Chances are, either you or someone you know is the process of renovating right now. That’s because, according to a recent realestate.com survey, renovating might just be Australia’s favourite hobby.

The survey showed a whopping thirty per cent of Australian homeowners renovate their houses every four and a half years! Australian Bureau of Statistics also to suggest building approvals for home renovations total around five hundred million dollars every month!

And while the conventional way Australians extend their home is to build up or out, did you know there’s another option – building under your existing home? It’s called a ‘house lift, build under’ extension, and it’s a brilliant alternative if you don’t want to increase your square footage.

What is a house lift and build under renovation?

House raising is an old post-war Queenslander trick that perfectly preserves the character of a heritage home while giving you the extra space you need. These timber houses are often already on stilts with basic rooms on the ground level. This makes them ideal for this kind of extension.

Going up and under is a great idea if you have a tiny block that won’t allow you to extend out, you love your current positioning but don’t have the space to realise your dream home or if your local council has rules on how much you can alter your heritage home.

Sometimes an existing home’s structure might make it unsuitable for building a second storey. Or you might want to relocate a house to a new block and repurpose it as a top storey on a brand new ground-level base.

But, by building beneath your house, you can keep your original footprint, meet heritage restrictions and double your amenities – not to mention your views!

When you decide to house lift and build under, you’ll first need a builder experienced in this type of renovation who can expertly jack up your house to make room beneath for a whole new wing at ground level. They’ll also help you remodel your existing timber home to better suit your current lifestyle.

Things to consider:

If you think this sounds like an excellent idea for your property, there are a few things you should take into consideration, in consultation with your builder or architect:

  • Will you need to reconfigure the layout of your existing home to relocate the kitchen, laundry and living areas to the new ground floor level? Or do you intend to leave it as is and add the extra rooms (bedrooms? Bathrooms? Family room?) to the lower level?
  • Do you want to replicate the materials in your existing home for a seamless or use bricks or block walls for your lower storey to create a juxtaposition of styles?
  • Renovating’s golden rule is to make sure you don’t overcapitalise. House raising is a costly project, so you will need to ensure it will add real value to your property before you begin (unless you plan to stay at your address for a long time to recoup your investment).

 

Find out whether house raising is the right solution for your dream home. Get in touch with us today.