Bouler Pfluger
Architects, P.C.
James Bouler, R.A., A.I.A.
Nicholas Pfluger, R.A.
12 Doxsee Place
Islip, NY 11751
off - (631) 969 - 3335
fax - (631) 969 - 3391
www.bparchs.com
boulerdesign@verizon.net
Lift Project Guide
The following is brief explanation of the lift project procedure of Bouler Pfluger Architects,
PC, along with a list of documentation required and recommended by Bouler Pfluger
Architects, P.C. for our portion of the process of raising and repairing your home. To make
this process as efficient as possible, please acquire as much of the required information as you
can before engaging an architect. Elizabeth in our office will be handling the paperwork, so
feel free to call her with any questions.
Lift Project Procedure
A representative from Bouler Pfluger Architects, P.C. will come to the house to
measure and draft the current arrangement of living spaces. At this stage, the representative
will need to access all crawl spaces and the attic in order to perform a structural analysis of
the existing loading condition of the residence. This structural analysis is to determine the
load bearing walls so we can accurately draft and design the new foundation system.
The most important part of our structural survey is to reconcile the first floor, second
floor and roof loading as necessary with the existing foundation. We have seen several
projects where bearing walls were removed on the floors above which were not reflected in
the existing foundation plan. Part of our job scope is for the new foundation plan to reflect
the current loading configuration of the residence.
In addition to this, Bouler Pfluger Architects, P.C. determines the minimum height
requirements for FEMA and New York State. The client will determine if they wish to
exceed this requirement, which is recommended. Because the first floor will be higher than
it is currently, we also design the steps from the house down to the ground, including all
exterior doors, decks and porches. At this time, the client can discuss with the architect how
the house will look once it is raised to the new height.
For projects that are only lifting with no other changes, most Building Departments
require a foundation plan, construction cross-section, site plan, concrete details and framing
attachment details. The NYS Building Code changed in 2003, to reflect the IRC Code that is
used in high wind areas in Florida. Simply put, the new code required uplift strapping and
hold-down anchors to resist uplift and lateral forces on the building. The detailing of this
Bouler Pfluger Architects, P.C.
Lift Project Guide
attachment is also a part of the architect’s job scope. These drawings illustrate how the new
foundation will be installed and how the existing framing of the lifted house will be
reattached to the foundation. The cross-section illustrates the new FEMA required elevation
in addition to the new ridge height.
Some of our clients are taking the opportunity to build additions onto their
residences. These plans are a full set of architectural drawings, which include exterior
elevations, window specifications and additional cross-sections. Once the existing house is
drafted, the client and the architect will discuss desired changes to the layout of the living
spaces. The drawing set is redrafted to reflect changes in the interior plans, structural
foundation plan, cross-section and elevations.
When the final design has been approved, Bouler Pfluger Architects, P.C. drafts the
construction documents for the project. These drawings are used to obtain a building permit
from the local township, and to provide the contractor the necessary information and
construction details to build the residence to its new height.
Required Information
1.
Obtain a survey from a licensed land surveyor. Please note that, typically, it will be
less expensive to have the current survey on the property updated than to hire a new
surveyor. Contact the surveyor who has your current survey on file and inquire about costs
and timing. If you do not have a copy, the local building department typically has a copy on
file.
Information that we need on the survey is as follows:
a. The most current building footprint, including any additions/renovations
b. Elevations of the grade (ground) at the 4 corners of the building
c. Elevations of the first floor, centerline of the street, garage floor, and the roof ridge
d. All elevations need to be in the current datum - NAVD 88
 Please note: if the survey says “elevations in assumed datum,” they will have to
be updated. The previous datum was NVGD 29; if your elevations are in this
datum, they will have to be updated.
In most townships, you will need to provide the building department with an “as-built”
survey of the completed construction to obtain your CO. Inform your surveyor of this at the
beginning of the process to coordinate the timing of your project.
Also, inform the surveyor to set a benchmark somewhere on your property that is
stationary, such as a tree or telephone pole. This benchmark is a reference point for the
mason who will build your new foundation. Please make your mason aware that he should
communicate with the surveyor on the height of the benchmark shown on the property.
We do not want the mason to assume that the benchmark is the final height of the
foundation, or that the benchmark is the FEMA Base Flood Elevation. Many surveyors are
setting the benchmark at Elevation 8, because when they arrive to the site to do the work,
they do not know the final design height of the finished floor. The benchmark needs to be
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clearly labeled with the FEMA elevation it is reflecting (FEMA 8, for example, written next
to the benchmark).
2.
Obtain an elevation certificate from a licensed land surveyor. Some townships
require an elevation certificate before and after the lift. Please check with your local
building department in regards to this requirement.
3.
Determine how high you would like to raise your house. There is a minimum
elevation requirement, which depends on your FEMA Base Flood Elevation (BFE). There is
also a New York State mandated safety factor that requires your finished first floor to be two
feet above the FEMA BFE. This extra two feet is called ‘freeboard.’
a. For example: If your property is in FEMA Zone AE 6, after you add two feet for
‘freeboard,’ your finished first floor must be at (minimum) Elevation 8. Elevation
0 is assumed sea level, so Elevation 8 is 8 feet above sea level. This does not mean
your house will be raised 8 feet. If your current first floor elevation is 3 feet, and
you are in FEMA 6 (plus 2’ of Freeboard, or FEMA 8) you will have to raise the
house 5 feet higher to meet the FEMA and State requirements.
b. In some cases, houses raised to meet the minimum requirements set by FEMA and
New York State would still have flooded during Hurricane Sandy. We
recommend exceeding the minimum requirements if possible: please be aware
that exceeding the minimum may result in a height variance, depending on the
local zoning code.
