RHP Home RAISE Number 1!

Raising homes, rebuilding confidence our ACB Consultants home raising journey in Forbes!

https://www.mcdonaldcontracting.com.au/

Floods don’t just damage houses they shake routines, memories, and a sense of safety. In the Central West, the 2022 flood event left a lasting mark on many families and homes. At ACB Consultants, we’ve been proud to support locals through the Resilient Homes Program (RHP), especially on projects involving home raising, which is one of the most effective ways to protect a home from future flood impacts.

This is a quick overview of how we approach home raising projects, based on recent work in Forbes and our collaboration with trusted contractors.

Why home raising matters

Home raising is exactly what it sounds like: lifting a house so the liveable floor sits above flood levels. It’s a big task, but it means that in future floods, water can pass underneath instead of through bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms.

Through the RHP, eligible homeowners in the Central West can access funding support to make projects like this possible but the pathway still requires good planning, the right trades, and strong coordination.

That’s where we come in.

Working with McDonalds Contracting again because quality matters

At ACB Consultants, we don’t recommend contractors lightly. We choose teams we trust because clients trust us.

After previously working with McDonalds Contracting on a relocation project in Alcheringa, Forbes, we were genuinely impressed by their professionalism, efficiency, and skill on site. So when a new home raising opportunity came up at 3 Cross Street, it felt logical to contact them again.

We arranged for:

• A paid inspection to allow a quote and scope the feasibility on the project,

• A site meeting with Matt McDonald,

• Collaboration between us, SGB Designs, and the homeowner,

• And an early walkthrough to confirm scope and required raising works.

That inspection gave the foundation we needed to move forward confidently.

Our ACB step by step approach to a home raising project

Home raising isn’t just a building job it’s a process. And it has to line up with grant requirements, engineering, Council approvals, and real world construction planning.

Here’s how we manage it:

1. Get the right people around the table early

We bring together the builder, designer, engineer, Council requirements, and homeowner at the start so the scope is clear and realistic.

2. Coordinate structural engineering properly

We worked with a structural engineer who has over 20 years of experience collaborating with the McDonalds team. This ensures:

• the raising method is practical,

• the design reflects how the contractor actually works,

• and the engineering integrates inspection advice from site.

3. Confirm the technical inputs

To avoid delays down the track, we coordinate the necessary investigations early:

• Geotech soil classification

• Flood height / finished floor level survey

  
  

  These reports get referenced in design and engineering so everything aligns with compliance.

4. Secure the approvals before locking in works

We lodge and progress the approvals required by Forbes Shire Council and the NSW Planning Portal, including:

• Development Application (DA)

• Construction Certificate (CC)

We don’t lock in construction dates or contracts until approvals are in place because that protects the client and keeps the RHP milestones moving cleanly.

5. Project-manage from start to finish

Once approvals are issued, we:

• coordinate milestone paperwork,

• keep communication open between the homeowner, builder, engineer, Council and RA,

• and manage sequencing so the project runs smoothly.

For this project, McDonalds Contracting were subcontracted specifically for the home raising component, while we remained the central coordination point.

What we value most on projects like these

The technical side matters but so does the human side.

We know how much pressure flood impacted homeowners are under. We also know the importance of paying trades on time and protecting working relationships in small communities like Forbes.

That’s why we’re diligent about:

• making sure everything is compliant before works begin,

• avoiding rework or duplication wherever possible,

• and keeping momentum so clients aren’t left waiting longer than they already have.

A final note of appreciation

To the teams involved in home raising work across the Central West  particularly McDonalds Contracting  we want to say thank you.

Projects like this only succeed when trades work together with professionalism and care. And when they do, the end result isn’t just a raised home it’s a safer future for the people inside it.

If you’re considering home raising under the RHP and want someone to manage the approvals, coordination, and compliance from day one, feel free to reach out to us at ACB Consultants.

We’re locals too and we’re here to help you rebuild smarter and safer.