Foundation raising in Richland WA - a house lifted so the foundation can be fixed
Sinking floors, cracked walls or a foundation that's given out? We plan the lift around an engineer's design so the repair underneath can be done right.
R&S Richland Concrete Construction is a concrete contractor based in Richland, WA. We pour driveways, patios, steps and foundations for homeowners across the Tri-Cities, and we handle foundation raising in Richland when a house needs to come up for the work underneath. I started this business after years of pouring slabs and setting forms, and I like explaining the work as much as doing it.
- Owner looks at your house first
- Lift planned around your house type
- Reasons explained at every step
What foundation raising involves in Richland
Foundation raising lifts your house so the foundation repair and temporary supports can be built underneath it, and the part of the house that stays in place is left alone while the work goes on below. Most Richland owners who call R&S Richland Concrete Construction about it have floors going uneven, walls cracking or an old foundation that's given out, and they want to know if lifting is worth it.
The house itself moves the price most, because a wood-frame house is the easiest and cheapest to lift while brick or stone veneer needs more steel beams and jacks. The schedule turns on the engineering, the repair underneath and the season, and the estimate is where you get the figure for your house.
- Engineer's plan. One cost guide says no reputable mover starts a lift without an approved engineering plan, and we don't either.
- Lifting the house. Steel beams go under the house and jacks raise it, then temporary supports carry the weight while the work goes on below.
- Foundation work. Once the house is up, the repaired or new foundation is formed and poured underneath, with room for our crew to work all around it.
- Helical piles. Helical piles, steel shafts screwed into the ground, can add to or replace a foundation that settled unevenly, cracked or heaved.
The lifting work we handle
Raising a house is rarely one job by itself, so we cover the foundation work underneath and the concrete around the house that has to meet it afterward.
Foundation replacement
When the old foundation has failed past fixing, the house comes up so we can tear it out and pour new footings and walls below.
Raising to a new height
Some owners lift a house higher for good, often with flooding in mind, and the new foundation is built taller to match.
Freeing attached slabs
Where a patio, walk or stoop ties into the house, our concrete cutting work separates it cleanly first, so the lift doesn't drag it along.
Driveway and steps after
Once the house sits at its final height, the garage apron and steps may not line up anymore, and we can pour a new concrete driveway and steps that meet it.
If your house needs something that isn't on this list, call and ask, and I'll tell you straight whether it's work we do.
Why foundation raising has to be done right
A house lifted and set down well sits level on a foundation that can carry it, with the walls and trim in the same shape they started in. A rushed lift tends to show up later as new cracks.
- Slower on masonryA brick or stone-veneer house should come up slowly, because that pace keeps the mortar joints from cracking.
- Jacks moving togetherThe jacks raise every side at the same rate, so no corner gets ahead of the others and twists the frame.
- Cured before set-downNew foundation concrete gets time to cure, the wait while it gains strength, before the house is lowered onto it.
- Checked for levelWe check level as the house comes down, so floors and door frames sit the way they're supposed to.
How a foundation lift runs
I come out and measure
You call, and I come out myself to look at the house, measure and talk through your options right there in the yard.
Engineer's plan and estimate
We bring in a structural engineer for the design, and you get a written estimate spelling out what's included, with the work planned around the season.
Lift, foundation, walk-through
I'm on site with our crew through the lift and the foundation work, and before we leave I walk you through caring for the new concrete.
Why owners call us to lift a house
I'd rather answer one more question than leave you guessing, and raising a house brings up plenty of them. We take the time to show you why the work goes the way it does.
The reason behind each step
I explain why we lift slowly or set supports where we do, in plain comparisons, so you can judge the work for yourself.
Straight about the unknowns
Some things can't be known until the house is up and we can see underneath, and I'll tell you that plainly instead of guessing.
Every line explained
I'll walk you through every line of the estimate, and our promise is satisfaction guaranteed. Call (509) 581-2407 when you're ready to talk it over.
Foundation raising and flood risk in Richland
Benton County's emergency managers point out that the Yakima River has flooded badly before, so before you settle on a lift plan, check your flood risk with the city or county planning department. FEMA's Map Service Center shows floodplain information by neighborhood too.
We work across the Tri-Cities, from Richland out to West Richland and Pasco, and the flood question comes up early. FEMA's guidance on elevating a home says to check flood-zone and elevation requirements with a local building official, since some communities set stricter rules than the national flood insurance program, and we sit down with you about that before the design is final.
Tell us about your foundation
Send your house type, the foundation problems you see and the home's location, or call (509) 581-2407. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, no obligation.
Call (509) 581-2407Questions about raising a house
How much does foundation raising cost in Richland, WA?
Across the US, jacking and leveling a 1,200 sq ft house on a typical site usually costs about $16,500 to $32,000 for the job. That's the national market, not our price, and your house type and the repair underneath move it most. Your estimate shows the figure for your house.
Can my family stay in the house while it's being raised?
No, one cost guide says you can't live in the house during the lift and the foundation work, because the utilities are disconnected. That guide suggests budgeting for 2 to 4 months in temporary housing or a short-term rental, and we sit down with you early about the move-out.
How long does it take to raise a house and fix the foundation?
One cost guide puts a typical house-lifting project at 4 to 6 months from planning to final inspection. The house itself only moves for 2 to 5 days, so most of that time goes to the engineering before the lift and the foundation work after it.
Who is allowed to raise a house in Washington?
Washington requires every construction contractor to register with the state Department of Labor & Industries, and state law requires them to be bonded and insured. One registration specialty covers raising buildings but not repairing the parts that stay in place, so ask how a crew is registered for both. We're licensed and insured.