A Methodology For House Leveling - DIY House Leveling
When determining whether or not it makes sense to take on a house leveling project yourself, it's important to take several steps once it's evident that it's a job you can do. The bottom line is that if you determine that the entire foundation is not level, you may simply need to hire a house mover to lift the house, reinstall and/or replace the foundation, and put the house back. However, if you should find that there is a dip in the middle of the home, you can save yourself a lot of money by doing it yourself. Just make sure you have a methodology in place.
The first step to taking on a house leveling project is to hire a structural engineer to assess the depth of work to be done. Make sure that he or she is experienced in doing this specialized work and get references that you can call to ensure they do good work. You want to make sure that a professional gives you the thumbs up to begin the work versus simply jumping in. It's possible that you could cause more problems rather than solving the one's you have. Make sure you have a hydraulic jack, taut string or a laser level, concrete blocks, and steel plates that are at least 1/4 of an inch thick.
The next step in completing the house leveling project is to figure out how much the middle of the home needs to be leveled. Use the taut string or the laser level and make a straight line from one side of the foundation to the other. This may be easier for you if you simply hold the string off the sagging joists by attaching like-sized blocks at opposite sides of the basement. Once you nail them to the underside of the joists as close as you can to the foundation, you can measure the distance from that line to the bottom of the floor joists and repeat as necessary.
Mark the location of the lowest point of the center and begin building your temporary post using the concrete blocks. To minimize any issues during the house leveling process, make sure that you're building the post on solid ground. Stack the blocks in alternating 90 degree layers to ensure the stability of the post. Once there is adequate space between the post and the foundation, use the hydraulic jack to elevate the foundation to the point where it's level. Add smaller blocks to support it at the new elevation.
You should have stabilization at this point. You can now remove the jack and the house should rest on the new post. Make sure there no additional problems caused by the movement of the home and repeat the post building process as necessary. When the floor is stable, you can prepare for permanent supports. The existing supports may actually be adequate.
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