House Lifting

Raising Homes Above the Base Flood Elevation to Prevent Future Damage

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Since the 80’s, Houston residents have trusted Allied Foundation to take care of their foundation problems as well as provide preventative measures to preserve the structural integrity of their homes. As all Houstonians know, this area is prone to flooding, and that is why house lifting is a necessary service in our area.

Our accurate assessments and reasonable quotes helped many homeowners elevate their homes through one of FEMA’s grant programs that Allied Foundation is actively apart of nowadays.

Currently, we provide grant home elevation services for Brazoria County, Galveston County, as well as in the city limits of Houston.

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What is House Lifting

House Lifting or House Elevation – is when the entire structure of a home is vertically lifted above or beyond the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). The house or dwelling that is being lifted will then be protected from future flood damage.

Raising Your Home to Prevent Damage

To prevent their properties from potential flood damage, many homeowners decide to have their homes lifted out of harm’s way. The average process of a one-story home to be lifted is a minimum of 2 to 4 feet that can be completed between 45 to 75 days.

The house is lifted in one piece by using the Unified Hydraulic Jacking Machine Method. By utilizing this method, the structure’s risks of damage are minimal. During the actual lifting of the home, the residents are not permitted to be in the home for safety reasons. It is recommended for residents to reside outside of the home while the lift is being performed, but once the elevation is completed the residents may stay inside throughout the remaining time of the project. The contents in the interior of the home are not disturbed, and there is no need for belongings as well as furnishings to be removed for the lifting of the home.

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The Process of Raising Your Home

After your home has been evaluated by our project manager, we will file the proper paperwork. We also collaborate with licensed surveyors and engineers with extensive experience in home elevation projects. These professionals will prepare all the engineering and architectural drawings that are required in order to obtain a construction permit for the lifting of your home.

Once the permit and the notice to proceed are issued, we’ll deliver all the materials and equipment necessary to the job site within 14 days. As soon as the materials and equipment are on site, our crew will get to work.

The first course of action will be to tunnel under your home in order to gain access to existing beams. Then, new concrete piers will be put in place, pushed into the ground, and driven to a “point of refusal”. Once the structure is set in place, the Unified Hydraulic Jacking Method will begin. This is a slow and methodical process that can’t be rushed. As the home is raised, additional support is placed underneath to ensure stability.

After the completion of each stage described above, the foreman and one of our experienced inspectors will conduct a quality inspection on site to ensure strict compliance with FEMA and HUD guidelines as well as local building codes. Once the inspector confirms that the work meets all the standards and technical specifications included in the customized elevation plan for your property, the crew will move the job along to the next stage. As soon as your home is at its final height, the work will be thoroughly inspected by the project manager as well as the city & Engineer of record. If the work is deemed satisfactory, the residents are permitted to reenter the home.

When it comes to home elevation projects, a safe lift mostly depends on the workers on site. Because safety is particularly important when lifting a home, we have our own workers who completed extensive training for this kind of project. Furthermore, all new employees are extensively trained on the job by our highly skilled specialists, who have decades of experience in excavating, pushing piles in the ground, and pouring foundations. This way, each worker can learn the practical skills and knowledge he needs in order to perform the job safely.

In order to provide outstanding services, quality workmanship, and on-time job completion, our crews also use the newest equipment, including our own state-of-the-art Unified Hydraulic Jacking Machine, apply the most advanced elevation methods, and practice the highest safety standards for every project we work on.

As we have our own personnel, we’re also able to ramp up or down each crew to fit the scope and size of any project. For instance, we have the flexibility to form pre-construction crews of only 3 or 4 men, excavating or tunneling teams that include 15 men, as well as house lifting crews of 20 men or more. In addition to the personnel in the field, we have an experienced office team that performs all of the pre-construction tasks required, including surveying, engineering, as well as getting permits and elevation certificates. Once we take on your house elevation project, you can rest assured knowing that we have the staff and experience necessary to get everything done right, quickly and effectively.

Rebuild the Look of Your Home's Foundation

After your home has been raised to the desired height and is stable, we will begin rebuilding the bottom layer, so your home looks even better than it did before at ground level. Just as we do with our foundation repair services, we believe in leaving your home looking just as nice as, if not better than, it looked before we started working on it.

The safety and satisfaction of our customers are of the most importance to Allied Foundation. To find out more about our home lifting service, contact us today!

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a large house with two garages on the side AFTER

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