4.
Please advise us if the foundation and floor system has had additional settling since
Hurricane Irene or Hurricane Sandy. Also, if you have a mason that you are considering
using for the project, please provide BPA with contact information.
5.
DPA determines the foundation system thought analysis of the existing foundation
system. We will recommend a foundation type (system or details on adding to the existing
foundation) as we proceed through the project. Typical foundation types include:
a. Concrete block on top of the existing foundation with additional reinforcement:
beams, columns and footings in crawl space
b. Poured concrete on top of the existing foundation with additional reinforcement:
beams, columns and footings on RCA in crawl space
c. Poured concrete reinforcing foundation
d. Wood Piles (This option is only viable if there is enough room to move the house
temporarily to a different location on site, in order to make room for the pile driving
equipment.)
e. Helical Piles, to be attached to existing footing or underneath a new concrete grade
beam.
6.
Determine if you are replacing your boiler / furnace. Where will the new boiler /
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furnace and hot water heater be installed? Will it be in the same location or a new location?
7.
Determine if you are abandoning your existing fireplace and/or chimney. Some can
be lifted, but it adds cost to the lift project. Please consult a lift contractor to discuss the
feasibility of saving the existing fireplace/chimney.
8.
Determine if you want to raise your rear wood deck (if applicable). Please be aware
that the deck will most likely have to be detached and rebuilt in order to fit the lift
machinery around the house. Determine if you want to reframe the deck at the new height
of the first floor or keep it at same height with new stairs and landing down to it.
9.
If you have an attached garage, determine if you are open to having additional
columns, if necessary, to support the raised roof. There may be 3-4 new columns
approximately one foot off of the exterior wall. We will do our best to design the additional
structure so that it does not interfere with the functional use of your garage.
10.
Determine the direction of the new steps from your front and back doors.
Keep in mind that once the house if lifted, there will be approximately twice the amount of
steps between the ground and the door, depending on how high you lift.
Recommended Information
11.
Interview and select a lift contractor. Please be aware that as an architecture
firm, our role in the process of lifting a house is to draw the existing conditions, determine
the necessary raised height, design a new foundation and structural system, and provide
construction documents, which are used to obtain a building permit and to instruct the
contractor where to build the new foundation. Our documents do not instruct the lift
contractor as to how or where they should lift the house. The lift contractor will have to
come to the site and examine the house to determine their lifting strategy.
12.
BPA will determine your FEMA Base Flood Elevation thought FEMA maps.
We will look it up for you as part of our calculations, but you may need to know for
insurance purposes. You can look it up at: www.region2coastal.com or by navigating the
FEMA flood maps at: www.msc.fema.gov.
13.
Client to research the “Increased Cost of Compliance” (ICC) Grant. Reach out
to your local town/village to identify the documentation required to apply for this grant.
You can learn more at: www.floodsmart.gov.
14.
Obtain an Engineer’s Report from a licensed engineer to document the amount
of construction damage and a cost estimate to repair. Some towns/villages are requiring this
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for the ICC Grant. If there is an Engineer’s Report available, please submit a copy to the
architect.
15.
Part of the buildings analysis by the engineer or the township will be to
determine if the construction is more than or less than 50% damaged. Coordinate
documentation of the damage with the town/village. Some towns/villages will accept an
engineer’s report; other towns/villages may send their own building inspector to determine
the extent of damage. This may affect your claim for the “Increased Cost of Compliance”
(ICC) Grant. Please be aware that in many towns/villages, once you receive this letter, you
must lift your house.
16.
Soil boring test – this test determines the composition of soil underneath the
house, which is used to determine the bearing capacity of the soil and the level of the ground
water.
17.
You may need to send disconnect letters to all the applicable utility companies
before your house is lifted. If you disconnect, you will need an inspection certificate from
the applicable licensed tradesman at the end of the project to reconnect service. Consult
your lift contractor to determine if utility disconnection is necessary. Also consult your
utility companies to confirm the requirements for this process. We have drafted two blank
letters which can be filled out and sent to LIPA: one is the Letter of Intent for Homeowner;
the other is the Letter of Intent for Contractor. These letters are available for download at:
www.southshoreliftproject.com.
18.
Obtain a building permit application and any other documents needed for
permit filing from the township or village in which you reside. Often, we have them in our
office, or in some towns/villages, you can get them online. Most applications (and other
paperwork) need to be signed and notarized by the homeowner. The permit application will
also need to be signed and notarized by the lift contractor. Please be aware that some
towns/villages require every contractor involved to sign the permit application; please
confirm with your local building department if this is necessary.
a. If you have not chosen a lift contractor by the time the construction documents are
ready to file, you can submit the application without the contractor’s signature.
b. Obtain the license, liability, insurance and workman’s compensation documents from
your contractor for the town/village to be submitted with permit application. Often the
town or village needs to be listed as the lienholder; please confirm with your local building
department if this is necessary.
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