Foundation raising in Fairbanks AK - a house back in line without thawing the ground
Doors that won't close and gaps opening in the walls? We check the ground first, then bring your house back into line.
- Ground checked first We look at what the ground is doing before touching the house.
- Frozen ground protected We take care not to disturb the frozen ground below.
- Adjustment spots kept reachable The spots for adjusting your house later stay easy to reach.
- Permits sorted early We find out up front which offices your job goes through.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
How do you know your house has shifted?
Uneven settling from permafrost, seasonal frost and flooding does more damage to Alaska houses than anything else, so it pays to catch these signs before the movement spreads.
Doors that won't close
A door that latched fine last year now sticks or won't stay shut. Usually the frame has twisted as part of the house settled, and planing it only buys time.
Windows that stick or leak
Windows bind or let water and cold air in around the frame. Movement in the house pulls the opening out of square, and the leaks soak into the wall behind.
Gaps in walls and trim
Cracks open in drywall, trim pulls away from corners, or a gap shows where the wall meets the ceiling. Patching them hides the sign while the house keeps moving underneath.
Drafts you didn't have before
Rooms feel colder and the heat runs longer, even though nothing else changed. When a house shifts, seams open up and let air through, which you pay for all winter.
Pipes that crack or leak
A supply or drain line under the floor cracks or pulls apart at a joint. Plumbing doesn't bend with a settling house, and a hidden leak can soften the ground.
Floors that run downhill
A marble rolls across the kitchen, or the siding line dips at one corner. That's the settling itself, and the other signs on this list usually follow.
How we handle foundation raising
Foundation raising brings a house that has settled unevenly back into line. Before we touch it, I find out what the ground underneath is doing, whether that's thawing permafrost, seasonal frost or water, because raising a house without knowing why it dropped leaves the cause in place. We take care not to disturb frozen ground while we work, so the repair doesn't start a new problem under the house. Once the house is back in line, we leave the spots used for adjusting it where you or the next crew can reach them, so a small shift down the road is an easier fix. The price turns mostly on how many points need work, how hard they are to get at and what we find under the house, and the schedule turns on the ground and, inside city limits, the permit review. Your written estimate lists what's included for your house.
Raising a house often touches the concrete around it. When a slab, walk or floor has to be opened to get at the foundation, we do the concrete cutting ourselves so the cut is clean and the patch is easy to match. If your driveway sank along with the house, we can rebuild it with our concrete driveway building work, starting from a base that's dug out and packed instead of raked level.
What happens when you call about foundation raising in Fairbanks?
Here's how a foundation raising job runs, from your first call to the last walk around the house together.
Call or send a message
Call or use the form, and I come out to the house. I look at the signs and ask about the ground and what's changed.
Read your written estimate
I write an estimate that lists what's included. If something about the ground needs checking before I can price it, I'll tell you.
Pull permits and do the work
Inside city limits, the city's plan review takes about 6 to 10 working days once plans are complete. Then I'm on site with our crew for the work.
Walk through the finished job
We clean up and walk the house with you, checking doors and windows. I show you where the adjustment spots are for later.
Why Fairbanks homeowners call Fairbanks Concrete
The owner sees every job
I look at every job and write the estimate myself, then work on site with our crew, so nothing gets lost in a handoff.
Trained on Fairbanks ground
I ran crews for another Fairbanks concrete owner before starting this business in 2023, so I've learned how ground here moves.
Proof of license and insurance
We're licensed and fully insured, and you can see both at the estimate before anyone works under your house.
We check before we commit
I'll tell you when something under the house needs checking first, because guessing at the ground is how houses move again.
Get a written estimate for raising your house
Tell us your address, whether it's inside Fairbanks city limits and which signs you've noticed. We'll get back to you within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no pressure to book.
Examples of foundation work
Look through these examples of foundation and concrete work to get a feel for what the job involves.
Foundation raising questions we hear
These are the questions Fairbanks homeowners ask most when a house starts to shift. If yours isn't here, call and ask about your own house.
How do I know if my house needs foundation raising or just a door fixed?
If two or more of the signs above show up together, like a sticking door plus new gaps in the walls, the house itself has usually moved and the door is only where you notice it. A single sticky door can be just the door. I'll look at the whole house before telling you which it is.
Can foundation work on permafrost make settling worse?
Yes, if it's done carelessly. Disturbing permafrost can start it melting, and the uneven settling that follows can be disastrous for the house. Before anyone starts, ask how they'll protect the frozen ground under your house.
How much does foundation raising cost in Fairbanks?
Foundation repair with piers in Fairbanks usually costs about $650 to $2,500 per pier or repair point, and that's the going rate here, not our quote. Your total depends on how many points your house needs, which I work out on site.
Do I need a permit to raise my house in Fairbanks?
Inside city limits, the city's building department reviews plans and inspects homes that are built or remodeled, with a borough zoning permit included, and we check early whether your raising job falls under that. We pull the permits that fall to us and book the inspections on our work, which the city wants requested 24 hours ahead and before anything gets covered. Outside city limits we find out which offices your job goes through, and if something is yours to file, I'll tell you what it is and when it's needed.
How do I find out if flood rules affect raising my house in Fairbanks?
Call the Fairbanks North Star Borough's Flood Plain Administrator at (907) 459-1260, because the borough's floodplain rules apply before work starts on any substantially improved house and to digging and grading in the special flood hazard area. If your house is in that area, ask how the finished floor compares to the base flood elevation, the flood level with a 1 percent chance of happening. Borough guidance says a home whose lowest floor, crawlspace floor included, sits above it is in compliance and less expensive to insure.
What license does a contractor need to raise a house in Alaska?
For a big enough job, Alaska requires a general contractor to hold a residential contractor endorsement. It covers building or altering a privately owned home of one to four units, where alteration means changes worth more than 25 percent of the structure's value, so ask any crew you're considering whether they hold it.
Where we work around Fairbanks
We're based in Fairbanks and also work in College, Steele Creek, Badger and other cities nearby. Choose your area below or call us about your house.
Call us about your shifting house in Fairbanks
We're open until 11 PM every day, so you can call (907) 560-0615 tonight with the signs you've noticed.