Foundation raising in Agawam MA - a new slab, crawl space or basement under your house
If your foundation is failing or you want more room underneath, the house comes up and we build a new base under it.
What's involved in raising a house to replace the foundation?
Foundation raising in Agawam means lifting your house off what it sits on so the foundation under it can be repaired or replaced, and the new one can be a slab, a crawl space or a full basement.
Most people who call about this have a foundation that's cracked, sinking or letting water in, or they want a basement where there's only a crawl space now. The biggest thing that moves the price is what you want underneath, since a slab costs less than a crawl space and a crawl space costs less than a full basement, and lifting the house alone with no new foundation costs less again. The schedule turns on the prep, the permits, how high the house goes, any repairs that show up once it's lifted, the weather and the inspections. The written estimate I put together after seeing your house gives you your own figure.
What happens after you call about raising your house?
Call or send the form
Call (413) 789-3945 or use the form and tell us a little about the house. We'll set a time for me to come out and see it.
I visit and write the estimate
I come out myself, look at the house, measure and talk through what you want under it. Then you get a written estimate that lists the prep, materials and permit steps, so you can see exactly what you're paying for before you decide.
We line up permits and dates
Once you say yes, we handle the permit application and keep you posted while it's in. We set the pour dates around the forecast, because concrete poured in the wrong weather comes out weaker.
We build and walk you through it
I run the work on site with our crew alongside me, from the old foundation coming out to the new one going in. When it's done, I walk you through the finished job and how to look after it.
How we handle foundation raising and the concrete around it
Every lift starts with a structural engineer looking at the house and choosing how it comes up, because some houses are separated from the foundation first and sometimes a slab can be lifted along with the house. We build the new foundation to that plan, and before anything moves we help you settle on slab, crawl space or basement and go over what getting the house ready involves. With the house up, we dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the new foundation sits on, then set the forms and the rebar, the steel inside that keeps cracks from spreading, and pour. That packed base is the part you'll never see again, which makes it the first thing people want to cut and the one thing I won't, since a foundation is only as steady as what's under it. We also shape the ground so water runs away from the house, and we give the concrete time to cure, the wait while it gains strength, before the house goes back down on it.
Raising a house usually means other concrete has to change too. When an old slab, wall or floor has to come out in clean pieces, or a line needs a path through concrete, our concrete cutting work takes it out so the rest isn't broken up. And with the house sitting higher, the driveway often no longer meets the garage the way it did, so we can tear it out and pour a new one through our concrete driveway building service.
Get a written estimate for raising your house
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out, and the visit and the written estimate are free. There's no pressure to book once you've read it.
Raising a house in Agawam, your questions
How much does it cost to raise a house and replace the foundation?
Across the US, lifting a house and replacing the foundation usually costs about $20,000 to $100,000 per job. That's the market's range, not our price, and where your house lands depends mostly on the foundation you choose and what the engineer's plan calls for. Your own number comes from the estimate after I've seen the house.
How long does raising a house and building a new foundation take?
The whole process takes 4 to 8 weeks on average, and the lift itself usually takes 2 to 7 days once the prep is done. Those are national averages, so plan in weeks, and we'll talk through what could stretch your schedule when I come out.
Can I stay in my house while it's being raised?
No, staying inside while the house is lifted isn't recommended, so plan somewhere else to stay for the lift. You don't have to pack up, though, since everything inside can stay right where it is.
Do I need a permit to raise my house in Agawam?
Yes, Agawam requires a permit for any construction, fines work done without one, and only licensed contractors can apply and pay the fees. We handle that application and keep you posted, and since we're based in Agawam and work in many cities around it in western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut, we check each building office's rules before we start. If the work would fill, dredge or alter a protected area, a Notice of Intent has to be filed with the city's Conservation Commission, and if you're not sure your lot falls under that, you can ask the Conservation Commission to decide.
How do I get my house ready to be lifted?
You empty the crawl space or basement and have every utility disconnected, which means plumbing, electric, gas, heating, cooling, phone and internet. We go over that list with you well before lift day so nothing gets missed.
What license does a contractor need to raise a house in Massachusetts?
On an existing, owner-occupied home with one to four units, Massachusetts requires the contractor to be registered as a Home Improvement Contractor. That registration is separate from the Construction Supervisor License the state requires for oversight on certain projects, and the two aren't interchangeable, so you can check a construction supervisor's license with the state before work starts. We're licensed and fully insured.
Other concrete work that often comes with a lift
Concrete cutting
If old concrete has to come out in sections or a line needs a path through a slab, clean saw cuts leave the rest whole.
Concrete driveway building
A raised house can leave the driveway too low at the garage, and a new one poured on a packed base meets the door again.
Tell us what you want under your house
Call (413) 789-3945 or send the form with your address, what the house sits on now and what you'd like under it, so the first visit gets straight to your options.