What is Reblocking?
Also called restumping, re-blocking is the procedure of getting rid of the old wooden stumps that are found underneath the buildings or homes and then replacing them by use of more durable concrete stumps.
The following are some of the signs to look for:
Misalignments on the doors and windows may often cause them not to shut properly. This is also a sign that all is not well and that a re-stumping may be necessary.
Should the walls dip at an angle that is not vertically straight, this could also be a sign that all is not well. In response to this, a re-blocking exercise may be necessary.
With time, and understandably so, the stumps do get obsolete, weak, and unreliable. As such, re-stumping may be necessary to rejuvenate them from time to time.
Floors ideally ought to be flat and level. In case the floors develop uneven slopes, this could be indicative of a problem with the foundations. As such, a re-block may be necessary to fix the issue.
What Necessitates Restumping?
Several conditions do necessitate the re-blocking of foundations. Below are but a few of them:
When excess moisture accumulates beneath the foundations of buildings, the foundation does inevitably weaken. This calls for the strengthening of the said foundations.
In case the wooden components of the house’s foundation are infested with termites, this may call for the strengthening of the same.
If the foundations are made of wooden stumps that are fixed onto weak soils, their strength may often diminish with time. This may require the addition of extra soil to provide the needed strength.
Earth tremors, flooding, or quarrying may cause cracks in the foundations and walls of the buildings. Re-blocking may be necessary to fix these cracks and prop up the foundations.
What Does Reblocking Entail?
Re-blocking may be carried out by use of different strategies and approaches. The following are some of those:
This entails getting rid of the old wooden stumps and putting in place concrete stumps in their stead. This strategy is mainly used in brick veneer homes, solid bricks, and weatherboard homes.
Hydraulic jacks are usually used to maintain the suspense of the foundations above the ground during a re-blocking exercise. They provide the support that is needed to ensure a smooth transition from one kind of foundation to another.
Sometimes the stumps may often get overwhelmed as the result of an increase in the weight of the building and its occupants. In such a case, some additional stumps may often be added at the base of the building to provide extra support.
The floors may also be leveled to even out the surface and spread the weight of the occupants. This will reduce the stress that the foundations bear and in so doing help to restore their credibility.
On the whole, re-stumping is necessary to secure the building for the family and visitors alike. Given its overall importance and sensitivity, it is an undertaking that is better delegated to a competent building contractor.
Why Choose Us?
In Melbourne, the reputation of our professional services speaks for itself. We proudly hold memberships with the Registered Building Practitioner and the Housing Industry Association.
Families choose us because our services are thorough and we guide your through your foundation repairs from start to finish. We offer consultations before, during, and after the process.
With us, it’s not just an in and out service. We guide you through each step so that you know exactly what and why we are doing what we do.
Check out the other suburbs we service in East Melbourne.
Restumping Heathmont | Restumping Croydon | Restumping Kilsyth