A homeowner strives to have a solid foundation for their home, but sometimes achieving this means first separating your home and foundation through house raising. Seeing a house sitting on what appears to be stilts or wooden crates does not always create confidence in that home’s stability, but this strange process can be temporary or permanent and is used for a wide variety of reasons.

Basement Construction

An existing crawlspace in a home can be expanded and transformed into an entire basement. A residential construction company will sometimes raise a house in order to build the basement underneath the home. House raising for this type of project is temporary. During the process, the utilities are disconnected and reconnected, and the house is separated from its foundation, raised on hydraulic jacks, and set in support cribs for the duration of the project. Going through this process is often worth the effort, as a beautifully finished basement can significantly add to the return on investment of a home.

Flood Protection

Aside from wildfires, floods are the most widespread natural disaster. House raising can be a permanent feature of a home in areas that are prone to flooding. Basements that are habitually wet become subject to mold growth, but that risk can be offset by raising the basement above the water table. This process can ultimately save money by lowering flood insurance rates and eliminating the need for flooding repairs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officially states that homeowners in specific flood hazard zones must either elevate their home’s lowest floor about the flood-protection elevation, flood-proof their building, or move.

Structure Rotation

Usually done for purely aesthetic purposes, house raising can rotate the entire home. Sometimes homeowners choose to rotate their home to avoid the sight or sounds of a nearby highway or commercial structures. Other homeowners may rotate their home to engineer the optimal lighting for their house. While rotating the entire structure of your home can seem like a lengthy and expensive home remodeling project, it could boost the return on investment for your home. Many buyers are looking for homes with an abundance of natural light and pleasant views, and rotating your house could give them that.

Raising a house is a considerable project to undertake, but it is very useful for a variety of projects that you may have for your home. Get in touch with a residential construction company if you think house raising may help in your next project.