North and east Woodland
Major parts of northern and eastern Woodland sit in a FEMA flood hazard area, and significant construction there can face limits on what gets built and how it's built.
Foundation raising in Woodland CA - your home lifted above the flood zone
If your house sits low in a Woodland flood area, we lift it onto new piers or columns so the first floor sits higher.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What raising a house in Woodland involves
Foundation raising in Woodland means lifting your house and setting it on new piers, columns or pilings, which can put it above the flood zone. It's a project you plan over weeks, not something that happens in a weekend.
If you're reading this, you're probably deciding whether to get your house up out of the flood zone before the next wet winter or a big remodel. The price mostly turns on how your house sits now, because a house on piers or beams over a crawlspace is easier to lift than one on a slab, and that usually means less labor and a lower bill. How high it has to go, how big it is, what the engineer finds and how long the city takes to review the plans move both the price and the schedule, so once I've seen the house, I'll put your price in writing.
Thirteen years on the hard jobs
I started this business in Woodland in 2013 after commercial work where an inspector checked every phase, and the jobs other crews pass on are still the ones I like best.
Our own crew, licensed and insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and our own crew does the forming, pouring and finishing with me on site on pour days, so the person who priced it is there.
We handle the permit
When a job needs a permit, we handle the application and schedule the inspections, so you're not chasing paperwork while your house is sitting up on supports.
How we raise a house, step by step
Every lift starts with a structural engineer looking over your house, because the engineer decides whether it's a good candidate and spots anything that could make it unstable, and we work from that assessment instead of guessing. From there we do the prep work around and under the house, lift it, set the new piers or columns and lower the house onto them. I'll tell you plainly up front to expect some cracking inside while the house is moved, like drywall splitting at a corner, because a house doesn't go up without its walls and ceilings feeling it. I'd rather you hear that from me before the lift than find it afterward, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
A lift usually touches the concrete around it too. If the engineer's plan needs an opening through a foundation wall or slab, our concrete cutting work makes a clean cut so the concrete that stays isn't beaten up. Once the house sits higher, the old driveway often won't meet the garage the way it did, so we handle concrete driveway building on a base that's dug out and packed, because that hidden base is where I'd spend your money before any fancy finish.
Why Woodland houses get raised
The city's first floor rule
The city's summary for the Cache Creek 100-year floodplain says a new house, or one being significantly remodeled, must meet special code rules, chiefly a first floor above the base flood elevation, the expected high-water mark.
Cache Creek floods
Cache Creek has a long history of flooding, and its levees overtopped as recently as February 2019, which is why a lot of owners here ask about lifting before they remodel.
A record for the flood file
FEMA says the city's permit file must show that new or substantially improved buildings in flood areas are properly elevated, and it encourages its Elevation Certificate, which also helps with flood insurance.
Get a written price for your house lift
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out, look at your house in person and give you a free written estimate, with no obligation.
The price from the person doing it
The estimate comes from me after I've walked the house, not from a phone guess, so the number reflects your foundation, your lot and what the engineer found.
Permit checked before the price
If we're not sure whether your job needs a permit, we check with the local building office before we finalize the estimate, so it doesn't surprise you later.
Woodland and the cities around it
We're based in Woodland and work in the cities around it, from Davis and Winters to Roseville and Elk Grove, and if yours isn't named on the site, ask us anyway.
Concrete foundation and flatwork examples
Example photos of foundation supports, raised entries, steps and driveway approaches, to help us talk through layouts and finishes for your house.
Questions about raising a house in Woodland
Straight answers to what Woodland homeowners ask before a house lift, from cost and permits to timing and the floodplain.
How much does it cost to raise a house in Woodland?
National figures put house raising at about $1,000 to $25,000 per job across the US, and that's what the market usually charges, not our price. Where yours lands depends mostly on the foundation, how high the house goes and what the engineer finds, so I'll put your number in writing after I've seen the house.
Do I need a permit to raise my house in Woodland?
Most likely, yes. Woodland requires a building permit anytime a building or structure is altered, repaired, moved or improved, with some exceptions. Building Division staff at 530-661-5820 can tell you whether your project needs one, and they're the right people to ask about the permit before work starts.
How long does it take to raise a house?
On average the lift itself takes two to seven days, but the whole project usually runs four to eight weeks by national figures, and prep is often the longest part. In Woodland, allow at least two to four weeks for the city's first review of your plans, longer for a complex project, and plan your move around that.
How do I know if my house is in the Woodland floodplain?
Look up your address on the city's Cache Creek 100-year floodplain map, which is the first thing I'd check before we talk about a lift. Much of north and east Woodland sits in the flood hazard area covered above, and Building Division staff can answer questions about what the rules mean for your project.
What hours can construction crews work in Woodland?
Woodland allows construction from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Any exception has to be approved by the city's Building Official, so we plan a lift inside those hours and you can tell your neighbors when to expect noise.
Call about raising your Woodland house
Call (530) 309-0224 or use the estimate form, and have your address, foundation type and any engineer's assessment handy so the first visit goes further.