SJ Hauck Construction is a family owned construction company based in Egg Harbor Township, NJ that specializes in house lifting and moving. They have the largest house lifting crews in NJ and have lifted more homes than any other company. They employ over 18 full-time staff across various trades needed for house lifting projects. Key staff include the owner Steve Hauck II and operations manager Harold Haug, both of whom have extensive experience in construction and house moving. Common reasons for homeowners to lift their houses include reducing flood insurance costs if the home is below required elevation levels or meeting building code requirements after renovations. The process involves design, permitting, lifting the house, and rebuilding the foundation. Project costs vary based on house size and
2. SJ Hauck Construction, LLC
Originally SJ Hauck Housemovers LLC 2010-2018 – SJ Hauck Construction LLC 2018 – Present
Family Owned and Operated
Headquartered in Egg Harbor Twp.
The Largest Full Service House Lifter in the State of NJ
We take your project on, soup to nuts
Multiple Award Winner in the IASM
Steve Hauck II – Vice President
Assisted OCNJ in Developing Safe lift Practices
Lifted More Homes in NJ than Anyone
3. SJ Hauck Construction Trades
Operates three full time house lifting crews to meet the demand for flood mitigation and
structural moving
Employs 18 full time in house masons to self perform all masonry and flatwork
Full time in house timber pile and helical pile installation operators
Project management team capable of turn key home elevations, modular home
construction, and commercial construction
A foundation repair and structural shoring contractor division
4. Key Staffing
Steve Hauck II – Owner and Vice President of the International Association of Structural
Movers
Harold Haug – Operations Manager with 25+ Years Carpentry and Project Management
Rob Kaiser – Sales Manager
Sean O’Leary – Certified Floodplain Manager
Michael Dayer – NJ Modular Homes Builder and Manager
5. Why Lift Your House
Most common answer – “ My Flood Insurance is too high”
If you are below the BFE, your insurance is going to continue to rise until you do something.
Abandoning lowest floor - Practical for houses built atop a garage or a basement. Move living space
and utilities up.
Flood proofing – installing the proper vents and fill to bring home into compliance.
Lifting your House – elevate atop a new foundation above the base flood elevation + freeboard
Building Code requires it due to Substantial Improvement
As communities adopt the FEMA Flood maps, Building Codes require homes receiving substantial
improvement renovations (50% over 10 years) to be in total compliance. Even if you are above the old
BFE, your town might have adopted a new freeboard atop the BFE.
Improve your Home
Elevating an existing structure allows for you to maintain your set backs, increase your usable space of
the home, and keep property taxes lower than tearing down to rebuild.
Get out of harms way
The 100 year storm doesn’t happen once every hundred years. Look at Super Storm Sandy and Winter
Storm Jonas. Just check out the Ocean City, NJ Flooding Facebook Group.
6. The Preliminary Proposal and Design Phase – 2 Months
Schedule a initial consultation with Contractor
1. Meet with the contractor. Discuss what your goals are, the overall design, your wants and needs
2. Set a realistic budget
3. Contractor will take pictures, measurements and gather all necessary info to create a preliminary estimate
Sign a Design Build Agreement with the Contractor and Begin design phase
1. Soil Boring Test
2. Survey and Plot Plan Developed
3. Consult with the Architect if Needed
4. Preliminary plans are created for review, revisions, if any are made
Final Plans are Approved by Contractor and Client and a Final Scope of work and budget is Signed
1. When the plans have been approved by the client and the contractor, the final pricing is reached.
a. This stresses the importance of trusting your contractor and receiving an all in quote from the beginning
7. The Permitting Process – 1-2 Months
Contractor Submits into Permitting and Client works with Contractor about Move Out
The Permitting Office
Zoning: the Township’s Zoning Office takes two weeks to study plans
1. Confirms plans don’t interfere with Set Backs, Height Restrictions, or any other Zoning Issues
2. Once Zoning is Passed, Contractor will schedule Disconnects
Building: Construction Office takes reviews submittal
1. Confirms that Contractor is Licensed and paperwork properly filled out
2. Reviews plans to confirm drawings meet proper building codes and regulations
Permit Received and Construction Can Begin!!
