Lifted House - Raising Your Home

Sometimes, you might hear about a house being picked up and moved, or perhaps just raised a bit higher off the ground. It's a real thing, you know, and it happens for a few different reasons. Whether it's the whole building or just a part of it, even if it's sitting on a flat concrete base, giving a house a lift is something that can be done.

People often think about raising a house when they've had some trouble with water, like after a flood, or when they're looking to make their home bigger. You see, if you want a new finished living area under your house, like a basement, and you don't already have one, then the house needs to go up so that workers can dig out and put in the new base structures. This is, in a way, a big project for sure.

The process of getting a house off the ground involves some specialized tools and a careful approach. It's not just a matter of pushing a button; rather, it takes a lot of planning and precise actions. You'll hear about things like strong metal beams and special lifting machines, and how temporary wooden supports are built piece by piece as the house goes higher. It's actually quite a sight to see a house slowly rise.

Table of Contents

What is a lifted house?

A lifted house, or house raising as some call it, is when a building is separated from its base. This can mean the whole structure or just a part of it. It's a way to get the building higher off the ground. People also use terms like house jacking or building jacking for this kind of work. It is, in some respects, a very specific type of construction activity. Even a house built on a solid concrete base can be lifted, which might surprise some people.

The idea is to get the house up so that changes can happen underneath it. This could be for a new base, or to put the house on something else. The external look of a lifted house does not have to change much, unless the owner wants it to. The parts that hold the house up can be made to look a certain way. So, the house can keep its familiar outside appearance even after it has been lifted.

How do people lift a lifted house?

The way people usually get a house up, and often the way that costs the least money, is by putting strong support bars, known as lifting beams, under the building. These beams are placed in a certain spot, usually around the outside edges of the house. Once these are in place, the work of raising the building can begin. It's a process that calls for a lot of precision, you know.

As the house starts to go up, which happens little by little, special lifting machines are used. As it rises, people build temporary wooden stacks, called cribs, right under the building. These stacks are there to keep things steady and safe. You lift the house just a little bit, then you add more wood to the cribs, making them taller. Then, you lift the house some more, and you keep adding to the cribs. It's a step-by-step thing, very much a careful dance between lifting and building support.

The house goes up very slowly, maybe just a small fraction of an inch at a time, to keep the walls and floors from getting hurt. Once the house reaches the height it needs to be, temporary supports and strong metal bars are put in place to hold it there. The equipment used for this kind of work typically includes powerful hydraulic jacks and long, strong steel beams. This is, basically, how the initial lift happens.

What does a lifted house project involve?

Before any lifting starts, it's very important to have all the necessary official permissions. Once those papers are in order, the work of getting the house up can begin. This means using special machines that can push up the whole house, or a way of lifting that does a similar job. It's not something you just decide to do on a whim, you know; there's a lot of preparation involved.

Another very important part of this whole job is that the lifting happens at the same time on all sides. This is called synchronized lifting. It means all the lifting machines work together, raising the house evenly so that it doesn't get twisted or damaged. This is a crucial step to keep the building safe and sound during the entire process. Without this kind of careful work, there could be trouble, you know.

Sometimes, after the house is lifted, there's a need to dig a big hole underneath it. This digging work, called excavation, makes a space big enough for the house once it's up high. The money this digging costs changes depending on how big the house is, what the ground is like, and the lay of the land. This part of the project can be a big expense, usually somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000. It's a pretty big part of the overall cost, actually.

Why might you need a lifted house?

One common reason people think about raising their house is to create more living room. With more people wanting extra space in their homes, building a finished area below the ground, like a basement, is a good choice. For houses that don't already have a basement, this means the house must be lifted up so that workers can dig out the ground and put in the new base walls. This is, in a way, a major home improvement.

Another reason for getting a house lifted is if it has already had problems with water, like from a flood. Raising the house can help keep it safe from future water damage. So, if your home has been in the path of rising water, getting it higher off the ground can be a very good idea for its long-term health. We can help with house lifts for buildings that have already had water issues, you know.

How much money does a lifted house cost?

The money it takes to get a house higher off the ground can change a lot. Just to get the building lifted up, without doing anything else to the base, it can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $40,000. This is just for the act of raising the structure itself. It's a pretty wide range, so it's good to get specific information for your situation, you know.

If you want to lift your house and also put in a new base, the money needed goes up quite a bit. This kind of work can cost from $20,000 to $100,000. This price includes both getting the house up and putting a new base under it. The money you pay for this kind of work mostly depends on what the current situation is with the house's base. It's a very big job, so the costs reflect that.

For those looking to raise their home and add a brand new basement, the costs will also be on the higher side. This combines the lifting work with the digging and building of a new below-ground living area. The money needed for these projects can be significant, but it adds a lot of useful space to a home. It's a decision that can change the way you use your home, you know.

Can a lifted house be moved?

Yes, it is possible to lift a house very high, sometimes as much as 12 feet, if the goal is to put it onto a large vehicle to take it to a new place. This is a different kind of lift than just raising it for a new base. When moving a house to a new spot, the lifting process is even slower. In this situation, the house might only be lifted by a tiny amount, like an eighth of an inch, each day. This very slow pace helps keep the house safe during its move. It's quite a sight to see a house on the road, you know, being taken to its next home.

What happens after a lifted house is up?

Once the house is at the height it needs to be, the temporary supports and the strong metal bars hold it in place. After that, the special lifting machines are taken out. Then, new, permanent brick structures are built in parallel lines to hold up the house in its new, higher spot. This brick work provides the long-term support for the lifted house. It's a pretty solid way to keep things steady.

When the teams lifting the house reach the final height, they can then build the permanent base structures around the temporary wooden stacks, or cribbing. Once the new, strong base is built and ready, the temporary supports are taken away. This means the house is now resting on its new, permanent foundation. It's a big moment in the project, you know, when the temporary things are gone.

Does a lifted house look different?

In truth, the outside look of a house that has been lifted does not have to change a lot. It really only changes if the person who owns the house wants it to. The parts that hold the house up, the foundational elements, can be made to look a certain way to fit the style of the house. So, you might not even notice that a house has been lifted from the street. It's actually quite common for them to look the same, just taller, you know.

The Lifted Home

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