When it’s time to lift your multi-family home, whether that be a duplex, town homes, or even apartments, you want to do everything you can to ensure the lift goes off without a hitch. And if you have tenants at the time of the lift, you of course want to make sure they’re taken care of as well. We’ve organized seven tips for lifting a multi-family home, so you can look forward to a smooth, stress-free lift.
Make Sure Everyone is Aware of the Lifting Plan
As the owner of a multi-family house, you’ve got responsibilities that single-family housing owners do not. And when you’re planning to lift the home, you’ll find this is especially true.
If your property has tenants currently living on the premises, you must ensure everyone has a clear understanding of the lifting plan. Give your residents plenty of time to prepare to be out of their home while the lift takes place. Inform them of the lifting date and give realistic expectations of the duration of the project
Have a Plan in Place for Temporary Housing
Of course, the ideal time to schedule a lift for a multi-family home is when the house is vacant. But sometimes, it’s necessary to go ahead and lift the home, even if you’ve got tenants. If this is the case for you, it’s your responsibility to provide accommodations while the lift takes place.
Depending on your lifting plan and other repairs that you might have done, you’ll need to locate longer-term housing for your tenants, like another apartment or home where they can stay. Go over all of these details with your tenants long before the lift date so they can prepare to be displaced while your contractor lifts their home.
Communicate Tenant Responsibilities Before the Lift
As you’re laying out the lifting plan to your tenants, plan a time when you can communicate their responsibilities. For example, do they have yard décor or furniture that need to be moved? Or perhaps they need to move their belongings from the crawlspace or basement.
Before your tenants move into their temporary housing, ensure they’ve completed all necessary paperwork for their new place and for you. Make sure all leases and contracts are read and signed and all of the legalities are worked out before the lift begins.
Hire a General Contractor
There are some aspects of your multi-family home lift that take the expertise of a general contractor. You will need to disconnect your electric, gas, and plumbing. In some instances, you’ll even need to remove decking or patios. We recommend hiring a general contractor to take care of these basic preparation steps before your lifting contractor comes in.
After your lifting team completes the lift, your general contractor will ensure that all utilities are safely and correctly reconnected. You won’t have to second guess if the house is ready for inhabitants. Your general contractor will help you know that it’s safe and tenants can come back.
Prepare Your Property for the Lift
Before lift day, you’ll need to make sure you’ve prepared your property and the home itself. If you’re housing tenants, they of course will need to be in their new temporary housing. But apart from ensuring your tenants are taken care of, you’ll also need to clear the perimeter of the home. The yard will need to be free of décor, furniture, etc., so the lifting equipment will have access to the foundation of your building.
Use This Time to Make Repairs
While you don’t have tenants in your house, you should take advantage of the time and make repairs. A multi-family home can potentially see a lot of wear and tear. And if you’ve got a great property, chances are, you rarely have an empty space. Utilize the fact that you don’t have tenants in the home, and take care of all of the repairs that the house needs.
This might also be a great time to replace broken appliances or make upgrades to your property. If you’re taking out a loan to fund the lift, it’s an opportune time to expand your loan to include repairs, upgrades, and replacements.
Work with a Lifting Contractor Who Can Handle Your Project
You should never attempt to conduct a lift on your own! You put yourself and others at risk for harm, and there’s a huge chance you’re going to cause irreparable structural damage to your building.
At DeVooght House Lifters, we have the equipment and experience to execute your home’s lift to the highest standards—from planning to lift day. Working with professionals saves you time and money. And most importantly, a professional, proven lifting contractor ensures everyone’s safety. Hiring our professional team will prove to be well worth it when your multi-home lift is complete.