House lifting is a construction method that temporarily lifts an existing home off its foundation. This process allows us to place a permanent foundation, perform critical repairs, and build an entirely new ground-floor level into your existing house. As a result, homeowners create valuable additional square footage without sacrificing outdoor living space or requiring a move to a new property.
The Benefits of Raising a House
House lifts are on the rise here in Victoria. With the high price of land, it makes sense. Plus, a house lift means families can get more out of their home while staying in the home and neighbourhood they love.
Here are some key benefits of investing in a house lift:
1. Additional Living Space.
The primary goal of lifting a home is to expand your footprint. For many homes, this process effectively doubles the total square footage, creating space for an office, a gym, or even a secondary suite.
2. Resale Value.
There’s no question that more square footage equals higher resale value. This is especially true if you’re able to make necessary repairs and reinforcements while the house is in the air.
3. Unlocking Your View.
Because many older homes in tight neighbourhoods lose sightlines to neighbours or vegetation, lifting the home often unlocks panoramic views of the water, mountains, or surrounding community that were previously blocked. Keep in mind your gain may be someone else’s loss.
4. Critical Structural & Utility Upgrades.
Lifting your home provides a rare opportunity to address structural health while it is easy to access. This is an ideal time to replace aging footings with reinforced concrete and update mechanicals—like electrical, HVAC, or plumbing—saving you money on future retrofitting costs. There is also an opportunity for structural additions like a new chimney.
5. Grandfathered Regulations.
Some houses that are near the ocean or elsewhere could have newer setback regulations. Allowing the houses to remain where they are (with a house lift) would allow the home to keep grandfathered regulations. Whereas a tear-down would force it into the new setback regulations.
Before a House Lift Begins
Before you begin a house raising project, there are a number of items you’ll need to review and verify with the help of your custom home builder.
1. Height.
As expected, a lift increases the total height of a house. If you live in close proximity to neighbours, this added height could be problematic – especially if you’re blocking views or direct sunlight.
Depending on which municipality you reside in, height limits may restrict you from building upwards. There can also be covenants on a property or neighbourhood that regulate height. Consult with your builder first, as they may be able to obtain a variance if possible.
2. Cost.
House lifting is a complex structural project requiring specialized heavy machinery and engineering expertise. The process involves extensive site preparation (underpinning or piering) and requires the residents to relocate during construction. Cost will also be impacted by how large the house is and how it is constructed. A detailed feasibility study by your contractor will help determine what budget will be required.
3. Foundation.
Some homes – especially the older ones – will be built with a simple foundation that is no longer up to modern standards. Your foundation may need to be rebuilt to support the extra weight. It will also be a more flood-resistant foundation, which is great news if you are planning to finish the basement.
How a House Lift Works
Raising your house is not a simple task. It requires lots of skilled bodies and some hefty equipment to get the job done. Because a mistake could be catastrophic, attention to detail and patience are central to the process.
Before any lifting begins, utility lines are disconnected, and the house is physically separated from its existing foundation. Our engineers cut precisely through the load-bearing walls to ensure the structure slides free without structural damage during the ascent.
We utilize a “Unified Jacking System” — a synchronized network of high-capacity hydraulic jacks that lift the home evenly. This prevents structural twisting or cracking. The house moves slowly (sometimes just one inch at a time) under constant monitoring to ensure delicate finishes remain intact.
Once the house is lifted to a satisfactory height, support cribs are constructed that are able to bear the enormous weight. From there, your builder can begin constructing your new living space. While the house is raised, this is also the time for pouring a new foundation and updating any of the electrical, HVAC or plumbing systems.
The construction of the new living space along with any desired upgrades will be the longest phase of the project. Once complete, your house is ready to return to the ground. With the concrete fully cured and the structure secured, the hydraulic jacks are gradually retracted, safely lowering your expanded home onto its permanent foundation.
When it comes to house lifting, experience matters. At Horizon Pacific Contracting, we’ve managed dozens of complex house lifts with an emphasis on heritage homes. Contact us today for a house lifting estimate.