I have a sagging back porch (about 4 - 6 inches) I am looking at having someone raise it using jacks.

Question

The jacks will be there permanently. I'm not looking at replacing the porch for now. I was given an estimate of $900. Has anyone else had done this and had success? I'm curious about the bid. Anyone else out there had experience in this process.

Answer 1

I would want to know why it was sagging that much before I thought about how to repair it even temporarily. Erosion of the soil, rotten wood, compression of the soil, termites.  There are all types of causes and each has its own solution. Simply jacking it up is like adding a second diaper on a baby instead of changing the first.

Answer 2

I wouldn't raise it and leave the jacks in place. I would have it raised with the jacks, and then supported with concrete pilings or something like that. Why waste the jacks (they'll start to corrode and may eventually fail)? The pilings are fairly cheap and will provide adequate support until you fix/replace the porch.

Regarding the price, get a couple more estimates and see what others are charging.

Answer 3

$900???????

I raised one side of my entire house for approx $100. That was for 10 jacks at approx $10.00 each.

Go to your local building store and buy two jacks for each spot you want to jack at. Also buy enough 2 x 4's to s***w to each leg you want to jack up.

Cut two 2 X 4 , 4" longer than the posts are wide. and cut two 2 x 4's approx 12"longer than your posts are wide. And then build a small base two set your jacks on. Place the jacks on the bases (beside the posts) place two short 2 X 4's on each jack. s***w the two longer 2 X 4's to the posts so they sit on the short 2 x 4's. then jck each post slowly. Every time you go up 1 1/2" put a 2 x 4 under the post to take up the room.

Review- on the ground a base, on it the jacks, on the jacks two short 2 x 4's , and on top of that two 2 x 4's that are also screwed to the posts.

I would lift the entire porch at once, so you will need enough parts to do everything. EG. if ther are 4 post you will need 8 jacks.

lift each approx 1/2" then move to the next jack.

and remember to place shims under the posts as soon as there is room.

Once you have shims under the posts you can remave the jacks and increase the base if you need to.

Two things that are very important- the bases you put the jacks on must be level, and put shims under posts as soon as possible.

This is not a difficult job. I'd be embarrassed to ask that much.