From Foundation to Finish: House-Raising & Shoring for Flood-Prone Homes
Water has always been both a friend and an enemy for homeowners living in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). It gives life, but it also creeps under foundations, weakens soil, and turns basements into swimming pools you never asked for. If you live in a flood-prone area, you’ve probably thought about solutions like home elevation or building jacking. The good news is that modern technology makes these things possible and surprisingly practical.
Let’s break it down together, step by step, so you can understand what’s involved in house lifting and why shoring is just as critical to the safety and future of your home.
What is House Raising and Why Elevate a Home?
When people say house jacking or structure lifting, they’re talking about the same thing as house raising. The goal is to physically lift the home above its current position. Why? There are many reasons. Some homeowners raise a house above a base flood elevation to protect against water. Others want to raise a house to move it to a safer lot. Some people even do it for lifestyle upgrades like raising a house to add a basement or house raising for aesthetic or lifestyle improvements.
But the most common reason is usually flood protection. FEMA guidelines and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) programs encourage homeowners to take action before the next big flood arrives. By raising a house above flood zone levels, you cut down the risk of water damage, lower insurance premiums, and get peace of mind that your foundation won’t crumble in case the river rises.
Why Shoring Is Just as Important
Now let’s talk about shoring. Imagine holding up a sagging bookshelf with your hands until someone slides a support beam under it. That’s what shoring does. It provides temporary support while the crews work on your foundation, and in many cases, it can also serve as a permanent stabilizer.
Think about older homes with weak or shifting soil. Sometimes you don’t need a full lift. What you need is foundation stability so your walls stop cracking and your doors stop sticking. Shoring fills that gap. It’s about compliance with building codes, but also about protecting your investment.
So while house lifting gets all the limelight, shoring quietly makes sure your structure doesn’t collapse while you’re mid-project. It’s the unsung hero of elevation.
The Process of House Raising and Shoring
When it comes to raising a house, people often imagine giant cranes tossing a house into the sky. However, in reality, it’s more precise than that. Let’s walk through it.
Evaluation and Planning: Crews assess home size and weight, check the foundation type (crawl space, slab, basement, etc.), and decide the required lift height for safe structure lifting.
Permitting: You can’t just jack up your house and hope for the best. Local permits ensure every house raising project follows FEMA guidelines, meeting safety and legal requirements before any building jacking begins.
Utility Disconnects: Before the elevation begins, crews disconnect power, water, and gas lines. Shutting utilities prevents hazards and protects systems while the house-lifting services process moves forward safely.
Lifting: Using hydraulic jacks, crews begin lifting the house. Steel beams and piers stabilize the structure, raising it inch by inch to achieve the right home elevation above base flood elevation.
New Foundation: Once the house is high enough, crews build a stronger foundation. Depending on soil, they may add reinforced concrete, deeper footings, or extra pilings for long-term foundation stability.
Lowering & Reconnecting: After new foundation work, the home is carefully lowered. Utilities reconnect, interiors restored, and the house raising project completes with improved flood mitigation assistance compliance.
Some projects focus on lifting a house to reinforce foundation, while others handle multiple goals like raising a house to move or adding new living space. If you’re considering this kind of work for your own property, our structural elevation and lifting services ensure the job is done safely, legally, and with lasting results.
How Much Does It Cost to Raise a House?
You’re probably wondering: how much is this going to cost me? The answer depends on your structure, foundation type, and what you’re trying to achieve. A small wood-frame house with a crawl space is usually easier than a large brick home with a full basement. The home size and weight matter, as does the required lift height. While the upfront cost can seem big, it’s often less than what repeated flooding and endless repairs add up to over the years.
For numbers, most homeowners spend between $20,000 and $60,000 on house raising. Bigger jobs, such as full basement additions or foundation replacements, can cost $150,000 or more. Elevating a home just enough to meet FEMA flood zone standards is far less expensive than lifting it an entire story, and site access and soil conditions also affect the total. Either way, the investment protects your property and makes future floods much less likely to affect you.
Conclusion
At the end of the day home elevation is all about protecting your investment and your peace of mind. Pair it with shoring when needed, and you’ve got a complete plan that takes you from evaluation and planning all the way through to flood protection and long-term security.
If you’re ready to explore this for your own home, Linwood Lee House Moving is here to help. We specialize in structural elevation and lifting services that keep families safe and dry. Call us today at (843) 241-3629 or visit our site at linwoodleehousemoving.com/structural-elevation-and-lifting-services to learn more.
FAQs
Several elevation techniques are available. In general, they involve (1) lifting the house and building a new, or extending the existing, foundation below it or (2) leaving the house in place and either building an elevated floor within the house or adding a new upper story.
The average cost to raise above a flood zone is $25,000 to $40,000, depending on how high you need to lift it. If you live in a flood zone, your home is at risk for water infiltration.
Yes — if your situation qualifies. After a major disaster, states can apply for mitigation funding from FEMA. One of the key eligible activities is house elevation, particularly in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs).
Typically, for homes in flood-prone areas, the main home foundation types include slab-on-fill, perimeter walls, standing on piers, posts or columns and piles.