Foundation raising in Sheridan WY - a higher house on new concrete built to carry it
House sitting too low, or a foundation you don't trust anymore? We lift it, build new concrete underneath and set it back down.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Can my house be raised, and what does that involve?
Foundation raising in Sheridan, WY means separating your house from its foundation, lifting it on hydraulic jacks, holding it on temporary supports and building a new or extended foundation under it. That's how most frame and masonry houses get raised, and it starts with making sure yours can take the lift.
Most calls start with a house that sits lower than the owner wants, or an old foundation they've stopped trusting, and the first question is whether lifting is even an option. On a house with a crawlspace or basement it often is, and on a slab it's a harder call. The price moves with the size and weight of the house, how high it goes and how much new concrete has to go under it, and the schedule turns on the engineer's review and the utility work at both ends. I'll lay out your options and the price in a written estimate once I've seen the house.
What foundation raising involves, in order
First, an engineer looks at whether the house can take the lift, and on a slab home that comes before anything else. Then we plan the utility shutoffs and reconnections with you, so you know ahead of time when you'll be without water, gas or power. The house is separated from its foundation, raised on hydraulic jacks and held on temporary supports, and while it's up we dig out, pack the base so the new concrete isn't sitting on loose dirt, set forms and pour the new foundation. Once the house is set down on it, the lines get reconnected and the yard gets put back.
Two other jobs often come along with a raise. Opening an old wall or slab to free the house or run new lines is concrete cutting work, and when the house ends up higher, the drive usually has to come up to meet it, which is where concrete driveway building comes in.
Raising onto a new foundation
This suits a house whose old foundation is too low or too far gone to keep, because the house goes up on supports and we build new concrete underneath from the ground up. It's the bigger job, and the soil under it shapes the design.
Extending the foundation you have
When the engineer finds the existing foundation sound, it can sometimes be built up to the new height instead of replaced. That usually means less digging and less new concrete, but you only know it's an option once someone has looked.
Foundation raising on Sheridan's clay ground
About 26% of the soil in Sheridan County is expansive clay, the kind that swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries, which is a little over twice the Wyoming average of 12%. The state's geological survey says buildings put on these clays without the right precautions can crack, collapse or fail. That county figure isn't a reading of your lot, though. It's the reason I ask about the soil early, so the engineer and the new foundation design account for what's actually under the house, and we see the same kind of ground on jobs across Sheridan and the cities around it.
Our winters add one more thing to plan for. FEMA's guidance on raising homes notes that if a house ends up on an open foundation, utility lines coming up from below can be exposed to freezing, so we work out with you how those lines will be protected before the design is final.
Why Sheridan homeowners call Sheridan Concrete to raise a house
I look at every job myself
I come out to every site before there's an estimate, and I'm on site with our crew when the work gets done. On a raise that matters, because a plan made with the engineer is only as good as the person watching it get carried out.
Licensed and insured, worth asking about
We're licensed and insured. The City of Sheridan licenses contractors, and its contractor FAQ covers how often those licenses get renewed, so it's fair to ask any crew, ours included, whether theirs is current.
Learned on Sheridan concrete crews
I spent every summer through school on concrete crews around Sheridan, from the shovel up to finishing, and started this business in 2023. The jobs with a catch were always the part I liked, and raising a house is about as catchy as concrete work gets.
If you're wondering whether your house can go up, the first step is getting it looked at, so send us a request or call (307) 218-3106 and I'll come out.
Request a quoteGet a written estimate for raising your house
We reply to every call and form within one business day. The estimate is free and done on site, and there's no pressure to book. Once you send this, we'll set a time for me to come look at the house.
What happens when you call about raising your house in Sheridan?
Call or send the form
Tell us what the house sits on and what's going on with it. We get back to you to set a time for a visit.
I walk the house with you
I look at the house and the ground around it, ask how you use it and what you want from the raise, and walk you through the choices. You then get a written estimate, so you know what's in the price before you decide anything.
Engineer first, then the build
If an engineer hasn't looked at the house yet, that comes first, and on a slab home nothing else moves until it has. Once you say go, we plan the utility shutoffs with you, then prep the ground, set forms, pour and finish with me on site.
Walk the finished job together
When the house is down and the utilities are back on, we walk the job with you. We also go over care for the new concrete through its first season.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to raise a house in Sheridan, WY?
There's no set figure, because the price comes from your house and the ground under it, so I give you a written number after I've seen both. The big drivers are whether it's on a slab, how big and heavy it is, how high it's going, whether the old foundation can be extended or has to be replaced, what the engineer finds, and the utility and yard work at the end.
Does a house need an engineer's inspection before it's lifted?
Yes, a design professional should check the house for structural soundness first, because every beam, joist and connection has to hold up to the stress of the lift, and lifting a house that isn't sound can cause expensive damage. It's the first step in the plan. If the engineer says no or wait, I'd rather tell you that than lift something I don't trust.
Can a house on a slab be raised?
It can, but FEMA's guidance says to get a structural engineer's help before you even consider it. The slab can go up still attached to the walls, though it may be dangerously weak once you're living there again, so a more practical route can be to separate the walls from the slab, lift the house and build a new wood-framed floor, leaving the old slab where it is.
What happens to water, gas and power when a house is raised?
Every utility line, water, sewer, gas, electric and phone, gets disconnected before the house goes up and reconnected at the end, along with any landscaping that needs redoing. If your power comes in overhead, the line may need adjusting so it keeps the right clearances once the house sits higher.
How do I find out what soil is under my house in Sheridan?
A lot-level soil report, or the NRCS soil survey for the county, shows which soil type sits under your address. The state's geological survey says its own hazards map is only for general purposes and strongly recommends a study of the ground at your specific site. If you already have a report for your lot, bring it to the estimate.
How long does it take to raise a house?
The lift is one stage of several, and the timeline is set mostly by what comes before and after it. That means the engineer's review, disconnecting utilities, building the new foundation while the house sits on supports, then reconnecting everything and putting the yard back. I'll go over the order and what each stage waits on when I walk the house with you.
Other work that often goes with a raise
Concrete cutting
When a raise means opening an old wall or slab for new lines, a clean saw cut keeps the concrete you're keeping from cracking where nobody chose.
Concrete driveway building
A house that sits higher often leaves the driveway meeting the garage at the wrong height, so a new driveway with a packed base and proper slope ties the two back together.
Sheridan, WY
Ask if your house can take a raise
Have your foundation type, any engineer's report and any soil report for the lot handy when you call (307) 218-3106, and the first visit gets a lot further.