What is house lifting for flood mitigation?
House lifting allows your existing home to be elevated from its current level to above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) height for your area. Most homes are able to be raised intact, including interior flooring and furniture. The process can be completed in less than half the time or cost of new construction. Raising a house does not impact the “50% rule” which requires the entire structure be evaluated for current code compliance, which helps reduce costs. Homes with a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/ National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) insurance policy are also eligible to apply for a federal grant process which can cover some or all of the costs related to foundation lifting.
Why lift an existing structure?
Flood elevation and construction requirements are changing as more storms and rising water levels affect communities. Foundation lifting is much cheaper than demolition and construction of a brand new residence in flood zones, and helps preserve our classic neighborhood homes. Previous renovation and upgrade investments that have already been spent on the home are preserved. Once raised, the original garage space can be converted into additional living space. The newly constructed area underneath the structure can be utilized for garage or storage space depending on current flood zone codes.
How do you lift a house?
First we dig all the way around the foundation of the house to be lifted. Then special equipment is used to remove the dirt from beneath the foundation. Jacks are placed to support the home in the original location. Plumbing and sewer is disconnected from the home at this time. Then hydraulic jacks are placed underneath the house along with steel support beams. The jacks raise the house up a few inches at a time, with additional supports being placed along the way. The raising of the house itself after the prep work is completed takes only a few days. Once the house is at its new height, the new foundation or piers are installed, and the hydraulic jacks set the house down on top of the new foundation, where they are securely joined together.
Important things to consider
FEMA has published a guide to elevating your home, with more detailed information on the process and benefits. We recommend anyone considering a house lift review this publication and contact us to discuss your specific home. The NFIP also has a flood damage estimation tool which you can use to compare the cost of disaster recovery versus the cost of lifting your home.
A member of the Coastal Life Professionals, Unified Foundations Construction (a Florida General Contractor CGC# 1536125) are able to offer the house lifting and additional renovation work as part of one package, and manage the process for you from beginning to end, saving you time and money.
What you will need:
- Elevation certificate. This is done by a licensed surveyor and includes the height above mean high tide of the existing land and structure, and the current Base Flood Elevation (BFE) of the property
- Your current flood zone, which can be obtained through FEMAs map service center
- A current survey of the home
How much will it cost?
The size and shape of the house, as well as working room for equipment around the structure, can affect the total cost of the project. We offer full general contractor services after your lift to add garages under the structure, as well as inside work such as converting the previous garage into living space, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. As part of the bidding process we will work with you to evaluate the project and come up with a comprehensive list of costs.
Our team is experienced in applying for FEMA grants to elevate the home through the county, which can result in the foundation work being completed and reimbursed up to 100% by FEMA funding. We also work with several private lenders to provide short-term construction loans. Often the increase in home equity to the property for waterfront homes far exceeds the cost of the project.
Please contact us for more information at:
SalesTeam@UnifiedFoundations.com
813-544-5438 (LIFT)
Unified Foundations LLC FL License CGC 1536125
We are based in Tampa, FL and currently service all of Florida and Texas. Please reach out even if you are in other disaster areas. We are also looking for General Contractors in other states to partner with.
