Are you a property owner whose home has flooded? Do you have an elevation certificate? Are you interested in learning what it takes to lift your home up and away from flood water? Do you have questions about the investment required and the availability of funds or grants?
Due to the high volume of requests from homeowners regarding house raising in response to Houston & Gulf Coast flooding, Olshan Foundation Solutions is now offering free, no-obligation Home Elevation consultations.
Your Free Olshan Home Elevation Consultation includes:
- Inspection and measure of your home
- Review of floor plans
- Verification that your home is structurally sound and can be safely lifted
- Development of a Project Plan with a CAD Drawing
- A comprehensive repair plan designed by an Olshan Certified Structural Technician in conjunction with our in-house team of Home Elevation specialists
- Detailed project pricing and options to enhance curb appeal after the home is lifted
- An overview of our own existing payment options as well as what we’ve seen historically as far as grant programs and other opportunities to secure financial assistance
- The Olshan Home Elevation Consultation is available for both slab and crawl space homes
Schedule your free Home Elevation consultation instantly. *100% Free. No-obligation to buy. No pushy sales tactics. Just quality information.
Raising Your Home Above The Floodplain Process
Topics Commonly Addressed During The Free Home Elevation Consultation
- How likely is it to flood in my area again?
- Does insurance cover home elevation?
- Does FEMA assist with home elevation?
- What funds or grants are available?
- Will new financial assistance programs dedicated to Harvey emerge and if so, when?
- To apply for financial assistance, what paperwork do I need to complete and where do I find it?
- Are there any important deadlines I need to meet?
- What are the unique municipality requirements in my area?
- What permits will I need?
- Can Olshan help me manage the pre-installation process in any way?
- Is home elevation safe?
- How high can my home be elevated?
- Will heavy winds become a hazard to an elevated home?
- How long does the home elevation process take?
- Can I live in my home during the project?
- How much does it cost to raise my home above potential flood hazards?
- How much does it cost to raise a house and redo the foundation?
- Is Olshan’s home elevation solution backed by warranty?
- What is the timeline to get started?
- What finishes and options are available to boost my home’s curb appeal post-lift?
ABC 13 News – Olshan Helps a Local Family Elevate Their Home
Olshan Home Elevation Project Featured on ABC13 News
Full story available here.
Going up! Westbury home being raised to protect it from future floods. pic.twitter.com/eCRm9vkG7H
— Jeff Ehling (@JeffEhlingABC13) March 21, 2018
Why Consider House Raising in Houston, TX?
For Houston homeowners, storm threats are a common occurrence. With flooding becoming an increasingly more frequent consequence.
- Tropical Storm/Hurricane 3 out of every 4 years
- Most serious threat is flooding
- The weaker the system, the more heavy rains and potential for catastrophic flooding
- Houston Area Storms: Alicia (1983), Allison, (1989 & 2001), Charley (1998) Tax Day Floods & Memorial Day (2016), Harvey (2017)
Before Elevation
Before Elevation
After Elevation During Flood
After Elevation During Flood
Before Elevation
Before Elevation
After Elevation
After Elevation
Time Lapse of a Slab Foundation Elevated by Olshan in the Westbury Neighborhood of Houston
Questions About Elevating Your Home?
Chris Cates, General Manager of Olshan Foundation Repair in Houston, TX sits down to discuss some of the commonly asked questions regarding Home Elevation projects.
Getting The Home Elevation Process Started – The Paperwork
The first major step includes getting a comprehensive measure of your home, development of a project plan including a CAD drawing, Engineering review & approval, elevation certificates, and Permits.
- Inspection and measure of your home. Review of floor plans and feasibility for elevation
- Development of a Project Plan with a CAD Drawing
- Engineering Review and Approval
- Elevation Certificates meeting Base Flood Elevation (BFE) & municipality requirements
- Necessary Permits
Lifting Your Home – Excavation
- Line locate is performed
- Excavation of exterior grade beams
- Excavation of interior beams
- Tunneling performed, keeping the slab intact and structurally sound
Supporting Your Raised Home In Houston’s Harsh Climate
- Olshan offers the best available system to support your home
- Soil conditions, fault lines and other factors affecting Houston properties are considered
- Olshan has repaired over 50,000 homes in Houston since 1933
- Olshan is home to 90 Years of historical data specific to your area
Utilities – Disconnect & Reconnect
Utilities must be disconnected during the elevation process. We work with you to minimize the time from disconnect to reconnect.
- Electrical
- Gas
- Plumbing: Supply & Waste Water
The Home Elevation Process
- Olshan can lift your home from just inches above your home’s existing grade or from 4’ to 20’ Feet High
- Unified Lifting System makes the process safe, efficient and easy on you and your home
New Foundation and Curb Appeal Options
Exterior Finish:
- New Foundation
- Block Walls
- Columns
Curb Appeal:
- Stucco
- Split block
- Aluminum Flood Vents
- Stairs
- Decks
- Wrought Iron Rails
- Even personal lifts for ADA access
How Long Does it Take To Raise My Home Above Potential Flood Hazards?
The elevation portion of the project usually takes 60-90 days, but you usually only have to leave your home for 1-2 days. This time frame is for the elevation portion of the project only and does not include landscaping, fencing, etc.
Are There Federal Funds Available?
For victims of Harvey, programs usually take years to finalize. For example, the Meyerland program from floods in Spring 2016 are only just now being approved and funded in September of 2017.
- Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) – $30K
- Repairs cost 51% or more of the building’s pre-damage market value.
- Repetitive loss provision – twice in the past 10 years & cost of repair exceeded 25% of market value
Looking for a House Raising Company? Why Olshan?
- Locally owned & operated since 1933
- Patented & Proven Systems – Cable Lock ST+
- Experience with Houston soil conditions, faults and depths
- Knowledge of local municipality & permit requirements
- Financially Secure & Properly Insured for your protection
- Elevating homes safely and efficiently using a Unified Lift System
- Elevated over 2,000 homes in Texas & Louisiana since Katrina
Olshan Recognized by the State of Texas
Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey has affected our own friends and family here at Olshan, including members of our team. Since we were established in 1933, we’ve seen a lot of big storms, but perhaps none as devastating as Harvey.
Since Harvey, we have been inundated with inquires from homeowners looking to elevate their homes to protect against flood damage. In response to the high demand, and in part due to the complex process, we have decided to offer free Home Elevation consultations.
Our goal is that after you receive a consultation, you will be armed with all the information you need to understand the process from begging-to-end.
Resources
- Apply for a Flood Risk Reduction Grant – Home elevation may be applicable for homes deep in the floodplain or where there are clusters of interested homeowners. Make sure to share this website with your neighbors.
- Home recovery grant funding available to low income households affected by Harvey
- Flood Mitigation Assistance Program
- Governor’s Proposal Would Include Funding for Home Elevation
- Elevating Your House (FEMA)
- Grants & Funding
- 2017 FMA Home Elevation Grant Program
- FMA Home Elevation Grant Presentation
- GPS Data Shows Hurricane Harvey Bent The Earths Crust – CW39 News Houston, featuring Chris Cates, General Manager of Olshan Foundation Repair
- Hurricane Harvey by the Numbers Infographic
- Blog Post & Video: What You Need to Know About Elevating Your Home