Foundation raising in Alabaster AL - a lift planned for your foundation and walls
Foundation failing or the house sitting too low? We lift it with a plan built around your foundation type and walls.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does it take to raise a house in Alabaster?
Foundation raising in Alabaster means lifting your house off its foundation so it can sit higher or so a new foundation can go in under it, and most of the weeks it takes go to prep, not the lift.
If you're reading this, your foundation is probably failing or the house sits lower than you'd like. The price mostly turns on what the house sits on, whether the walls are wood or brick, how high it goes and whether the foundation gets replaced while it's up. The schedule turns on prep, the permit and inspections, the weather and any repairs we find once the house is off its foundation. When I come out, the estimate spells out what's included for your house, so you're not guessing.
How do you know if your house needs raising?
Foundation walls cracking or crumbling
Wide cracks, loose block or concrete that crumbles when you scratch it usually means the foundation is past patching. Waiting lets the walls above shift with it, and that damage adds to the job once the house is up.
Water under the house
Standing water in the crawlspace or a wet basement after every hard rain often means the house sits too low for the way water moves across your lot. Left alone, it keeps soaking the wood and the foundation, so there's more to fix by the time you lift.
Cracks running through brick
Stair-step cracks through brick or mortar usually tell you the foundation under that wall has moved. Brick doesn't bend, so the longer it keeps moving, the more of the wall needs work.
How we handle foundation raising
Lifting a house is mostly prep, so we start with what your house sits on and whether the walls are wood or brick. Brick takes more support and more care than a wood frame, so we plan where every support goes before anything moves. Then we set the supports, raise the house slowly and evenly, hold it there while the new foundation or the added height goes in, and set it back down. I'll also talk plainly with you about staying somewhere else while it's up. Prep is where most of the time and money goes, and it's the first thing people want to trim, but I won't cut it, because a house raised on a rushed plan is the one that ends up cracked.
Some of the work around a lift is concrete we do ourselves. If a porch, stoop or slab is poured tight against the foundation, concrete cutting separates it so the house can come up on its own. Once the house sits higher, the old drive may meet the garage or walk at the wrong height, and our concrete driveway building work brings a new drive up to meet it.
Raise the house higher
This suits a house that sits too low, where water keeps reaching the crawlspace or creeping toward the floor. We lift it, build the foundation up underneath and set it down at the new height.
Lift and replace the foundation
This suits a house whose foundation is cracked or crumbling past repair. It's the bigger job, since the old foundation comes out and a new one goes in while the house waits on supports.
Get a free estimate for raising your house
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at your foundation and the ground, and write a free estimate that spells out what's included, with no obligation.
(659) 901-5011- Based in
- Alabaster, AL 35007
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about lifting your house?
From your first call to the day the house is back down, here's how it goes and who you'll be dealing with.
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Call or send a message
Call (659) 901-5011 or use the form, and we'll set a time to come out. It helps to know your foundation type and whether your walls are wood or brick.
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I walk the house and ground
I come out myself, look at the foundation, the walls and the ground around them, and write an estimate that spells out what's included. You'll see what moves the price on your house, like how high it goes and whether the foundation gets replaced.
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We prep, lift and clean up
Once you say go, we line up the permit, pick a lift date that fits the weather, and I'm on site with the crew from prep through setting the house down and cleanup. Most of the calendar is prep, so plan around the whole project and not just the lift.
Why Alabaster homeowners call Alabaster Concrete to raise a house
The first step is me looking at your foundation and walls in person. Send us a message or call (659) 901-5011 to set a time.
I write the estimate myself
I come out, look at your foundation, walls and ground, write the estimate, and then run the crew on site when the house goes up. The plan you agreed to is the plan on lift day, with nobody in between.
We're fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured. On a lift that matters more than on most jobs, because your whole house sits on supports until it's set back down.
Straight answers since 2023
We've been in business since 2023, after I started out pouring walks and small pads for neighbors around Alabaster. If your house isn't a good fit for lifting, I'll tell you that before you spend money on it.
Permits and ground for foundation raising in Alabaster
Raising a house alters and moves the building, so plan on a permit from the city's Building Official, who issues the permit to build, alter, repair, move or demolish a structure in Alabaster through the city's Building and Engineering Services office. We're based in Alabaster and work in the cities around it, and which office handles your job depends on where you live, so before we set a date we check with the one over your address. If a permit is needed, we take care of the paperwork, or walk you through it if you're acting as your own contractor.
The ground matters as much as the house. The part of Shelby County near Calera sits on soft limestone and has a history of sinkholes, so on jobs in Calera I look hard at the ground before we decide where the supports go. That doesn't mean every lot around here has the problem, but a house resting on jacks needs solid footing under it, and we check for that the same way on jobs in Pelham.
Questions about foundation raising in Alabaster
How much does it cost to raise a house in Alabaster?
Across the US, lifting a house just to raise the structure usually costs about $10,000 to $40,000 per job, and that's the market's figure, not our price. Lifting it and replacing the foundation costs more than the lift alone. Your own number comes from the estimate after I've seen your foundation and walls.
How long does it take to raise a house, and how long are we out of it?
The whole project takes 4 to 8 weeks on average, and the lift itself takes 2 to 7 days once prep is done. Being inside the house while it's lifted isn't recommended, so plan a place to stay for the lift, but your furniture and belongings can stay right where they are.
Do I need a permit to raise my house in Alabaster?
Yes, plan on one, and the city may also want to review drawings or other documents before it approves the work. What it asks for depends on the size, location and complexity of the job. The applicant has to be a contractor licensed to do business in the city, or an owner acting as their own contractor.
What is the best way to raise a brick house?
A brick house can be raised, but it takes more planning than a wood-framed one. One equipment maker says brick, stone and masonry homes need more support points and often bracing inside, because masonry cracks easily when it moves unevenly, while wood frames are well suited to lifting. We plan the supports for a brick house before anything goes up.
Is it harder to raise a house on a slab foundation?
Generally, yes. Guidance written for another part of the country says homes on a concrete slab at ground level are harder to raise than homes on a basement, crawlspace or piers. Tell us which one you have when you call, because it shapes how big the job is.
Does a foundation contractor need a license in Alabama?
For bigger jobs, yes. The state's licensing rule gives the example of a contractor hired directly by a homeowner for $15,000 of foundation work, who must hold a current, valid residential home builder's license without limitation because the cost tops $10,000 and the work affects the home's structure. We check that example against the current rule for your job before we start.
Related concrete work around a house lift
When a porch slab, steps or an old walk is tied to the foundation, a clean saw cut lets the house rise without tearing up what you're keeping.
A raised house can leave the old driveway meeting the garage at the wrong height, and a new pour brings it up to match.
Service areas for foundation raising work
Alabaster Concrete is based in Alabaster, AL, and works in the cities around it, including Helena and Hoover. The 12 cities below have their own pages, and if you don't see yours, call and ask.
Book a look at your foundation
Have your foundation type, your wall material and your address's flood map result from AlabamaFlood handy when you call (659) 901-5011, so the first visit starts with your actual house.
Alabaster, AL