Let’s look at some possibilities were cutting maybe the choice that you would make. The first one would be a historic structure that though there is a budget, it may not be quite as strict as would be for a house that someone was going to live in. You just want to preserve this really cool piece of history.

Another possibility might be that it is a nice newer house moving to a good neighborhood. In this case, the property values are going to be decent. You might be able to justify the expense of doing some cutting and still come out ahead economically.

The third possibility might be that the roof needs to be replaced or in the case of cutting below the roof line, like the structure pictured, the siding is also something you’re not too concerned about. In those cases cutting and then the restoration that is required afterwards may not actually be an additional expense or at least not as much of an additional expense.

No matter what situation you find yourself in make sure you have a very sharp pencil when you consider a structure that it’s just too tall or two wide to make it down the road. Unfortunately, obstructions along the path kill many of our moves. We would be glad to help you try to make these decisions.

The post Cutting a building to make it fit down the road? appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

Egress windows in my new or existing basement? The question comes up more often these days. With the advent of the internet, social media, and specifically Pinterest homeowners are showing their creative ideas and challenging each other to come up with better and better ever more beautiful and functional designs.

The Bilco company has been a leader in this area. You may know of Bilco for their basement entrances but they also have a complete line of Egress window wells.  bilco.com/…ategory293/Egress_Window_Wells is a website you will want to checkout to see their products.

Another idea is to go to pinterest.com where you can find lots of ideas to help you make a basement bedroom by adding an egress window.

So what are other considerations you should have when you plan to make a basement bedroom by adding an egress window? Well, there are many actually that you should look into before you proceed. First is the basement in good structural condition. In other words, do you have decent ceiling height, are the walls cracked or bowed, is the floor smooth and unbroken? If not then these problems should be addressed.

Secondly is the basement dry? Again, if not then you for sure will have to address basement drainage and possibly waterproofing.

The third is HVAC, plumbing, and wiring adequate for a bedroom? This, of course, may not be in the basement but will need to be near enough to meet your needs.

Lastly is the basement laid out in such a way that you can get the window location and there for room location to be acceptable. If all of these questions can be answered to your satisfaction and within your budget then for you to make a basement bedroom by adding an egress window is probably a good idea for you.

We would love to help you with your plans. Check out this and other services we offer at klierstructuralmovers.com/services

The post Egress window in a basement wall. appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

The contractor will usually install post to hold the weight of one or perhaps two walls at a time counting on the other remaining walls to keep the house from tipping over. If the concrete footers that the walls rest on need to be replaced they are done one at a time as well. Besides the safety issues, this method also requires that there are joints in the walls and footers as they are constructed one at a time.

How does this method of underpinning a house differ from how we do things at Klier Structural Movers? First, before the job ever starts we bring to the job site 40 years of experience and about 600 similar jobs. Our equipment is specifically designed for this type of work. Also, our jobs are covered by cargo insurance which protects the house in our care custody and control.

Second, once we are on the job we will safely hold your house to do the basement replacement. Third, the walls and footer are replaced all at once. With Structural moving, we are not relying on the old walls to hold the house in place. Our beams take the place of the foundation.

Fourth if there are any changes you would like to make they can be done at this time. What kind of changes? Any structural repairs can much more easily be done if the entire house is safely supported. Raising the structure to a higher level due to flooding, adding basement height, or for an improved view can also be accomplished with little additional work.

Don’t forget since we are also movers we can move your house a few feet or several hundred feet if that will better fit your needs. So as you can see with Klier Structural Movers you are getting far more than just underpinning a house.

The post underpinning a house appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

What are some of the things to consider when looking into a historic preservation? Of course, the overall structural integrity of the building must be assessed. Unfortunately, some structures are just too far gone to restore. This, however, is actually a matter of the budget. In fact, any building can be restored but the cost is on occasion just too great to warrant the work. We can assist you with a budget estimate to make this evaluation. Once that decision to proceed has been made we can make a detailed estimate for construction. Whatever your needs may be, feel free to contact us. We look forward to serving you.

The post historic restoration appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

The Smiths went online and found adding a basement to an existing house was a very viable option. With adding a basement to an existing house, they got an entirely new floor to their house all without taking up any of their yard. The problem with roof lines and possible roof leaks went away as well. In addition, their existing HVAC system was adequate for the job since an insulated basement in very easy to heat and cool. So as you can see for the Smiths adding a basement to an existing house was just the right decision for them.

The post Adding a basement to an existing house. appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

To build a new basement under a slab house first consider a slab is heavy and meant to sit on dirt or gravel it is more difficult to jack up. This will involve excavating underneath the slab and supporting it every 4′ with temporary steel jacking beams. Then on the other end of the project, it has to be supported with permanent beams. The additional work to jack up and the beam supports add up to several thousands of dollars. The good side of this is that you save all the flooring and finishes. The negative is that you still have a concrete slab floor. Many folks would prefer the warmth and comfort of a wood floor system.

