Slidell & St. Tammany Parish
House raising in Slidell, LA
Get your home above the flood line. Local house raising and home elevation for slab and pier-and-beam homes, from a few feet to a full second story of clearance.
- Slab and pier-and-beam homes raised and set on new piers
- Experience with FEMA grant elevation projects (HMGP and FMA)
- Engineering, permits and elevation certificates coordinated for you
- Free on-site estimates across St. Tammany Parish
House raising and elevation services
Whether you are raising to meet Base Flood Elevation, cut a flood insurance bill, or just stop flooding every time a storm stalls over the lake, it starts with the right lift for your foundation.
House Raising
Lift your home above flood level and set it on a new, higher foundation.
Learn more →Slab House Raising
Raise slab-on-grade homes, with or without the slab, to the height you need.
Learn more →Pier and Beam House Raising
Raise raised or crawlspace homes higher and set them on new piers or pilings.
Learn more →House Leveling
Fix sloping floors, sticking doors and cracked walls by re-leveling the house.
Learn more →Foundation Shoring & Repair
Shoring, pier replacement and foundation repair for raised and settling homes.
Learn more →How it works
Call or send a request
Tell us about the home: foundation type, square footage, and whether you are working with a grant or insurance claim.
On-site inspection
A local elevation contractor looks at the structure, the foundation and the lot, and explains the options.
Engineering and permits
Plans are drawn to your target elevation and permits are pulled with the parish or city.
Lift and set
The house is lifted on hydraulic jacks, new piers or foundation are built, and the home is set and reconnected.
Why Slidell homeowners raise their homes
Slidell sits between Lake Pontchartrain, the Pearl River and a web of bayous, and much of the city is low enough that storm surge and heavy rain can reach living areas. Neighborhoods that took water in Katrina and again in Isaac know the pattern: clean out, rebuild, and hope it does not happen again.
Raising the home is the permanent fix. Lifting the living floor above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) for your lot keeps water out of the house, and it can sharply reduce flood insurance premiums under FEMA's current rating system. It also tends to help resale, because buyers know the home is built to today's flood standards.
What a house raising project involves
Every lift starts with the foundation. Pier-and-beam homes are usually the most straightforward to raise because the jacking beams can slide under the existing floor framing. Slab-on-grade homes can be raised too, either by lifting the house together with its slab or by separating the house from the slab and building a new framed floor system.
Once the home is on cribbing at its new height, crews build permanent support underneath: typically masonry or concrete piers on new footings, or driven pilings where soils and code call for them. The home is then lowered onto the new foundation, utilities are reconnected, and new stairs, decks or a lift are added for access.
Paying for it: grants, ICC and financing
Many raises in St. Tammany are funded in part by FEMA mitigation grants administered through the parish, such as the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA). Homes with repeated flood claims are often the highest priority. If your home was substantially damaged in a flood and you carry NFIP flood insurance, Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage can also contribute toward elevation.
See our FEMA elevation grants guide for how these programs work, and ask the contractor who inspects your home whether they have experience with grant paperwork and timelines.
Serving Slidell and St. Tammany Parish
From Eden Isle and Olde Towne Slidell to the north shore towns along the lake and the Tchefuncte River.
Homeowner guides
Will Raising Your House Lower Flood Insurance in Louisiana?
How house elevation affects NFIP flood insurance premiums in St. Tammany Parish, what an elevation certificate does, and what to ask your agent.
Read guide →How Long Does It Take to Raise a House in Louisiana?
A realistic timeline for raising a house in Slidell and St. Tammany Parish, from inspection and permits to the lift and move-back-in day.
Read guide →Slab vs. Pier and Beam: Which Homes Are Easier to Raise?
How foundation type changes the cost, method and timeline of raising a house in Slidell, and what to expect for slab and pier-and-beam homes.
Read guide →Common questions
How high can you raise a house in Slidell?
Most Slidell projects raise the living floor to the Base Flood Elevation for the lot plus any extra height the parish or the homeowner wants. That can mean a couple of feet or eight feet or more. Your elevation certificate and the local floodplain requirements set the minimum; the engineer and contractor will confirm the final height.
Can a slab house be raised?
Yes. Slab homes can be lifted with the slab attached or separated from the slab and given a new framed floor. It usually costs more than raising a pier-and-beam home, but it is done regularly in South Louisiana.
Do I need a permit to raise my house?
Yes. House raising requires permits and engineered plans. In unincorporated St. Tammany the parish handles permitting; inside the City of Slidell the city does. Your contractor normally pulls the permits.
Will raising my house lower my flood insurance?
Often, yes. Flood insurance pricing considers how high your lowest floor sits relative to expected flooding. Raising the home typically lowers the premium, sometimes significantly. Ask your insurance agent to price your policy at the new elevation before you commit.
How long does a house raising take?
The physical lift and new foundation often take several weeks to a few months depending on the home and weather. Engineering, permitting and grant approvals before the job starts can add months, especially on grant-funded projects.
Thinking about raising your home? Get a free estimate from a local house raising pro.