Foundation raising in Lakewood CA - a house that's checked before it goes up
Foundation crumbling or wood rotting under the floors? We lift the house carefully, starting with a check that it can take it.
Foundation raising starts with the house, not the jacks
Foundation raising lifts a house off what it sits on now so the work under it can get done. That could be a new foundation, raising the house for flood elevation, or replacing floor joists and sill plates, the wood the walls rest on. People usually call once the floors have gone out of level.
Before anyone talks about a lift date, I want the house checked to make sure it's sound, and on a slab home that means a structural engineer comes first. What moves the price is the size of the house, its floor type and what goes under it. The schedule turns on that check, the permit and getting the utilities disconnected. My estimate lays all of it out.
- A lift method chosen for your floor type
- Every corner raised together to protect plaster and tile
- New support built to the engineer's plan
- Floors that sit level when it's done
Lift it, or fix it in place
There's usually more than one way to deal with a house that has sunk or needs to sit higher, and on a slab home the method decides whether the floor holds up later.
Fix it in place
- When it suits
- The engineer finds the trouble is local and the house can stay put.
- What it means
- Usually less work, but it won't raise the house or replace the foundation.
Lift and reframe the floor
- When it suits
- A slab home that needs a new foundation or has to sit higher.
- What it means
- Walls separated, the house raised and a new wood floor built above the old slab.
Lift slab and walls
- When it suits
- Only when the engineer is satisfied the slab can carry the house.
- What it means
- A slab lifted with the walls can end up dangerously weak once you're living there.
How a house lift gets planned
Call or send the form
Tell us what's going on and whether the house sits on a slab or a raised floor, and we'll set up a time for me to come out.
The house gets checked
I look at the ground, the access and what you have in mind, and on a slab home that comes after the engineer's check.
Your written estimate
I write it up in plain words, with what's included and anything a permit might touch, so you see it all before you decide.
Lift day and walk-through
Once you're ready, we handle any permit and set the date. I'm on site running our crew, and I walk the finished work with you.
Worth checking before I come out
What's under and around the house shapes how it gets lifted and what goes back under it, so these are worth looking at before the estimate.
Your flood zone
If flood elevation is part of why you're raising, look up your address on the county's flood zone viewer and bring what it shows to the visit.
Earthquake zones
The state's EQ Zapp map shows whether your address sits in a mapped zone for fault rupture, quake landslides or liquefaction, when soil briefly turns to quicksand and can't hold a house.
Expansive soil
Whether your lot has expansive soil, the kind that swells and shrinks, shows up in your home purchase disclosures, at the local building department or from a soil engineer.
Concrete around the house
If a patio or walk is in the way, we take out just that piece with concrete cutting, and if the driveway won't meet the raised house, we can rebuild the driveway after.
What a careful house lift looks like
One equipment maker explains that between jacking rounds the house rests on crib towers, stacked timber supports, not jacks alone. Open the photos to look closer.
Tell us about your house
Send your address and floor type, slab or raised. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free, no-obligation estimate at your house.
To talk now, call
(562) 249-2521Questions before you raise a house
Another question? Call (562) 249-2521
How much does it cost to raise a house near Lakewood?
Raising a house in the Los Angeles area usually runs about $12,000 to $68,000 per job, with bigger homes toward the top. That's the going range around here, not our price. The size of the house, its floor type and what goes underneath move it, and my estimate puts your number in writing.
Does a slab house need a structural engineer before it's raised?
Yes, on a slab home the structural engineer is the first call, before anyone considers a lift. Any house should be checked by a design professional to confirm it's sound before it goes up, and the engineer's findings decide which way a slab home can safely be raised.
Who is licensed to raise a house in California?
California's contractor licensing board puts this work under a building moving and demolition contractor, the class that raises, lowers, cribs and underpins structures and their foundations. That class doesn't cover remodeling or repairs to the parts of the house that stay. We're licensed and fully insured.
Will my utilities be shut off when my house is raised?
Yes. Water, sewer, gas, electric and phone lines all have to be disconnected before the house goes up, and they're hooked back up at the end, along with any landscaping that needs finishing. We coordinate the disconnects so nothing is still attached when the lift starts.
Do I need a permit to raise my house in Lakewood?
We find that out before we price the job, because the answer depends on which office covers your address. LA County Public Works issues permits for unincorporated parts of the county, and a different office may handle addresses outside its jurisdiction. When a permit is needed, we handle the application.