THE region's ongoing drought conditions are beginning to affect Tamworth's very foundations.
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A lack of water in the area is causing house foundations across the city to shift, causing structural damage to many properties.
Reported damage includes cracks appearing in walls, doors no longer aligning and floor tiles lifting out of place.
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Stroud Homes director Peter Verrier said houses built on black soil were more likely to be affected.
"Basically, this sort of damage is all to do with water under houses," Mr Verrier told the Leader.
"A lack of water allows more movement, which basically means your house can shift.
"I'd say if you're on black soil, you are more likely to experience that kind of movement because the red, sandy, rocky soil tends to be a bit more sturdy.
"In my opinion, if you are experiencing problems now, I would say it will get worse before it gets better.
"The only solution is water and rain, and that doesn't seem like it's going to happen for a while."
Mr Verrier said residents experiencing the problems should "get onto it early".
"Tamworth is pretty lucky to have a number of really high-quality builders around," he said.
"Those kinds of high-end builders tend to factor in variable conditions such as this and build accordingly.
"Your fly-by-night operations, who do things on the cheap, may cut corners with this kind of stuff and that's why some newer homes might be experiencing these kinds of issues.
"As for older houses, the conditions coupled with wear and tear could also be contributing to these kinds of problems."
The long-time Tamworth builder said home owners should explore any warranty possibilities if available.
"Depending on the level of damage, it can be quite costly to get fixed," he said.
"If you still are under warranty and experiencing these kinds of issues, I urge you to explore your options.
"If that's not an option, I would say it's pretty important to get in touch with a builder early to help rectify the issues.
"It can be expensive to fix depending on the problem - but the longer you leave it, the worse it can get."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
