House raising
What raising a Queenslander really costs
Three real scenarios with real numbers, plus the five things that move the price. Nobody publishes this, which is exactly why people get caught out.
Three scenarios
Lift and restump only
House goes up, new steel columns and concrete footings go in, house comes down at the new height. Underneath stays open — a carport, storage and airflow. Common for flood height or as stage one of a longer plan.
Lift and build in — partial
Raised to legal habitable height, slab poured, and about two thirds built out: two bedrooms, a bathroom, laundry and a living space, with the rest left as garage and storage.
Lift and build in — full
The whole footprint built out downstairs, usually with a second bathroom, a large open living area and internal stairs connecting the two floors. Effectively doubles the house. For comparison: a lower floor built in under an existing house typically works out around $2,400–$3,200 per m², against $3,800–$5,000 for a new second storey. That gap is why Brisbane has been raising houses for a hundred years.
Five things that move the number
Character overlay
Most pre-Brisbane houses across Brisbane are in one. Raising becomes assessable development, which means a town planning application, stricter rules on what the underneath can look like, and two to four extra months.
Frame condition
The house has to hold together while it’s in the air. Termite-damaged bearers, previously butchered floor framing or a poorly built extension all need repairing before the lift, and that’s found at inspection.
Access
We need to get beams, jacks and a bobcat around the house. A tight side boundary, a retaining wall, or a mature protected tree in the wrong place all add cost — sometimes a lot.
Soil and rock
Reactive clay means deeper, wider footings. Sandstone close to the surface means rock excavation for every pier. The soil test at the start tells us which you’ve got, and we quote rock at a stated rate.
Services and stormwater
Sewer, water, power and stormwater all have to be disconnected and re-run. If your sewer line crosses where the new footings go, it gets relocated — and that needs its own approval.
Thinking about raising? Start with the inspection.
It’s free, it takes an hour, and it’s the only way to get a number that means anything.