House Lifters’ foundation repair solutions can include full replacement of foundation piles, ground stabilisation (e.g. underpinning) and relevelling. With a North Island head office in Auckland and South Island head office in Christchurch, House Lifters can undertake house repiling throughout New Zealand.
Specialist Repiling teams
Our experience in assisting with disaster recovery in New Zealand (including repairing homes, foundations and remediating land damaged by earthquakes in Canterbury, Christchurch and Wellington), led to House Lifters developing innovative, safe and cost-effective repiling and foundation solutions.
Local knowledge is very important, for example House Lifters’ experienced Auckland repiling team understands Auckland’s geological challenges. E.g. Volcanic subsidence, volcanic ash soils, heavy clay soils (clay soils can absorb water and swell, then shrink in dryer weather, which can lead to loose piles, and concrete slabs needing to be relevelled).
Repile with or without Lifting: We don’t have to lift the house to repile – we can access the piles internally, through the floors. Or House Lifters can perform a low or high lift with our unique mechanical jacking system. We then have much better access to dig out old piles, perform any ground stabilisation and strengthening required, then replace the piles and accurately re-level the house.
The silver lining of Repiling: If your house needs to be lifted for repiling, you could take the opportunity to do a basement conversion/add a storey underneath, reposition the house, and/or make improvements which would be difficult otherwise – e.g. install underfloor heating, insulation, upgrade plumbing, replace electrical wiring.
Screw Piling - Ground Screw Systems
House Lifters can also provide an alternative to traditional concrete or timber piles. Screw Piling is suitable for shallow foundations, TC1, TC2 and TC3 land. Safe, sustainable, cost-effective and faster to install, Screw Piling uses modular Ground Screw Systems which can be connected together without the need for digging, concrete filling or welding. Screw Piles provide immediate load bearing capacity, are removable and reusable. Learn more: Ground Screw Systems website
Signs that Re-piling may be needed
Uneven and/or ‘bouncy’ floors
A common sign in older houses, villas and bungalows.
Doors and windows don’t close properly/are out of alignment
Cracks in exterior plaster, bricks, concrete floors, foundations, chimney
Piles are loose/on a lean/missing
Some of the piles aren’t touching the house
Piles move easily when shaken without much force
Timber pile deterioration from rot, mould, borer
Also check underground; ideally dig 100mm into soil from pile base.
Thinking of Renovating? Particularly in older homes, BEFORE undertaking *renovations, building or extension work (this includes putting gardens or lawn in, near the house), get your piles and foundation checked – if they need to be repaired or replaced, this needs to be done before renovations start.
Repiling & Insurance Cover: For older homes, many insurance companies in New Zealand require the piles to be replaced as a condition of providing insurance cover.
WHY your Piles are sinking, loose or damaged
To avoid possible ongoing issues with your house piles, before repiling, House Lifters can help determine the cause of the problem and how it can be rectified. A common problem in New Zealand is houses built on lower bearing capacity surfaces - such as clay, uncompacted backfill, or deep topsoil; soft and/or very wet ground can subside, settle and slump (subsidence).
How much will House Repiling cost?
This will depend on a range of factors, for example the size of the foundations, extent of damage, ease of access to the section and piles, and the type of section e.g. flat/sloping/steep. Plus the type of soil, whether ground stabilisation (underpinning) is needed, and which type of pile is the best solution for your site and house.
