Raising a house is one of the biggest projects a homeowner can take on. Your whole home is lifted off its foundation, so the contractor you choose matters more than almost any other decision. Here’s how to vet one.
Verify the basics
- State license. Louisiana requires contractors to be licensed through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) for many types and sizes of work. Look up the company on the LSLBC website and confirm the license is active and covers the work.
- Insurance. Ask for certificates of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, sent directly from the insurance agent. A house in the air is a big liability, so make sure it’s covered.
- Experience lifting homes like yours. Slab homes and pier-and-beam homes are lifted very differently. Ask how many homes like yours the contractor has raised, and where.
Questions to ask on the first visit
- Who does the engineering, and will I get stamped plans?
- Who pulls the permits, the city or the parish?
- What foundation do you expect for my lot: piers, pilings or something else?
- What’s included? Utility disconnect and reconnect, stairs, skirting, driveway or plumbing extensions?
- How do you protect the house during the lift, and what happens if there’s damage?
- How long will the house be in the air, and can we live in it during the job? (Usually not.)
- Have you worked on FEMA grant projects? (Important if you’re using HMGP or FMA funds.)
- Can I talk to two or three recent customers?
Red flags
- Big cash deposit up front, especially right after a storm. Payment schedules should follow milestones.
- No written contract, or a contract without a clear scope, price and timeline.
- “We don’t need a permit.” House raising requires permits and engineering.
- Door-to-door storm chasers with out-of-state plates who show up after a flood and push you to sign that day.
- Unwilling to give license or insurance details. A legitimate contractor shares them without hesitation.
Comparing quotes
House raising quotes vary a lot, often because they cover different things. Line them up by:
- Lift height and foundation type
- What’s included and excluded (stairs, utilities, permits, engineering, elevation certificate)
- Payment schedule
- Timeline
- Warranty on the foundation work
The cheapest quote often leaves out items that come back as change orders. See our house raising cost guide for what typically drives the price.
Let us help
We connect Slidell and St. Tammany homeowners with local house raising contractors. You still verify the license and insurance and choose who to hire, and the guidance above applies to anyone you talk to. Request a free estimate to get started.