Foundation raising in Northport AL - your house lifted and set on a sound foundation
Is your house sitting too low or settling unevenly? We line up a structural review, then lift it and build solid support underneath.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What does it take to raise a house in Northport?
Foundation raising in Northport means separating your house from its foundation, lifting it, holding it on temporary supports and building a new or extended foundation underneath so it sits higher and on firmer support than before.
Most people who call about raising a house are dealing with one of two things, a foundation that has settled and pulled the house out of level, or a house that sits lower than they want. Either way, the price turns on what kind of foundation is under you, how much of it can stay, what shape the framing is in and how far the house has to come up, while the schedule turns on the structural review and the city's permit, which we take care of. I see all of that when I come out, and the written estimate spells out what's included.
How do you know your foundation needs raising or repair?
Floors that slope or dip
You notice a marble rolling to one side, or doors that stick and won't latch the way they used to. That usually means part of the foundation has dropped, and the longer it goes, the more the framing above it twists out of shape.
Cracks in brick or block
Stair-step cracks in brick veneer or foundation walls usually point to one corner settling faster than the rest. Left alone, they tend to widen and let water in, which adds repairs before any lift can happen.
Soft wood at the sill
If the sill, the wood that sits right on top of the foundation, feels soft or crumbles when you poke it, it's taking on water. Rotted wood has to be fixed or reinforced before a house can be lifted, so waiting makes the job bigger.
How we handle foundation raising, start to finish
I don't start with jacks. I start by lining up a qualified review of the structure, because that's what decides how the house gets lifted, whether anything needs reinforcing first and how much of the old foundation can stay. Once there's a plan, the house comes up, and our crew digs out and packs the base for the new footings, then forms and pours the foundation underneath, since the part nobody sees is what carries the house for years. After the house is set back down, we talk about new steps or a ramp, because your doors end up higher than they were and you still need a safe way in.
Raising a house usually changes the concrete around it too. Where a walk, patio or old slab is in the way of the new foundation, our concrete cutting takes out just that piece so the rest isn't cracked. If the driveway no longer meets the garage or the walk once the house is higher, I can quote a new concrete driveway on the same visit.
Building up from your old foundation
This suits a house whose existing foundation is still in decent shape, because we extend it instead of tearing it out. The structural review tells us whether it can carry the raised house.
A new foundation under the house
This is for a foundation that's cracked, badly settled or too low to build on. It's more work, but you're starting fresh under the house instead of stacking on a problem.
Reinforcing before the lift
Older houses with soft sills or tired framing may need strengthening before they can come up safely. I'd rather find that during the review than with the house halfway up.
Get a written estimate for raising your house
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the house and the ground, and write you a free estimate with no obligation. It helps to know if you're on a slab, crawlspace or basement.
(205) 756-6874- Based in
- Northport, AL 35476
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
What happens after you call us about raising your house?
Here's how a raise goes from your first call to the walkthrough, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call and set a visit
You call (205) 756-6874 or send the form, and I come out to measure, look at the ground around the house and hear what you want. Tell me about any cracks, sticking doors or soft wood you've noticed.
Get a written estimate
We line up the structural review, and you get a written estimate that says what's included. You can see where the money goes before you decide anything.
Permit, lift and pour
Once you say go, we set a date, take care of the permit side and the inspections, and get to work. Our own crew does the forming and pouring, and I'm on site for the pours.
Clean up and walk through
When the forms come off, we clean up and walk the finished job with you, steps and all. I want your yard left the way I found it.
Why Northport homeowners call Northport Concrete to raise a house
I write your estimate myself
I come out to look at each job and write the estimate myself, and I'm on site for the pours. You deal with the same person from the first visit to the walkthrough.
Our own crew forms and pours
Our own crew does the forming, pouring and finishing. The people working under your house are people I work with, not strangers sent out for the day.
Since 2017 on lived-in homes
I started this business in 2017, after years pouring on empty lots, to work on homes people already live in. That's why we care about your yard as much as the pour, because you're the one who lives there.
Licensed, insured and upfront about it
We're licensed and fully insured. Alabama's Home Builders Licensure Board covers most home work over $10,000 in labor and materials, and state law has a builder tell you in writing before work starts whether it carries liability insurance, signed by you and the builder and attested by a witness you choose.
On a raise, the review and the foundation underneath matter more than anything you'll see from the street. Ask for an estimate and I'll come take a look.
Permits and foundation raising work in Northport
Northport's Chief Building Official issues building permits, and with a few exceptions the city requires one for all new construction and alterations inside the city limits or its police jurisdiction. That office also reviews building plans and inspects work in the field against the codes, so a raise gets looked at before and during the job. We check which office covers your address, and when the job needs a permit we handle the paperwork and set up the inspections with them. If you'd like to ask the city something yourself, Northport's building inspections office takes permit questions at 205-333-3027.
We're based in Northport and do the same work in Tuscaloosa, McCalla and other cities around them. The houses we raise are lived in, so we plan around your driveway, your yard and the front steps that won't line up once the house is higher.
Questions about foundation raising in Northport
How is a house raised off its foundation?
Most frame, brick veneer and masonry houses are separated from their foundation, raised on hydraulic jacks and held on temporary supports while a new or extended foundation is built underneath. Then the house is set down on the new foundation and tied back in.
Can a slab house be raised?
Yes, but it's harder. When the slab is the floor, the general guidance is that lifting the house and slab together is the easier way, but it's still tougher than lifting a crawlspace or basement house, so it should go only to a contractor with a lot of slab-lifting experience. Ask anyone you're considering how many slab houses they've lifted.
How much does foundation raising cost in Northport?
There's no one price, because it depends mostly on your foundation type, how much of the old foundation can be reused and what repairs the house needs before it comes up. Reusing as much of the existing foundation as possible is generally the cheapest way to raise a house, but a design professional has to confirm it can carry the raised house. I give you a figure in a free written estimate after seeing the house.
How do I know if my older house can be lifted?
Have it looked at by a qualified structural mover or engineer before the lift is planned. One equipment maker's guide says homes with rotted sills, failing framing or severe settlement sometimes need a lot of reinforcement before lifting, so that review comes first. Tell me about any soft wood or sagging floors when you call so I know what to look for.
What is the best way to fix a foundation that settled unevenly?
Start with a structural review, because the right fix depends on why it settled and how far. One maker's technical manual says helical piles, steel shafts screwed deep into the ground, can supplement or replace foundations hurt by uneven settling, cracking or heaving.
How do I find out if my house in Northport is in a flood zone?
Call Tuscaloosa County's Floodplain Manager at (205) 345-6600, who can tell you whether your property is in a flood zone, or search your address on the state's AlabamaFlood map. It's worth asking the city's building office too, because it isn't clear-cut whether the city or the county handles flood matters inside Northport. It's a good first check before you decide to raise.
Concrete work that often goes with a raise
Concrete cutting
Cutting out a section of slab, walk or patio cleanly makes room for new footings without cracking the concrete you're keeping beside it.
Concrete driveway building
A house that sits higher can leave the old driveway meeting the garage or walk at an awkward step, and a new pour brings them back together.
Service areas for foundation raising around Northport
Northport Concrete is based in Northport, AL, and works in Tuscaloosa, McCalla and other cities around them. Those three cities have their own pages here, and we reply to every call within one business day.
Northport, AL
Have your foundation looked at first
The structural review comes before anything else on a raise, so the sooner I see your house, the sooner that review can be lined up.