House Lift is Complete

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The house lift was completed on Wednesday next week and we moved back in that night. The house sways a bit, is a bit weird, but it is supposed to be perfectly safe. Because of the design of the house we have to build it in completely before the swaying will stop. It’s making Tamara feel a bit sick when Caleb or I move around too much. She’s 37 weeks pregnant now, so that’s understandable.

Below are some photos of the house now that the raise and restump is complete. Northern House Raising, the same company that did the lifting, should start to pour the slab tomorrow (actually he will probably be starting in about six-hours) and he should be finished by the end of the week. Then we just need to find a builder to do the walls under the house, re-attach our old deck and put on some front stairs.

Front of the House after being lifted
Front of the House after Lifting – sans stairs

Back of House after being lifted
Back of the House after Lifting – scary stairs

Under the House after being lifted
Under the House after Lifting – lots of stumps

Previous Posts in the House Lifting Series:

Cyclone Wati Should Stay Off the Coast

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From the look of the forcast Cyclone Wati should continue to track down the coast and hopefully not make landfall at all. It could bring waves and some wind, but nothing compaired to what would happen if it hit land.

Here is what the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology is saying:

Severe Tropical Cyclone Wati should now begin a southward track which will be roughly parallel to the Queensland coast The combination of the cyclone and a large high in the Tasman Sea is expected to produce gales and large seas off the southern and Central Coasts.

Thank God eh?

Survived Cyclone Larry – Now Here Comes Cyclone Wati

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We and the house have survived Cyclone Larry, but now we are watching out for Cyclone Wati.

Cyclone Larry achieved category 5 just before hitting Innisfail, about 150km North of Townsville. From what we’ve heard on the radio today about one in three homes there have been destoyed and they are all without power. The reports also said that there have been no reported deaths, which is really good news.

You can read more about the cyclone here: news.com.au: Cyclone deals a massive blow

The builder came around this morning after the heaviest winds had died down and they have put some extra support to stop the house from swaying in the wind. The will hopefully be lowering the house down tomorrow and securing it to the new stumps.

They will need to get this done sooner than later as there is another cyclone coming in along the same path as Larry. This one is called Wati and here is what they are saying about that one:

The Queensland Bureau of Meteorology said Tropical Cyclone Wati was near Vanuatu and moving west, southwest at about 13 knots.

It is now about 2000km east of Townsville.

It is intensifying and moving in the same direction at Cyclone Larry, which is battering the state’s far north coast.

Source: news.com.au: Second Cyclone Follows Larry

From what we heard on the news this morning Wati is already up to a category 3 and we will know more about it’s path in 24 – 48 hours.

Thanks to everyone who put up comments on my previous post. I can only hope now that Watti changes direction or disipates.

Incoming Tropical Cyclone Larry

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I don’t think that “frustrations” would complete say what I am feeling. There is a category 4 cyclone about 15-hours away from hitting the coast 100km north of us. To give you an idea of the strength I think that is the same category that Katrina was that hit New Orleans. From what I have read the categorization of Cyclones and Hurricanes is the same, the only difference is that they spin on opposite directions. They actually suspect that it will change to category 5 right before land fall.

For us couldn’t happen at a worse time. The house is lifted and ready to be lowered down onto the stumps, but it is not yet bolted down. The house is basically just floating on three large I-beams that you can see in some of my previous articles. They were due to come and actually bolt the house down tomorrow, but the cyclone is meant to hit tomorrow morning at about 7:00 am.

About the only thing that I can do now is pray and hope that the builder has insurance…

Here is a part of the latest warning from the Bureau of Meteorology:

Very destructive winds may develop on the coast between Cairns and Bowen on Monday morning, with maximum wind gusts reaching 280 km/h near the centre of the cyclone.

Coastal residents between Cairns and Townsville are specifically warned of the dangerous storm tide as the cyclone crosses the coast. The sea is likely to steadily rise up to a level which will be significantly above the normal tide, with damaging waves, strong currents and flooding of low-lying areas extending some way inland. People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their property as much as possible, and be prepared to follow advice regarding evacuation of the area if advised to do so by the authorities.

Heavy rains are likely to develop near the coast between Cairns and Mackay Monday morning and this will lead to significant stream and river rises and flooding of low lying areas.

You can follow the progress on the cyclone on the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Weather Warning Page.