HOUSTON – Imagine what it looks like to see a 4,200-square-foot home lifting off the ground in Meyerland.
After three major and two smaller floods, Frank Inselbuch said his home will soon sit on pillars nearly 6 feet above the ground. The process being used lifts the house about 8 inches per hour.
"A huge relief and a huge weight off of our backs. Even though we were flooded for a third time, we finally feel like our lives can start heading in the right direction," Inselbuch said.
He said the water rose to 53 inches inside his home during Hurricane Harvey. It was especially frustrating since the lift was scheduled a few days after Harvey approached.
"We feel pretty confident that it won't happen again. And we feel like, if we repair something, it'll stay repaired. And we can start to live again," Inselbuch said.
He said the total cost for the project, about $330,000, was paid for by a government grant that took more than two years to get. In addition to the latest home repairs, Inselbuch said he will pay $20,000 to build a new staircase and for cosmetic work around the house.
Another cool house lift view KPRC2 / Click2Houston #timelapse
Posted by KPRC2 Ryan Korsgard on Tuesday, September 12, 2017
"We're lifting the house in unison as one piece. Picture it as a piece of china that we're lifting from all edges very carefully,” said Wayne Fairley, the owner of Planet 3 Elevation. “We've had many hundreds of calls, unfortunately, over the last few weeks because we haven't been able to answer and respond to them all like we want to."
His company, P3elevation, does the heavy lifting.
The company uses a series of hydraulic jacks inserted under the concrete foundation to lift the home. He said the cost could range from $100 to $300,000, depending on the size and weight of what is being lifted.
The home is expected to attain its final height Wednesday. It will take an additional 45 days to reattach the utilities and secure the home.
