Foundation raising in Bothell WA - your house set higher on new concrete below
When water reaches the crawlspace or the old foundation is failing, we build the new concrete your raised house comes back down onto.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does it take to raise a house in Bothell?
Foundation raising in Bothell, WA lifts your house off its old foundation on hydraulic jacks and holds it on temporary supports while a new or extended foundation is built underneath, so it can be set back down higher and on sound concrete.
Most people who call about this have water getting under the house, an old foundation that's giving out, or both, and they want to know whether lifting is worth it. The price moves with the size and shape of the house, how many stories it has, what it's built of, how high it needs to go and what each bid actually covers. The schedule turns on the mover's calendar, any permit and the curing time the new concrete needs before the house goes back on it. I'll give you your own figures in a written estimate that spells out what's included and what isn't.
How do you know your house may need raising?
Water in the crawlspace
You find standing water or soaked dirt under the house after a hard rain. That usually means the floor sits lower than the water gets, and for every wet season it stays that way, the framing and anything stored down there keep getting wet.
Cracked or crumbling foundation walls
You see wide cracks in the foundation walls or pieces chipping off near the bottom. Usually that's an old foundation near the end of its life, and the longer it goes, the more water gets in and the harder it is to build on.
Floors that slope or sag
Doors start to stick and a marble rolls toward one wall. That often means part of the foundation has settled, and waiting tends to spread the cracks into the walls and trim before anything gets fixed.
How our foundation raising work goes, from lift to pour
The house mover does the lifting, and our crew builds what the house comes down onto. First the mover works with the utility companies to disconnect all the utilities and plumbing, clears away plantings, stairs and landings that are in the way, then raises the house and holds it there. We dig out, pack the subgrade, which is the ground the footings sit on, set the forms and the rebar, the steel that holds the concrete together if it cracks, and pour. Then we let it cure, the wait while concrete gains strength, before any weight goes back on it. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather trim the finish on exposed walls than the digging and steel under them, because nobody can get at those again once the house is sitting there.
A lift almost always touches the concrete around the house. Walks, patios or a garage apron poured tight against the old foundation usually have to be separated before the mover can work, and we do that with concrete cutting so the edges come out straight and nothing cracks back into the slab you're keeping. Once the house sits higher, the old driveway often no longer meets the garage well, and a new concrete driveway brings it back in line.
A new foundation under the house
This suits a house whose old foundation is cracked or crumbling, because building fresh lets the whole foundation be sized and reinforced for the new height instead of patched. It means more digging, but you end up with nothing old underneath.
Extending the foundation you have
This suits a house with a sound foundation that just needs to reach higher, because keeping good concrete in place can mean less tear-out. I check at the estimate whether yours is in good enough shape to build on, and I'll tell you plainly if it isn't.
Get a written estimate for the foundation under your raised house
We reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out myself, look at the house and give you a free written estimate that spells out what's included, with no pressure to book.
- Based in
- Bothell, WA 98011
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
What happens when you call us about raising your house?
Here's how it runs from your first call, so you know who you'll talk to and what you'll have in hand before anything gets lifted.
Call or send the form
You call (425) 384-1147 or send the form, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come out. If you know whether the house sits in a flood area, please mention it, since that can affect the permit.
I visit and write it up
I look at the house, ask how high it needs to go and what the space underneath has to do, and check the permit side. You get an estimate in writing that spells out what's included and what isn't, so nothing in the price surprises you later.
We build, then walk it
Once you're ready, we sort out any permits, set a date that fits the mover's schedule, and our own crew builds the foundation. When the house is back down, I walk the finished work with you.
Why Bothell homeowners call us for foundation raising
The same person, estimate to pour
I write your estimate myself, and I lead our own crew on site when the foundation goes in. The person who explained the plan to you is the one standing there when it gets built.
Building around Bothell since 2017
I learned concrete on flatwork and foundation crews in this area and started this business in Bothell in 2017. That's nine years of planning the ground prep first, which is the part your house will rest on for a long time.
Licensed and insured for your job
We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to tell you how to look us up before you sign anything. With your whole house up on supports, that's worth checking.
On a lift, the part that matters most is what the house comes down onto, so it's worth getting that planned before anyone sets a jack. When you're ready, please get in touch or call (425) 384-1147.
Raising a house and building its foundation in Bothell
The rule that can change this job here is about flood areas. If your house sits in a special flood hazard area, the city requires a special flood hazard area permit for any work there, and those applications go in online only, through MyBuildingPermit.com. If your lot is outside those areas, the city's Permit Center is the place to ask what your lift needs. I look at the permit side when I come out for the estimate, and when a permit is needed, we can prepare and file it with the right office and plan the start date around it.
We're based in Bothell and work across the cities around it, and the houses people ask about here and in Kirkland and Woodinville often have porches, steps and plantings close to the walls. We plan the new foundation with the mover so those pieces come off cleanly and can be rebuilt to the new height afterward.
Questions about raising a house in Bothell
How much does it cost to raise a house in Bothell?
Raising a typical single-family house across the US usually costs about $20,000 to $80,000 per job. That's a national range for the whole job, not our price. Your own figure comes from looking at your house, and I'll put ours in writing after the visit.
What is the best way to compare bids for raising a house?
Compare them by what each one includes, not by the bottom number. A lift-only price assumes you arrange the utility disconnects, the new foundation and the reconnection through separate contracts, while a turnkey price folds all of that into one number. Our written estimate covers the foundation work we do alongside the mover and says plainly what's in it and what isn't, so you can line it up against the others.
Is my house a good candidate for lifting?
A single-story, rectangular, wood-frame house on a crawlspace is the easiest kind to raise, and a multi-story masonry house on a slab poured right on the ground is the hardest. Most homes fall somewhere in between, so it helps to place yours on that scale before you ask for bids. I'll tell you what I see when I come out.
Do I need a permit to raise my house in Bothell?
If your house is in a special flood hazard area, yes, the city requires its flood area permit for work there. For any other lot, ask the city's Permit Center, as I explain in the Bothell section above, and I'll go over it with you at the estimate.
How do I check a contractor in Washington?
Washington requires every construction contractor to register with the Department of Labor & Industries and to be bonded and insured. You can look any contractor up with L&I's online search by name, contractor license, workers' comp account or UBI number. It's worth doing before anyone lifts your house.
Does raising my house make it more likely to be damaged in an earthquake?
It can. Guidance for homeowners on elevating a house notes that a raised home can be more susceptible to earthquake damage, so it's worth weighing that alongside the flood protection and asking how the new foundation handles it. I'll talk that tradeoff through with you plainly at the estimate, before you decide anything.
Related concrete work when a house goes up
Concrete cutting
Slabs, walks or old footings tied to the house sometimes have to come free in clean lines first, so the lift and the new pour start square.
Concrete driveway building
When the house ends up higher, the old driveway may meet the garage at a step or a steep angle, and a new pour can fix that.
Cities we serve around Bothell
C&S Bothell Concrete Contractors is based in Bothell, WA, and we work across the cities around it, including Shoreline and Redmond. These are the 12 cities with their own page here, and if yours isn't listed, please just ask.
Ask about raising your Bothell house
Have your address handy, plus how many stories the house has, what it's built of and whether it sits on a crawlspace or a slab, and our first call will go a lot further.