Following Superstorm Sandy damages along the New Jersey Shore, the need for professional house lifting services is widespread. Where to start? Who to trust? How to coordinate? Those questions and much more can be addressed and answered by the Design Build Planners.

House raising can be done as a stand alone project, but is often combined with home remodeling and improvements whether basic or extensive and possibly structural. The actual house lift and reset starts at $14.00 per square foot* of house base area. However there are several items and tasks that need to be considered, addressed and priced:

• Professional fees: Designer, Architect, Engineer, Surveyor…etc.
• Foundation solution: Block, Pilings, and Helical Piles
• Mechanicals and utilities: Electric, Plumbing, Gas, Heating, Cooling…etc.
• Chimneys and fireplaces
• Steps, porches, and decks
• Wood floor framing for rooms and garages that now have concrete slab floors
• Interior renovations
• Exterior siding and foundation facade or finish
• Landscaping

These items, with the house lift, typically amount to at least $75,000 and often much more.

There is good news! You may be eligible for up to $30,000 in Increased Cost of Coverage (ICC) money. Plus, qualified homeowners may be eligible for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) covering up to 75% (above the ICC $30K) of the overall cost. Therefore, a $120,000 project, with the $30,000, would potentially be 100% covered. The experienced house lifting team is prepared to help our clients apply and obtain as much as possible.

If you would like a rough, preliminary free quote for your home, we need you to provide the following items/answers:

• The address of the home to be lifted
• Is this your primary residence? If “no”, what is your primary address?
• Best phone number to contact you
• Photos of the exterior of your home clearly showing all four sides
• Exterior “footprint” measurements of the home or a copy of the property survey

Then, we will email you a checklist with instructions for you to complete. Once we receive that back we will be able to provide a rough quote or range.

The DBP process for house lifting:

• The Design Build Planners require a retainer for $7,500 ~ this money is fully applied to the project’s work agreement as a payment and not an extra expense
• Here are the items and tasks that accompany that are included with the retainer:
  • You get a secured place on the production schedule ~ Please note that currently projects can be started and completed in a timely manner. Soon, we anticipate that the backlog delay will be quite long.
  • Architect plans for the lift and the engineer’s report
  • Full-color, 3D CAD (computer aided design) elevation views depicting the new appearance of your home’s front and back elevation
  • Detailed scope of work
  • Category pricing for the included tasks
  • A list of plus/minus cost option items and choices

The Design Build Planners have systems and procedures combined with a Preferred Remodeler Network that can make the process as professional, fast, and painless as possible.

If you own a home in Ocean or Monmouth County that may need to be raised, or if you just what to explore the option and possibilities, please contact the Design Build Planners today.

* $14/ SF is based upon lift and re-set ONLY of a wood framed home with a wood floor system over a traditional block foundation and no masonry chimney or fireplace and with adequate access for the machinery. Also note that this special house lift pricing if for projects ordered including all related home renovations in preparation and completion of the house lift service.

House lifting or house elevation services are best handled by the trained, experienced professionals. These companies, also referred to as house movers, work all over the nation. The house lifters typically partner with a local, highly-reputable contractor with an expert design and development team. The contractor and design team are required for the architectural plans, permitting, site preparation, and performing all the ancillary work required across the various trades.