Foundation raising in Columbus NE - a house that sits level on a base that holds
Sticking doors and new cracks in the walls? We check whether your house can be jacked, then lift it level on a sound base.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Two kinds of foundation raising we do
Leveling a settled house
When one corner or side has dropped, we jack the house back up and set it on new support so its weight sits evenly again.
Raising a house higher
This lifts the whole house above where it sits now and sets it on a taller base, which suits a home where rising water is the worry.
Can my house be raised back level, and what will it take?
Foundation raising in Columbus, NE means jacking your house up, either to correct how it has settled or to lift the whole house higher, and then setting it down on a base that will carry it.
Most people call when a door starts sticking, a new crack shows up or a floor starts to slope, and they want to know two things, whether it can be fixed and what it'll cost. The price mostly turns on what your walls are built from, how far the house has to come up, what base it ends up on and whether the old foundation can stay or has to be replaced, which costs more than lifting the house alone. The schedule turns on whether your lot needs a floodplain permit and on the weather, because I'd rather move a date than lift in the wrong conditions. You get your own figure from the estimate once I've looked at the house.
What goes into a foundation raising job
Not every house is a good fit for jacking, so the first thing I look at is what the walls are built from, then where the house has dropped.
Going over your list
Make a list of sticking doors and new cracks for the first visit, because it shows me where the house has moved.
Opening up access
If a slab, step or wall is in the way, we use concrete cutting to open it cleanly so the concrete around it stays whole.
Lifting in even steps
We raise the house in even steps and hold it on temporary supports, because a lopsided lift can crack what it's meant to fix.
Setting it on its base
We set the house down on new support, grade so water runs away from it and rebuild the driveway approach if the height changed.
Why Columbus homeowners call Columbus Concrete
I started out doing side jobs for neighbors and made Columbus Concrete a full-time business in 2023, so you're dealing with the person who looks at your house and answers for the work. Call (531) 400-9011 and I'll come take a look.
Ground work done right first
We're known for getting the dig, the base and the drainage right before anything goes back down, because that's what your house ends up standing on.
Licensed and fully insured in Columbus
Nebraska requires contractors doing business in the state to register with the Nebraska Department of Labor, but registration doesn't vouch for the work. We're licensed and fully insured, so ask anyone you're weighing about both.
Know what you're paying for first
I want you to know what you're paying for before we start, so we go over the estimate together and answer your questions before anyone touches the house.
What happens when you call about raising your house?
We plan each lift around your house and your week, so you know what the work involves and when it'll affect you before anything moves.
or call (531) 400-9011
Call or send the form
Call (531) 400-9011 or send the form and tell us what the house is built from and what you've noticed so far.
I look at the house
I come out myself to look at the walls, measure and ask how you use the house, and we go over your list together.
Your written estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, like base work and hauling. When the work starts, I'm on site with our crew.
Get a written plan and price for lifting your house from Columbus Concrete
Tell us what the house is built from, what you've noticed and whether you know its flood status, and we'll reply within one business day. The estimate is free, done at your property and comes with no obligation.
Questions about raising a house
How much does it cost to raise a house in Columbus, NE?
Lifting just the house structure usually costs about $10,000 to $40,000 per job across the US, and that's the national market, not our price. If the old foundation has to be replaced too, it costs more than lifting alone. Your own number comes from the estimate after I've seen the house.
Can a brick or masonry house be jacked up?
Usually not, because one extension guide says masonry is often sensitive to movement and shouldn't be jacked, while wood-frame houses often can be. If your walls are brick, block or stone, I'll tell you that at the first visit instead of selling you a lift.
Can I stay in my house while it's being raised?
Plan on staying somewhere else, because one cost guide says living in or being inside the house during the lift isn't recommended. The same guide says everything inside can stay where it is, so you don't have to empty the house.
What is the best way to raise a house, on walls, piers or fill?
It comes down to which base suits your house, since FEMA lists elevating on continuous foundation walls, on an open foundation such as piles, piers, posts or columns, or on fill. Each one leaves the house standing on something different, so we go over them with you before we price the job.
What causes sticking doors and new cracks in my walls?
Uneven settling is a common cause, and it can leave doors and windows that won't open, cracks that mar the walls and even structural damage. Those signs don't tell you on their own how far it's gone, so I'd look before anyone talks price.
Can helical piles fix a house that's settling unevenly?
One maker says helical piles, steel shafts screwed deep into the ground, can supplement or replace a foundation distressed from uneven settling, cracking, heaving or general failure. Whether they suit your house is something I'd judge once I've seen the walls and what's under them.
Other work that often goes with a lift
Concrete cutting
Need an opening for a door, a utility line or a repair? Sawing it keeps the edges straight and the rest of the slab in one piece.
Explore Concrete cuttingConcrete driveway building
If the lift leaves your garage sitting higher than the drive, or the old one has sunk and cracked, we build a new driveway on a packed base.
Explore Concrete driveway buildingFoundation installation
When the old foundation is too far gone to keep, a new one poured under the raised house gives it a sound base to come down on.
Explore Foundation installation
Foundation raising in Columbus and the floodplain
In Columbus, the city's Engineering Department handles floodplain permits for structural and nonstructural work, and development waits until the floodplain administrator approves the application. Floodplain covers over 19% of Platte County's land, so it's a real question for a lot of houses around here. The county says to check with its floodplain administrator to find out whether your property is in a floodplain or floodway, and floodplain maps are kept at the Highway Department Office in the Platte County Courthouse and with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. Before we start, we check with the right city office about your job, and if a permit is needed, we help you get it lined up so the paperwork doesn't hold up the lift.
We do the same work in Schuyler and other cities around the area, and the first two questions are the same as on jobs across Columbus, what the walls are made of and whether the lot takes water, so we plan the new base around both. If you're not sure we cover your place, call and ask.