A House Mover NJ Driving Down the Highway
After Superstorm Sandy, thousands of NJ residents began to consider something they probably had never considered before: raising their homes onto a taller foundation.
Flood insurance is issued through the federal government, and rates are based on flood elevation maps created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. These maps play a huge role in what you pay for insurance and act as the document that around which the entire flood insurance process is built. (Consult your nearest house mover NJ for details.)
Also known as house lifting or house raising in NJ, the idea is simple: It is the process of literally lifting a house up and constructing a higher foundation beneath it. The home is then put back onto the new foundation. The idea is to put the house above flood waters, protecting you from future storms and cutting down your flood insurance premiums.
Previously a little known home improvement, it’s now widespread throughout the Jersey coastal region. The initial expense may seem daunting to some, but these projects can save homeowners money in the long term not just in preventing the home repairs and renovations that comes from surviving a storm, but through lowered flood insurance premiums.
Basically, if you are below the suggested elevation, you will pay a high premium. If you are at the elevation suggested by FEMA, you will pay standard flood insurance rates. If you are well above that elevation, your rates will see deep cuts.
That’s part of why house raising in NJ can be so advantageous. It can actually cut down on your living expenses.
To get a sense for where your home falls on the flood elevation map, you have to understand the codes FEMA uses. They use a letter and number coding system, the letter code signifying the type of area you are in and the nature of the flooding you might experience in a bad storm – heavy wave action, tidal area, etc. – and the number code indicates the suggested height your home should be at in order to weather the so-called 100-year storm.
Other benefits of house raising in NJ including adding more space to your home. That space could come in the form of storage, where outdoor furniture, garden items, and so on can be stored. Some even go tall enough to create a car port.
A house lift, often provided by a house mover NJ, may even provide enough extra space that it can be turned into actual living space. Homeowners create dens, play rooms, laundry rooms and more from the added space a lift provides (just be sure to check with your township to ensure you are legally allowed to expand in this way, as the rules differ from town to town).
And lastly, a lift can increase the value of your home, meaning your investment goes right back into your house. In the long term, that means it’s a good investment.