Raising a house successfully is a significant construction project. Several situations call for house raising. If the foundation is in serious damage and needs assistance, if there is a risk of flooding, or if a homeowner is attempting to add a basement or more square footage to their home. The process includes risks due to the numerous variables involved.
Quite evidently, this is the work for qualified professionals, including engineers, licensed contractors, house raising coordinators, and city inspectors. Here is a basic and brief example of the steps involved in house raising, to give you some perspective on what will occur and how it will be done.
Initial Assessment & Feasibility
The entire process begins by conducting a professional inspection and analysis. The structural engineer, along with the geotechnical engineer, if necessary, will inspect the house, foundation, soil conditions, and utilities.
The feasibility study will determine if the lifting can be done and to what heights. Whether there are problems related to soil or access, and what kind of foundation should be suggested.
Design, Permits, and Approvals
Good planning and legal permissions are mandatory before a safe and acceptable home-raising project can begin. In the absence of appropriate design and permission, the project may end up being postponed, imprisoned, or it may even collapse on itself. Such a step is one of the crucial ones in this process, which includes,
- Structural outline from a licensed engineer.
- Foundation design and grading plan.
- Local building permits and any historic-district approvals.
- Utility company notifications/service disconnection schedules.
- Floodplain permits, if applicable.
Assemble your Professional Team
You will need a general licensed contractor, a house-lifting company, a structural engineer, a foundation contractor, a plumber/electrician/HVAC, and an inspector for vigilance. In appointing professionals, enquire,
- What is their experience in moving houses in the region?
- Do they have any previous pictures of your project?
- Are they bonded, licensed, and insured?
- Who will be the project manager for this project?
The job can generally be made easier with experienced service providers who coordinate all the workers.
Temporary Supports and Shoring
The professional crews install temporary support structures beneath the building. They push heavy steel beams underneath it, then stack blocks and hydraulic jacks on special frames. The house is lifted a few inches at a time in an attentive procedure. Therefore, ensure that it remains still and is not damaged.
The Lift
Lifting may take hours or days, depending on house size and desired height. Throughout, the engineer monitors the process and alignment.
- The house is jacked up evenly using synchronised hydraulic systems.
- Crews lift to the required height.
- Once lifted, the structure is placed on temporary cribbing while foundation work proceeds.
Foundation Replacement or Construction
With raising a house, the foundation crew will either repair the foundation or excavate and build a new one.
- New continuous concrete foundation for basements or full-height foundations.
- Concrete piers or piles are suitable for pier-and-beam houses or for poor soils.
- Push/piers or helical piles to underpin existing footings.
The work also includes footings, foundation walls, waterproofing, drainage, and backfill. Any new foundation shall comply with the engineer’s specifications and local code.
Lowering, Anchoring, and Reconnection
- Lower the house carefully onto the new foundation and secure the house.
- Install new steel plates, anchor bolts, and flood tie-downs as needed
- Restore or modify utilities: sewer, water, gas, electricity, HVAC
- Repair or create porches, stairs, and exterior finishes affected by elevation changes
Interior and Exterior Finishes
Usually, when a house is raised, the construction requires final trim work, patching drywall, transitions at flooring and trim locations, and some landscaping modifications. If a new basement or crawlspace were created, its mechanical systems would have been changed.
After all these steps, there will be finishing drywall, painting, and making some cosmetic adjustments where the paint has been disturbed.
Final Thoughts
Before entering into a contract, verify the engineer’s drawing and all necessary permits. You are responsible for the timeline and payment schedule, proof of, and a written warrant.
Raising a home is an elaborate process, but it can be done safely and effectively by professionals with experience. It will be transformative for your house raising to prevent flooding, correct a failing foundation, or create additional living space under an existing home.
