Foundation raising in Brookings SD - a lift planned after the house is checked
Thinking about raising your Brookings house up off its foundation? We start with the right checks so the lift is planned around a sound house.
What does it take to raise a house in Brookings?
Foundation raising in Brookings means lifting your whole house on jacks, building a new foundation under it at the height you need, and setting the house back down on solid concrete.
Most folks who call about this want their house sitting higher, and they've got a lot of questions before they know if it fits their home, their budget and their year. That's the right place to start. I'm based in Brookings, and we work across Madison and the cities around both, so I can come out, look at your house with you and tell you plainly what the job looks like.
The price turns on how big your house is, how complicated its shape is and what it sits on, since larger homes and more complex shapes are harder to lift. The schedule turns on the check of the house, the permits and the weather for the pour. If a step or walk is tied into the house, we may separate it first with concrete cutting. I'll give you your own number once I've seen the house.
What foundation raising involves, step by step
Raising a house is a big job with a lot of moving parts, and most of the important work happens before the house ever leaves its foundation.
A check of the house
Before we plan a lift, we want a design professional to look the house over, because a house that isn't structurally sound has no business going up on jacks.
Utilities disconnected
Water, sewer, gas, electric and phone lines all get disconnected before the house goes up, so nothing pulls loose or breaks when the house starts to move.
Lifting on jacks
The house comes up on jacks a little at a time and evenly, then it's held at height while the work underneath gets done.
New footings and foundation
We pour new footings, the concrete base that carries the walls, and build up to the new height. If the budget gets tight, cut somewhere else, because nobody can fix this part later without tearing it out.
Setting it back down
The house goes down onto its new foundation and the utilities get hooked back up. Steps, walks or a new concrete driveway may need work so they meet the house at its new height.
Questions about raising a house in Brookings
How much does it cost to raise a house in Brookings?
Raising a typical single-family house across the US usually costs about $20,000 to $80,000 per home, and that's a national figure, not our price. Where your job lands depends on how much of the work is in the contract, so compare bids by what each one actually covers. Budget separately for somewhere to live, too, since contractor bids almost always leave that cost out.
Do I need a permit to raise my house in Brookings?
Yes, if your house is inside Brookings city limits or on nonfarm land in the joint jurisdiction area around the city, the City of Brookings issues the building permit for it. That permit has to be issued before any footings are poured, and then the city asks you to call for a footing inspection. We sort out the permits before work starts, either filing them ourselves or walking you through it with the city's building services office, and we check with them when it isn't clear what applies.
How long does raising a house take, and how long will I be out of it?
A house raising project usually runs six to twelve weeks, and you'll be out of the house for part of that time. We help you plan ahead for that stretch, so you've got a place lined up before the house goes up. As I said about cost, that place to stay is its own line in your budget.
Does a slab home need a structural engineer before it's raised?
Yes, FEMA's homeowner guide says a structural engineer must evaluate a slab home, one where the concrete floor sits right on the ground, before it's raised. That review decides the best way to raise the house, so it comes before we plan anything else.
How do I find out if my Brookings house is in a floodplain?
Look up your house on the current flood maps on the city's floodplain page, since FEMA updated the maps for Brookings and an old copy may not match. If your house is in a designated floodplain, you need a city floodplain development permit before any work starts. And if the work is worth half or more of what the house was worth before it, the whole house then has to meet the city's floodplain ordinance.
How do I get the power reconnected after my house is raised in Brookings?
In Brookings, the electrical work has to be done by you, if you own and live in the house, or by an electrician licensed by both the state and the city. The permit for it comes from the South Dakota Electrical Commission, and a state electrical inspector checks all of the work.
Why Brookings homeowners call Brookings Concrete for foundation raising
Raising a house is a big step, so you ought to know who's doing the work and how we go about it before anything starts. Satisfaction guaranteed.
I look at the job myself
Nobody else comes out for the estimate, so the person looking at your house is the one who plans the work.
Our own crew does the work
Our crew does the job, and I'm on site for the pour so I see the concrete go in under your house.
In business since 2013
I learned concrete on a crew for years before starting this business, and footings that hold up are what we're known for.
Fully licensed and insured
That goes for every job we take on, from a single footing to lifting a whole house.
Straight talk before we start
I'll tell you up front what new concrete can and can't do, small cracks and upkeep included.
Call about raising your house
The house check and the permits both come before any lift, so the sooner I see your place, the sooner those can get going at (605) 401-5479.
What happens when you call about raising your Brookings house?
A job this size gets planned around your house, your schedule and the stretch you'll be out of it, so the big decisions are made before the jacks come out.
Call or send a message
You call (605) 401-5479 or send a message through the form, and tell us a little about the house and what you're hoping to do.
I come out
I come out and look over the house and the ground with you, and we talk about what it sits on and how high it needs to go.
Your estimate
You get an estimate for your house, and you're welcome to call back with any question about it before you decide anything.
Permits, then the work
Once you're ready, we sort out the permits and pick a pour day that suits the weather. Then our crew does the work while I keep an eye on it.