Raise the Roof

 On my way home from eating lunch in Downtown Blacksburg not long ago I glanced over in passing to see a house floating in the air, so I decided to turn around and check it out.  It was an older house, possibly built in the 1920-1940 time period (guess).  The foundation was made up of of approximately 12 concrete piers with dimensions that appeared to be 12"(l) x 12" (w) x 24" (h) which the house rested on (see picture below).

Located on Progress Street, downtown, behind the new Chipolte Restaurant

After being jacked up by locally owned Virginia House Movers, Inc. with hydraulic jacks placed under the floor joists and girders, large timbers were placed under for support (approximately 15).  This raised structure to an elevation to about 6-8 feet above ground.  The ground elevation in the rear of the house was lower than the front, so more timbers may have been used.  Placed on top of the timbers and under the floor joists are steel girders for carry the load to the structure from the floor joists to the timbers to the ground.  

This process has to be managed slowly and carefuly as to not damage the structural integrity of the existing structure.  Many hydraulic jacks have to be used, professionally, placed in strategic locations on load bearing points, and then lifted in sequence, slowly.  I did not see any damage or rotting occurring under the house, so I don't believe it was jacked up to do repairs.  There are many possibilities the homeowner has intended for this:  Repairs on joists/girders, adding a basement below grade (see code in Blacksburg), or even moving the house to a different location.  Judging by the sign, it appears that the latter will be occurring with this structure.  This is a common practice in Blacksburg.  I have personally seen 3 structures in the Downtown area that have been jacked up, one being the Alexander Black House, a Queen Anne Victorian architecture style located on Draper Road <http://www.blacksburg.va.us/Index.aspx?page=65>.  This site will give you a historic overview of the house and a time lapse video of the move.  The Alexander Black House was originally located where the Kent Square Parking Garage is now.