What is a Villa?
Before we offer tips for raising your villa-style house, we need to determine exactly what it is that makes a house a villa. Villas set themselves apart from other homes because of how luxurious they are. They’re spacious, elegant, and beautiful, and they are characterized by having outdoor amenities like gardens, pools or spas, outdoor kitchens, and lounging areas.
Exquisite homes like these boast high value and are desirable places for both year-round living and as vacation homes. And like homeowners all across the country, villa owners often find themselves in situations where they’d like to raise or lift their homes. Regardless of why you might want to lift your villa, there are a few things you need to know before you begin that will help you prepare for the process. Below we’ve organized a list of seven tips for raising a villa-style home that will help you from the planning stages of the project all the way to its completion.
1. Make Use of Your New Space
You might be contemplating lifting your villa for a number of reasons. Homeowners often choose to lift their villas to protect them from potential flooding. Lifting your villa requires planning, expertise, and is an investment that will increase the value of your property. If you’re going to lift your home a few inches, why not lift your home high enough to make room for a functional crawlspace? In lifting your villa high enough to install a nice crawlspace or even a basement, you’re making the most out of your contractor’s services while adding real value and functionality to your home.
2. Be Mindful of Landscaping
Some of the markers of a villa are the landscaping and gardens, outdoor living spaces, and pools and spas. As you plan a lift for your villa, consider how your lift will affect your outdoor amenities and landscaping. You want to ensure your contractor is aware of the things they’ll need to work around in order to lift your home. Plan for your general contractor to repair or rebuild things that need to be dismantled before the lift: decking, fire pits, outdoor kitchens, etc.
3. Plan for Your New Foundation
In some instances, your villa might need a new foundation. Sit down with your contractors—both your lifting contractor and a general contractor—to discuss foundation plans. Determine whether or not your contractors will lay the new foundation on top of your existing foundation. Depending on the lift height, they might suggest pouring a new foundation entirely or utilizing the remaining footers and building upon those. If a totally new foundation is in the plans, the lifting equipment might need to be organized and set up in a specific way to allow for construction to take place.
4. Prepare the Existing Crawlspace or Basement
Your villa might already have a crawlspace or basement. In this case, you’ll need to prepare those spaces for your lift. You should remove everything from these spaces and unhook electric, plumbing, etc.
5. Plan the New Pathway from Your Home to Your Yard
Villas are characterized not only by the beauty of the home, but by the beauty of the entire property: the yard, pool, gardens, and outdoor spaces. If you’re lifting your home a considerable height, think about how your home will now flow into your yard and outdoor areas. You might choose an updated deck plan or a cascading staircase so the path from your home to your yard or pool remains both elegant and practical.
6. Clear the Lift with Your HOA
Many villa-style homes are located in neighborhoods with an HOA. If this is the case with your villa, you’ll want to clear your home’s lift with your HOA far in advance of the lift date.
Your lifting team might need to access your home via your neighbor’s yards. Practice neighborly consideration and get the OK from them in case your contractor needs to enter onto their property. While most of the planning for your villa’s lift falls on your contractor’s shoulders, you must get clearance from your HOA—and perhaps your neighbors—for the project to take place.
7. Remodel and Renovate While You’re in the Construction Process
Villas exude luxury, elegance, and are typically priced higher than other homes in the same city. We think it’s wise to take care of any remodeling and renovation projects while you’ve got contractors on your property. Utilize this time to add further value to your home by updating and renovating. You’re already out of your home while the lift is taking place. Why not increase the beauty and desirability of your villa with updates that you’ll love—and that can raise your home’s value?
Conclusion
Your home is your place to relax, rest, and entertain. When considering lifting your villa, you want to be prepared for everything a project of this caliber might entail. Our team is here to help you navigate the process with confidence and ease.