If you are amongst that group you have the option of jacking the house walls and roof up off the slab. Once this is done the new basement is constructed a floor system is built. The new floor will be just the same as one under any new house. You will have all the benefit of a wood floor, however, all the flooring will have to be replaced.

As you can see there is a lot to consider when deciding on whether or not to build a new basement under a slab house. Please let us help you with that decision.

The post Build a new basement under a slab house appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

There are a number of reasons why your house might need raising due to flooding. It may be simply that it was originally built in an area that often floods. The original owners put up with the flooding but you have had enough. It might be that you live in an area that has not been prone to flooding but due to development or land use changes downstream you are now seeing an increase in water. Finally, it may be a catastrophic once every 100 years event and you want to make sure it never happens again. The bottom line is you have a flooding problem and you want to deal with it. We can help.

If you have a house that needs raising due to flooding you may wonder can it even be raised?  First, let say for all practical purposes any house, no matter how or where it is constructed, can be raised. The decision is almost always a money matter. Some time FEMA is involved with one of their programs. This avenue can be cumbersome to negotiate but it should always be investigated. Here is a link to the FEMA website www.fema.gov. Some structures have private flood insurance that may pay all or part of the cost of raising a house due to flooding. Lastly, you may have decided that you will have to use your own funds to take on this project. Whichever way you proceed, Klier Structural Movers can work with you.

A frequently asked question is in what state will my house be left? The answer is not simple because you have a number of options. First, the area under the house will normally only have limited use. It may be a deeper crawl space. Some will look like a basement above ground. Still, others will be on stilts or poles and are left open. All the options are viable depending on your individual needs and desires. Klier Structural Movers can serve as the General Contractor or work with your GC to provide just the raising.

The post Raising a house due to flooding appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

So what kind of uses might a basement entrance fit well for? An often mentioned one is a wood furnace. The concrete steps and heavy steel door make this a perfect application for carrying wood into and ashes out of your basement. Another way homeowners are finding to use entrances is in conjunction with woodworking or some other larger craft or hobbies projects. Some time homes are just not laid out in such a way to easily access the basement with larger or perhaps a bit messy items. Whatever your reason a basement entrance can make lots of difference.

How are basement entrances installed in your basement? First, the process is the same whether you have an existing basement or we are installing a new basement under your home. The starting point is the excavation beside the house. It has to extend beyond the walls far enough to allow the installation to take place. This is almost always less than 8′. An opening for the insulated hollow metal door has to be created in your basement wall. Then the walls will have to be inspected. Usually, they will require additional reinforcing to be added to support the basement entrance. After this, the actual stairway is sealed and bolted in place. Once the outside cover and inside door are installed the Perma entrance is ready to use. Usually, the basement entrance will be installed in just one day.

The post Basement entrance is a nice upgrade to your home. appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

First is moving my house worth doing in the first place no matter the distance. The rule of thumb is that if the house is pretty much live-in-able as it sits than yes it is probably worth moving. In other words, if the house is in need of paint, carpet, and some other sprucing up that is probably okay. If the house is in need of a major whole house remodel than no it probably will not make sense. By the time you add the cost of the move and other related costs to the remodeling, you may very well be above the price of comparable house prices in the area. 

Second is the route to the new lot. How many obstructions are on the way along the way of moving my house? The moving equipment will add about 4 1/2′ to 5 1/2′ to the hights of the house as measured from the top of the foundation to the peak. Wires are often at 18′. So are lights and signs and tree limbs and on and on. Bridge overpasses are often lower than that. If you are wanting to move a two story house it may go down the road at over 30′ tall. Even a one story can be over 18′. In OH it is the house movers responsibility to pay for the moving of any and all obstructions. Unfortunately, this can be tens of thousands of dollars.

The best way to know for sure if your project is going to be feasible or not is to contact us. If it is a nice house and there is not much in the way it may very well be a good one. Let’s figure it out together.

The post Moving my house to another lot, is that possible? appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.

A few more things to consider. As far as the remodeling point goes. Keep in mind an addition or extensive remodeling can change your house entirely. We have installed beams to open up interiors, changed roof lines, or raised ceilings to make more space. There are many ways to improve or make your present home more usable for you. So the house you currently live in may well be able to become exactly what you have been wishing for.

As you think through this decision, a basement under an existing home is per square foot the least expensive addition you can build. You do not lose any of your yard space. If you insulate your new basement you can actually gain a new floor to your house and reduce your heating bill. A new basement can serve as a clean dry storage area. Finished it becomes an additional bedroom, a rec room, a spacious exercise area, or summer kitchen. You might want a man cave! How about a woman cave! We can go on and on because there are so many different ways you can go with your new basement.

So now take a look at your current home. Do you like it but wish there were some improvements? Is this where you plan to call home for a number of years to come? Do you have decent equity in your home or a significant amount of the cost of a major remodeling in savings? If these are the case then lets talks about what can be done in the way of a new basement.

The post Why would I build a new basement under my existing house? appeared first on Klier Structural Movers.