stuckinblighty

We've recently been looking at various properties and found many weatherboard houses or houses built on stumps.
I know this is a popular way to build down under but i'm really finding it difficult to get my head around how stable or robust these types of building methods are
The house i left in the UK was the usual solid brick built type and couldnt be further from what i have seen over here.

Any views/experiences/opinions ?

ta

Lee

ABCDiamond

In the 18 years I have lived in Australia, and the 6 houses I have owned, not one has been on Stumps or Weatherboard, so I can't answer from personal knowledge.

However, I am told that the houses on stumps are to stop the termites getting at the weatherboard/wooden built houses. They can't climb past the termite protection part of the stump.

With very few houses being built like that these days though, I would assume that most of those houses will eventually be demolished to make way for the newer builds, smaller houses on smaller blocks!

Stumped and Weatherboard houses are not my style, but there are actually people who like them

My last UK house was very similar in build to my current Australian one, both being timber framed with single brick outer covering, called "Brick Veneer" in Australia and "Timber Framed" in the UK.

kiwinow

On the other hand many of these houses have been there for a lot of years. We live in a weatherboard house in NZ, the foundations resting on a couple of bricks of Bluestone and it's now over a hundred years old and still fine. The worst thing about weatherboard is that you need to paint it at least every 4 years whereas new houses are built in permanent materials that need less maintenance. In Australia I guess it depends where you are looking but there are usually a mixture of older and newer homes available in most places and as someone else said the Queensland homes aren't built highset to avoid termites anymore unless that is the look they're going for.

Those who own those highset weatherboard homes often appreciate them in summer for the cool breezes they catch, but in winter it may be a different story.

wanderingwombat

Stumps and weatherboard was the method of construction before the cheaper brick veneer/slab on ground became popular (thanks to Commonwealth Bank). The cost &/or difficulty of external painting can turn some people off them. T

This type of construction must be strong otherwise they would fall down.

Stumps do not stop termites nor do the metal ant caps at the top of the stump. The ant caps make it easier to detect termite activity NOT stop them.

WW

Grayling

I live in a Queenslander...made of hardwood on stumps.

we have replaced some of the wooden stumps with steel and some have been replaced by concrete.

The house was built in the 1930's and is still going strong and is a lot more solidly built than some of the brick/veneer houses I have seen.

Most of the houses in this area are of this style.

G

carlap

We live in Melbourne and the place is blighted by the march of the units ! This is where a sizeable plot is bought (or a couple next to each other) and a number of houses are built. We are on a block of 6 houses next to some lovely older plots.

I really like the modern houses in general, but we are in a rental and the build quality is terrible. There are large cracks where it seems the brick veneer is falling away. The landlord is having insurance claims and disputes with the builder. We are not happy as it seems the owner moved out and we will have to put up with the building work (not if we can help it!)

Talking to the neighbours most have some kind of fault or claim (going for 4 years or more)

So I would say if you buy new, don't assume its much better built than the older style, try to find out who built it and if they have a good track record. So much of this type of build is/was going on, there has been a skills shortage and I guess the devlopers take anyone on to turn the projects around quickly.

mulben

Houses built on stumps (brick veneer and weather board ) were the safer option
on shifting clay soils as it is relatively easy to level the joists if there is movement. If the area has a known soil problem the warranty / insurance will
often have an exclusion against repairs for cracking of walls.

Slab flooring is only cheaper when built on sand and works out double the price
of yellow tongue (compressed floor board) when the cost of reinforcing and
waterproofing is included ( on clay soils.)

Even with floating slabs - cement encasing styrofoam - they will not give a
warranty.You end up relying on the builders good will to do any repairs.

Most local councils will be able to tell you where the problem soils are -so you
should be able to stay clear of buying an ongoing problem.

The Bloke

Not true. Most paint manufacturers now give guarantees that coverage can last up to 10 years against flaking, peeling or blistering, eg Wattyl Solarguard, Dulux Weathershield, etc.

mr mover

We have a kit home built on stumps been here 20 yrs , never had a problem, the air flow under the house ,cools it in summer, if you want under floor heating its easy to install , light weight fibre cement sheets ,once painted require very little maintenance.
We live on 2.5 acres , and i allow red soldier ant colonys to exist on my property , hence no Termites [white ants].........mm

jensteve

Hi
We are building a weatherboard house at the mo, it did come as a stumped option but we went for a concrete pad. The supplier of the kit said the stumped ones are becoming harder to build as the energy effeciency is much lower than a concrete base. Seems as we are becoming more energy effecient these stumped houses are having a few issues, we added so much glass we also had to have solar glass which is similar to k glass i suppose.
We are nearing the end of our build though so moving in soon.
Jenny

jensteve

ooh an addition, ours is cedar so we are having to do 2 different layers of intergrain. Everybody we spoke to said don't bother with decking oil or we would be doing it every 6 months, the intergrain should last a year or two! So if you get 4 years out of anything well done.
Jenny

Grayling

Not sure what you mean

I have just had our house painted.

It was last painted well over 20 years ago (or longer).....it still had lead based paint on it.

The wood is still perfect.....it is now 80 years old.

G

BadgeIsBack

Likewise, I don't have an issue with weatherboard style homes. Inspection is the key with termites - and the ability to inspect - everything else just deters them or slows them down.

Geelong Gent

If the paint work was poorly prepared I can understand the 4 years. Even the best paint will come away sooner rather than later if it has nothing to stick too.