04/07/2025
Raising Your House
If you are interested in raising your house after the May 2025 floods, here are the steps that we think you should take:
1. Contact a builder for initial discussions. There are many great local builders who could do this job but not every builder, so you have to do your research.
2. The builder will need to have their own steel beams and raising equipment or work in conjunction with a house removal firm.
3. Request a Flood Planning Certificate from MidCoast Council (MCC). This gives the height and velocity of floodwater in the year 2100 and the new floor level required.
4. Get a local building designer to draw up your plans. Here you have an option to plan for additions and alterations but of course this will add to the overall cost.
5. Note that any lightly built additions such as a laundry, verandah, awning, etc probably won’t be cost effective to raise and may be demolished beforehand.
6. Once the draft plans are ready, arrange a meeting with the Duty Planner at MCC to discuss the project and seek their advice.
7. Ask your building designer or a Private Planner to submit the DA through the online portal on your behalf. It is a complicated process, but you can do it yourself.
8. Ask your selected builders to give a ballpark quote based on the DA drawings.
9. Arrange for a geo-tech report on your site for footing design.
10. Get a fee proposal from a structural engineer and then arrange for the engineering to be completed in conjunction with your builder while waiting for the DA from Council.
11. Wait for the approval and check the list of conditions when approved.
12. Once DA approved, select your builder and certifier, if not done already, and submit application for the Construction Certificate (CC).
13. Get started.
Matrix Thornton have worked with many builders to successfully raise their client’s house. If you would like to work with us, contact us at [email protected]
