also certified as a cadastral surveyor, as one will be required to certify and issue a certificate once the house has been raised to final height and location.

• You will also require the services of a building certifier. A building certifier assesses and approves building work, endorses drawings, ensures work complies with the Building Act. They can also assist with building applications, issue building approvals, inspect and certify building work, provide technical advice, help manage the building approval and inspection process and issue a building approval. A building certifier will stamp and endorse the final set of architect and structural drawings that we will refer to when carrying out the House Raise.

• Once you provide us with the final stamped construction drawings, we will then be in a position to provide an accurate quote on raising your house. As a registered builder, we will look after all aspects of raise, including electrical work, plumbing, additional building work if necessary, and the installation of staircases etc. We are a one stop shop !

Once you are advised by your designer that your architectural and engineering drawings have been finalized
Ensure
• site surveys are shown on working drawings, it shows the position of your house, heights, boundaries, and contours of your land etc.
• you or designers have engaged a registered land surveyor specifically a (cadastral surveyor) to carry out a location and height certification before we commence the house raise. This survey shows current position, height of house, location of boundaries and the final location of house after raise. You will require a location and height certificate, known as a FORM12 (Aspect Inspection Certificate) at the end of the house raise. Check with surveyor that did initial land survey, if they can provide this certificate, if not you will need another surveyor that is a licensed cadastral surveyor to provide this certificate.
• you have engaged the services of a Building Certifier. They will stamp the construction drawings and approve them, giving us consent to carry out house raise. We cannot commence works without receiving stamped drawings from the Certifier.
• we are supplied with a copy of construction drawings stamped by Certifier, and copy of soil report
• you obtain FORM 15 from engineer for drawings supplied
• you have obtained a start date from us
• Contact your electrical retailer and request disconnection of service. This process of requesting and getting electricity disconnected at your property can take up to 4 weeks
There are 2 types of disconnections for the removal of the electrical cable from your house
1. Contact your retailer and request “Drop and re-erect”. Home owner contacts retailer and requests a drop and re erect, this disconnection involves physical disconnection of service line for less than 40 business days, when no further electrical works to be carried out. Fee charged by retailer
“Drop and re-erect” request by electrician. Electrician contacts retailer and requests a drop and re-erect, electrician must submit an EWR when further electrical work must be carried out, such as relocating electrical meter box. Disconnection is for less than 40 business days. If works are going to take longer than 40 days, NMI (National Meter Number) number from meter will expire and it may be cheaper to apply for a service abolishment. (check with your retailer). Average cost by Energex for Drop and re-erect about $427.29 – $598.39 ex GST.
2. “Service Abolishment” request by Home Owner: If service is disconnected for more than 40 days, this disconnection Involves physical disconnection and removal of electrical supply cable and meter from house. The electrical meter must also be removed and a new one installed after house raise. This is required in instances where the meter box must be relocated due to access issues after house raise. Average cost about $ 456.49 plus 91.31 ex GST $ if expedited $639.31 plus $127.87 Extra charge if traffic control required, and if traffic control required disconnection cannot be expedited. Energex will determine if traffic control required. Home owner will need to apply for a new connection after meter box relocated. (check fees and charges with your retailer)
*Check with your retailer as all retailers charge different fees

• you have organized alternative / temporary accommodation during the House Raise process.

Yes, we have a network of professional consultants that are experienced and can assist in preparing and drawings and assist in all the regulatory steps you will need to undertake to obtain approval to raise your house. Our staff have knowledge, experience and can assist with lodging your application for government assistance.

Costs to raise a house vary according to several factors. As an example, some of them are,  the overall height of the lift, access to your site, the shape and layout of your current home, soil conditions, council restrictions and overlays, and what the ultimate goal that you are trying to achieve, just to name a few. We understand the process can be dauting and we are happy to provide an initial consultation and preliminary quote upon a site visit.