Butwith the Nixon Pro-Jax equipment they use™ ‘We’ve done a lot of work developing our today, homes can be raised in excess of 6.5 metres techniques, especially safety aspects. The system is with capacity to build two new levels underneath. designed so that you only need two people to raise ‘Our main interest now is specialising in high lifts, a house, but it is more effective with three or four,’ or house raising on difficult blocks or steep sites,’ he adds. Zak explains. The clever jack system they use sits ‘The supporting beams go in from side to side. outside the footprint of the building, leaving all the We use six pier jacks for an average house, four for space underneath free for the other trades to work a small one, and up to ten for a large structure. The in. All equipment required fits on a specialised trailer, jacks are positioned along the sides of the house as access can be challenging in the older areas. and support the lifting beams that span the full width ‘We raise a house to its new construction height, of the building. Where the building requires shifting install the support steel on new foundations, and or rotating we employ a roller system that operates transfer the building load onto the newly installed on a matrix of steel beams’. structure’ he says. These days the trailer spends a lot of time on the ‘We recently lifted a house 6.5 metres on the side of road, as Nixon’s expertise in house raising sees Castle Hill in Townsville. Access was very difficult, the them in high demand throughout Queensland. The support, steel and lifting equipment was crane lifted team is now so busy subcontracting with house ‘IN BRISBANE, IT’S into position. With clever engineering we were able to raising work, they leave the construction work to A NOVELTY TO SEE manage complex anchorage and bracing factors, and primary contractors. A HOUSE LIFTED of course it’s the height that added this complexity.’ A whole house lifted up on jacks is quite a 6.5 METRES’ Many lifts in Queensland are on hillsides, some dramaticsight, so the Nixon Pro-Jax jobs attract™ withother homes quite close. The Pro-Jax system™ a lot of attention. ‘In Brisbane, it’s a novelty to see sits outside the footprint of the building structure a house lifted 6.5 metres. We see people taking with 500kg universal support beams lifted by the photos, and sending text messages to come and jacking system so that the structure maintains have a look. House raising is not uncommon in integrity despite sloping terrain. Queensland, but it is still a sight to see.’ Forlifting a house two storeys, Nixon Pro-Jax will™ Raising up a timber house seems like a no brainer, raise the house one level and demolish the old support allowing a whole new storey to be built underneath structure. ‘This allows the contractor to construct the without taking away any of the garden area, and new ground level. We will then raise the building to full without compromising a heritage style house. But height and connect the two levels,’ Zac says. there is a lot to consider after the house is lifted. Zak explains, ‘The elements to consider when before raising a property are electrical and plumbing raising upgrades, compliant access, new stairs, balustrade rail, column and support steel and necessary bracing which are all minimum requirements for certification to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy.’ There’s plenty of work about – ‘They’ve been constructing buildings for more than 150 years in Queensland, so we have a lot of work to do!’ Zak says. Nixon Pro-Jax™and Nixon Build and Design www.nixonbuild.com.au the finished result NOVEMBER 2018 HOUSING 91 BUSINESS • BUSINESS PROFILE