If you’re curious about house lifting your New Jersey home, you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll find a breakdown of everything you need to know about the process.

What is House Lifting?

House lifting is the process by which homeowners elevate their residences off of the ground. Essentially, skilled workers will brace and lift the structure by running steel beams beneath the home and using synchronized jacks to do the heavy lifting.

This process typically consists of several stages inducing cribbing the building for support, lifting it with hydraulic jacks, and driving holes into the foundation wall so that steel beams may be inserted at specific points. These beams are installed perpendicular to the floor, and once they’re in place, the home can be lifted.

Once the home is raised to a sufficient height, new cribs are installed as a new foundation is built. This technique works particularly well for New Jersey homes that are built on partial basements, open foundations, or over crawl spaces.

Could You Save Money on Insurance by Lifting Your Home?

The general cost of elevating your home can vary greatly depending on several factors including your structure’s design and condition. But regardless of those factors, the initial cost of separating your home from its foundation to lift it will be sizable. 

This expense often causes homeowners to delay their project as long as they can, but what they fail to consider is how much money they will be saving in insurance payments once the home is lifted. Lifting your home significantly lowers its risk of flood damage, and when your risk factors are lower, your insurance premiums are often reduced.

So keep in mind that while lifting your home is a costly project, raising your home above what is recommended for your community is the best way for you to cut down on your insurance premiums, which could save you hundreds every year. 

It’s important to note that once you elevate your home, you will need an elevation certificate. This will attest that your home is now compliant with the flooding regulations in your area, and it lists your current flood risk. If you do not have this certification, your insurance agent may assume that your home is at high risk and charge more for your coverage.

Lowering your Premiums Even More

In addition to lifting your home, you should know that moving any structural utilities, such as the water supply valve, the electrical panel, and even the gas meter into the attic, can further reduce your premium.

Reducing your Home Maintenance Costs

Elevating your home above the BFE (Base Flood Elevation) doesn’t just lower your premium. It also helps protect you from hefty home maintenance costs associated with flood damage or flood preparation including flooring replacement and crawlspace flood-proofing.

Your Home’s Structural Integrity

When you lift your home, you get a rare chance to fully access your foundation. This gives you a chance to have a complete foundation inspection done that will help reveal any structural problems you may be facing. That way, you can fix any damage and ensure your home will be structurally sound for years to come.

Tackling these repairs early on can greatly reduce both your home maintenance costs down the line and your insurance premiums, potentially saving you sizable amounts of money.

Key Takeaways

If your home has been impacted by flooding in the past, then you know just how devastating it can be. Raising your house can help you prevent future damage and evaluate any current structural issues at the same time. 

So if you’re interested in lifting your house, contact a qualified professional for an evaluation and chat with your insurance provider to see what kinds of savings your lifted home may be entitled to.