8. Construction – 3-5 Months
Site Preparation/Prelift Demolition
1. Any decks, chimneys, landscaping that needs to be removed is removed
2. The plumbing and hvac found in the crawl space is removed
3. If it’s a slab on grade home, everything on the first floor of the house 4’ down is removed
Lifting
1. Steel is placed in the crawl space or into the home, depending on whether it’s a crawl space or slab
2. Home is Elevated using a Unified Jacking Machine
Foundation
1. Foundation is removed and new footings are poured
2. Block is built to the Approved Height per the Foundation Plan
3. House is Set once New Sill Plates and Girders are Installed. If house is Slab new floor system is framed
4. Pilings?
1. If in a V Zone, House needs to allow for wave action
2. If we can roll the house for pilings we will to save costs
3. Soils bad? Might require helical pilings.
House is then Set on the New Foundation
9. Construction – 3-5 Months
Exterior
1. The decks on the approved plans are built.
2. The foundation is parged to eliminate the visibility of the individual blockwork
3. New siding is installed if client elects for that project option
4. If a garage is created during the lift, the slab is poured and garage door installed
Interior and MEPS
1. Reconnection of Utilities are completed.
2. Interior renovations are completed
Certificate of Occupancy is issued and homeowner moves back in
10. Construction – 3-5 Months
Exterior
1. The decks on the approved plans are built.
2. The foundation is parged to eliminate the visibility of the individual blockwork
3. New siding is installed if client elects for that project option
4. If a garage is created during the lift, the slab is poured and garage door installed
Interior and MEPS
1. Reconnection of Utilities are completed.
2. Interior renovations are completed
Certificate of Occupancy is issued and homeowner moves back in
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15. The Costs Incurred in Lifting your House
Each Project is Different. There are thousands of upgrades and items that can be added and removed from the
scope but I have found over the course of time the following square foot numbers seem to be common for
lifting a house to the base flood elevation (most cases 6-7 feet) and basic pressure treated decking.
Crawlspace Homes on average cost $140-160 per square foot
No need for interior work.
Basement Homes on average cost $160-180 per square foot
A basement needs to be filled back in and most times there are utilities being relocated
Slab on Grade Homes on average cost $180-200+ per square foot
This is due to the first floor being gutted. Kitchens, bathrooms, utilitiy rooms need to all be replaced. A
new flooring system built and flooring put in. New paint, new insulation, new drywall.
16. HOW CAN I POSSIBLY AFFORD THIS?
There are FHA Loans and 203K Loans available for this kind of work.
Locally – Ocean First Bank – Wells Fargo – Citizens Bank
National Mortgage Carriers – Homebridge Financial Services
There are also grants available through FEMA
17. FEMA Grants
The Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program
Funded by the National Flood Insurance Program
$160 Million Dollars Annually – Hopefully more soon!
FMA Targets Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) and Repetitive Loss (RL) Homes since 1978
SRL Home Definition – 4 or more separate claim payments have been made under a Standard Flood Insurance
Policy issued pursuant to this title, with the amount of each such claim exceeding $5,000, and with the
cumulative amount of such claims payments exceeding $20,000; or at least 2 separate claims payments have
been made under a Standard Flood Insurance Policy, with the cumulative amount of such claim payments
exceed the fair market value of the insured building on the day before each loss.
RL Definition - An NFIP-insured structure that has had at least 2 paid flood losses of more than $1,000 each in
any 10-year period since 1978.
18. FEMA Grants – How do They Work?
Your community needs to be a participating member of the National Flood Insurance Program
The grant is competitive across the country so a well thought out application is developed
The more SRL and RL Properties, the better
Still leaves the door open for substantially damaged homes that are nor RL or SRL
The town or county will typically hire a grant writer to apply on their behalf
The grant applicant fills out a voluntary interest form, provides their NFIP claim history, provides a turn key
estimate from a contractor as well as the means and methods of lifting
THIS GRANT IS A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT – You will need to get financing to do this
SRL will get 100% of eligible costs reimbursed
RL will get 90% of eligible costs reimbursed
Substantial Damage only homes will get 75% of eligible costs reimbursed
19. Eligible Costs vs Ineligible Costs
The Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program
The most basic definition – what is necessary for the lift and certificate of occupancy vs what is extra
Eligible – Lifting your house high enough to be above the base flood elevation
Ineligible – adding a garage door and 4 inch slab to park under the home
Eligible – lifting an existing deck or replacing the deck with a landing and stairs
Ineligible – building a 600 square foot AZEK deck to watch the Nights in Venice boats sail by
FEMA holds all the money until the end so they are in control. If you are questioning whether siding the whole
house is actually needed, its best to ask your project manager with the grant.
20. Do I Qualify?
From Brigantine to Longport, Ocean City to Cape May Point,
your town has an Office of Emergency Management Director or
a Community Rating System Coordinator. I invite you to speak
to your town officials.