Foundation raising in Los Angeles CA - a house lifted level, one even step at a time
Floors that slope, doors that stick, a house sitting too low? We raise it in even, careful steps so every corner comes up together.
Can my house be raised, and what does it take?
Foundation raising in Los Angeles means lifting your house off its foundation with jacks, a little at a time, so it can be leveled, set higher or given new support underneath.
Most people call because something looks off: a floor that rolls underfoot, doors that stick, cracks running out from the corners of windows, or a house that sits too low for the work they have planned, like a new foundation. The price moves with the size of the house, what it's built of, the shape its framing is in and how far it has to come up, and the schedule turns on how much needs fixing before the lift and whether your address needs any review first. I come out, look the house over and give you an estimate for your house.
How our foundation raising works
Before any lift is planned, we have your house looked over for rot, weak framing or heavy settling, because a lift puts load on the framing and anything weak shows up the moment the house leaves its foundation. Then I work out where the jacks and supports go, and we free up anything tied to the house so nothing holds it down. Our crew sets the jacks and builds cribbing, crisscrossed stacks of heavy timber that carry the house, under each lift point. The house comes up together in even steps, and between rounds it rests on the cribbing, so the timber holds the weight while we build up for the next round. Once it's where it needs to be, we set it down on its support, check that it sits level and clean up.
A lift usually touches the concrete around the house. Porches, steps and walks poured tight against the foundation often have to be separated first, which is where our concrete cutting comes in, and when the house sits at its new height the old driveway may not meet the garage anymore, so we can pour a new one through our concrete driveway building work.
Jacks and cribbing for a full lift
We raise the whole house in rounds, with timber cribbing taking the weight each time we stop. It suits a house that needs to come up as one piece, to level it, set it higher or make room for work underneath.
Helical piles for settling ground
Steel piles are drilled deep until they reach soil that can carry the house, and brackets on the foundation then use them to lift or hold it. It suits a house that's sinking because the ground right under it can't hold the weight.
Planning foundation raising in Los Angeles
Your address can shape the lift plan, so I check it before the plan is final. If the house sits in one of the city's historic districts, called HPOZs, Los Angeles City Planning says every project there needs planning approvals, board review or both before work starts, and any exterior work gets extra review, so build that step into your timing. If the lift will leave the house taller, the city's zoning code doesn't allow a building to go past the height or story limit set for its district, and that's worth knowing before you decide how high to go.
The ground counts too. The state says weak soil or rock may lie under properties in its seismic hazard zones and can fail in an earthquake unless the right precautions go into grading and construction, so I look at what the house sits on as closely as the framing. We see plenty of older houses that have settled unevenly over the years, across the city and on jobs in Pasadena and Glendale.
House lifting work up close
Why call us for foundation raising
I estimate it and lead it
I come out to look at your house and give the estimate myself, and I'm on site leading the crew when it goes up. The person who planned the lift is the one watching every jack, so nothing gets lost between the estimate and the work.
In business since 2013
I learned concrete from my dad, hauling and mixing before I ever finished a slab, and I started this business in 2013. Thirteen years of work judged by what's underneath means I look at the ground and the framing before anything else.
Covered while your house is up
We're fully licensed and insured. That matters most on a job where your whole house is off its foundation for a while.
Based here, checking each address
We're based in Los Angeles and work across the city and many of the cities around it. The historic district, height and soil checks above are part of how I plan every lift here.
What matters most on a lift is knowing the house can take it before it leaves the ground. Send us your details or call (213) 329-1820, and we'll set a time for me to come look.
(213) 329-1820Get your house looked over and a lift estimate
We'll reply within one business day to set a time, then I'll come out, look at your house and give you a free estimate on site. There's no obligation, so you can take the number and think it over.
Questions about raising a house in Los Angeles
How much does it cost to raise a house in Los Angeles?
Raising a house in Los Angeles usually costs about $12,000 to $68,000 per job, with larger homes toward the higher end. Take that as a broad guide, because what the house is built of, the shape it's in and how far it goes up all move the number. Your own figure comes after I've seen the house.
Can my brick or stone house be lifted, or only wood-frame homes?
Yes, brick, stone and other masonry homes can be lifted, though wood-framed homes are the easier fit. A masonry house needs more cribbing points, more careful planning of how its weight is carried and often bracing inside, so expect more planning before the lift.
How long does it take to lift a house off its foundation?
The lift itself can usually be done in one day for a structurally sound house, whatever its size, according to one building mover. A heavier house can complicate it, so if yours is masonry or unusually heavy, ask about extra time. That covers lift day only, not the work before and after it.
What happens if my house has rotted sills or bad framing before a lift?
A house with rotted sills, failing framing or severe settling sometimes needs a lot of reinforcement before it can be lifted. That's why a qualified structural mover or engineer should evaluate the house before the lift plan is final, so that visit comes first.
What is the best way to choose a crew to raise my house?
Ask each crew how it runs its jacks. Unified jacking, where every corner of the house rises together, is the standard for lifting a whole house, and it prevents the cracking that damages plaster, drywall, masonry and tile. I'm glad to walk you through how we do it when I come out.
Which California contractor license covers raising a house?
The state's contractor license board describes building moving and demolition contractors as the ones who raise, lower, crib and underpin structures, including their foundations. That classification leaves out repairs, additions or alterations to the parts of the house that stay in place, so fixing framing or adding on is separate work from the lift.
Plan your house lift and the concrete around it
Have your address, what the house is built of and any signs of settling handy when you call (213) 329-1820, and we'll start from there.
