Construction details on a house after it has been elevated.
Week 8 When does a house elevation project begin to hurt? When your contractor is working under the premise that your fixed-price contract is a cost-plus contract, with free reign on your wallet. As week 8 of construction came to a close, it’s safe to say it has been the least pleasant so far. But then again, no one promised that retrofitting a house to … Continue reading Staircase: When a House Elevation Starts to Hurt
WEEK 8 Most of the work occurring on our house elevation project this week are of the unseen nitty-gritty sort. The construction crew is preparing for the return of Payne, our lifting company, by completing the last few foundation projects: aligning the proper height all walls, erecting support beams under the crawl space in the rear of our house, fortifying the cinder blocks, and beginning … Continue reading House Elevation: Can You Still Have A Basement in a Floodplain?
NEW STAIR DESIGN: One of the trickier elements to elevating a house is creating the new access stairs. Whether you are lifting your house two feet off the ground or a full story, functional yet attractive stairs will need to be designed for your home. Three things will greatly dictate your options: the number of steps you need, the size of the property, and where your … Continue reading Staircase Options for an Elevated House
WEEK 7 This week finds the crew feverishly at work completing the new foundation. Cinder blocks meticulously trimmed with cement were built up, to the requisite new height for our house, creating our new foundation walls. This process was a bit reminiscent of the story of the “Three Little Pigs” when the third Little Pig, the smart one, built his house of bricks to ward … Continue reading House Elevation: Foundation Walls
FLOOD VENTS If you’re considering elevating your house, chances are pretty good that you live in a special flood hazard area (SFHA). By “special” they (FEMA) mean that your house gets rocked by a flood every now and again and therefore requires a homeowner to adhere to strict FEMA building codes. Once your house is elevated, the foundation will continue to be subjected to an … Continue reading Flood Vents on an Elevated House
WEEK 6 UNFOLDS Wouldn’t it be great if your renovation project came with an “Easy” button like the one in the Staples commercials? “That was easy!“ As anyone who has ever undergone a major renovation project can tell you, there are only two safe bets: the project will take longer than expected and cost more than anticipated. Our lift endured a one week delay due … Continue reading House Elevation: Delays, Root Heaving, Concrete Footings
FLOOD SAVVY: Fight Flooding - Tips & Inspiration 