When you think about foundation repair, you might picture a crew lifting one section of a house to address uneven areas or installing piers beneath a foundation. But sometimes a project calls for something much more extensive. Instead of lifting one portion of a home, the entire structure can be raised completely off the ground.
House lifting is a major undertaking, and it is not something that makes sense for every property. There are specific situations where raising a home can provide a practical solution, particularly when a property has serious problems with its existing foundation, has a history of flooding, or has a crawlspace that is creating ongoing structural concerns.
Why Would You Raise a House?
There are generally two reasons to consider raising a house. One is to get the home farther away from floodwater. The other involves homes with certain types of crawlspaces where limited space and trapped humidity have contributed to deterioration of the structural components.
For homes in flood-prone areas, raising the structure can provide a way to get the house higher above the water. This can be particularly relevant in the Houston area, where flooding is a concern for many homeowners and development continues to change how water moves through communities.
Sometimes, however, the problem is underneath the house itself. A pier-and-beam or blocking-beam home with a very tight crawlspace can have significant humidity trapped underneath it. Over time, that moisture can accelerate deterioration of the wood structural components.
In some situations, digging the crawlspace deeper may not be the best solution because doing so can create additional problems with water. Instead, raising the house can provide another way to create more separation between the structure and the ground.
Why Are Some Houston Homes More Vulnerable to Flooding?
Houston continues to grow, and as more development takes place throughout the area, additional mitigation efforts may be needed to manage water.
There are situations where those efforts cannot completely solve the problem. A flood-prone property may still receive more water than the existing drainage conditions can handle, leaving the home vulnerable to flooding.
For a homeowner dealing with a house that repeatedly takes on floodwater, raising the structure can become a consideration. The goal is straightforward: get the house higher so it is farther out of the path of floodwater.
House lifting is not a solution that should automatically be applied to every property, but for the right home and situation, it can address a problem that other approaches may not solve.
What Happens When an Existing Foundation Has Deteriorated?
One house-lifting project can involve much more than simply raising a structure.
In one example, the existing wood foundation had deteriorated significantly. Termite damage had contributed to the deterioration, while plumbing leaks had accelerated the wood rot. The home also had a very tight crawlspace where humidity had become trapped, contributing further to the deterioration of the wood.
The house had another complication as well. It had been built in sections over time, with multiple additions and different portions of the foundation effectively stitched together.
Rather than continuing with a collection of different foundation sections, the homeowner wanted to create one solid foundation underneath the entire structure.
That meant taking a much more extensive approach than a typical foundation repair.
Can a Wood Foundation Be Replaced With a Concrete Slab?
In certain circumstances, an existing wood foundation can be replaced with a concrete slab foundation.
That process is not a small modification. The house must be separated from the foundation that currently supports it and raised so the existing foundation can be addressed.
In the project discussed here, the goal was to replace the deteriorated wood foundation with a concrete slab and create one solid foundation underneath the home.
The reasoning was based on the condition and history of that particular house. The existing foundation had deteriorated, the home had been constructed in multiple sections, and the homeowner wanted to move away from the collection of different foundation components underneath the structure.
The result would be a more unified foundation rather than continuing with the existing arrangement.
Is House Lifting a Normal Foundation Repair?
No. House lifting is an extreme approach compared with a typical foundation repair.
A homeowner should not look at a project like this and assume that raising an entire house is necessary simply because the property has foundation problems. The project discussed here was unusual, and the circumstances surrounding it were specific to that home.
The cost is another major consideration. Raising a house and replacing its existing foundation is expensive, and homeowners should understand that they may not recover that investment if they eventually sell the property.
That does not necessarily mean the project is a bad decision. It means the homeowner needs to understand what they are getting into before deciding to move forward.
In this case, the homeowner made the decision after considering the condition of the existing foundation and the possibility of creating one solid foundation underneath the house.
Why Can a Tight Crawlspace Become a Problem?
A tight crawlspace can create conditions where humidity becomes trapped underneath a home.
When that happens, the moisture can accelerate deterioration of wood structural components. If the foundation is already experiencing problems, continued exposure to those conditions can make the situation worse.
Digging a crawlspace deeper might seem like an obvious solution because it would create additional space underneath the home. However, that approach can create its own concerns because additional excavation can change how water behaves beneath the structure.
For some homes, raising the house may be a better approach than digging farther down.
The right solution depends on the conditions of the individual property. A house with a deteriorated wood foundation, a tight crawlspace, and a history of flooding is dealing with a different set of circumstances than a home with a relatively straightforward foundation movement issue.
What Makes a House-Lifting Project So Extensive?
A house-lifting project requires temporarily taking the structure off its existing support system.
In the project discussed here, the foundation was cut away from the house, effectively taking the structure off its existing foundation. The existing wood foundation could then be replaced with a concrete slab.
That is a significant undertaking because the entire structure has to be supported while the work takes place.
It is also why homeowners should understand that this is not simply another version of installing a few foundation piers. The scope, cost, and complexity are considerably different.
The project is ultimately about addressing the total condition of the home and its existing foundation rather than treating one isolated area.
Is House Lifting Right for Every Home?
No. House lifting is not something every homeowner needs or should pursue.
The project described here involved a combination of circumstances that made the approach appropriate for that particular property. The existing foundation had deteriorated, the home had experienced termite damage and plumbing leaks, the crawlspace was extremely tight, and the house had been constructed in multiple sections over time.
The homeowner also wanted to replace the existing arrangement with one solid foundation.
Those circumstances are very different from a home that simply has a small foundation movement issue.
The important takeaway is that foundation solutions should be based on the conditions of the individual home. A major repair may make sense in one situation while being excessive in another.
FAQ: House Lifting and Foundation Replacement
Why would someone raise their entire house?
There are typically two reasons discussed for raising a house: getting the structure farther away from floodwater or addressing problems associated with a very tight crawlspace and deteriorating structural components.
Can house lifting help with flood-prone homes?
Raising a home can help get the structure higher above floodwater. This can be a consideration for homes in areas where flooding is an ongoing concern.
Why can a tight crawlspace be a problem?
A tight crawlspace can trap humidity underneath the home. That humidity can accelerate deterioration of wood structural components.
Can a wood foundation be replaced with a concrete slab?
In the project discussed, the existing wood foundation was replaced with a concrete slab after the house was lifted off its existing foundation.
Is house lifting an expensive project?
Yes. House lifting and replacing an existing foundation is a major undertaking and can be expensive. Homeowners should understand the financial commitment before moving forward.
Will a homeowner recover the cost of a house-lifting project when selling?
Not necessarily. The cost of converting a home from a wood-frame foundation to a concrete slab does not automatically mean that the homeowner can add that entire investment to the home’s future selling price.
Is house lifting a normal foundation repair?
No. Raising an entire house is an extensive project and should not be treated as a standard solution for every foundation problem. The approach depends on the specific conditions of the property.
Why might someone choose one solid foundation instead of several sections?
A home that has been built in multiple sections can end up with different foundation components supporting different portions of the structure. In the project discussed, the homeowner wanted to replace that arrangement with one solid foundation underneath the house.
Need Help Understanding Your Foundation?
Every home and foundation is different, and the right solution depends on the conditions of the property. If you’re seeing signs of foundation movement, deterioration, or other concerns with your home’s foundation, CoreTech Foundation Repair can evaluate the situation and help you understand what may be going on.
Call CoreTech Foundation Repair at (281) 984-4332 or schedule an evaluation to take the next step toward understanding your home’s foundation.