Any FORUMHOUSE user knows well that the reliability and service life of a house depends on the careful planning of construction. The foundation construction stage deserves special attention.

But sometimes it happens that problems with the foundation or building arise several years after its construction.

The foundation is cracked, the lower crowns of a wooden house have rotted, or the height of the plinth is too small, the structure has sagged and “sat” on one corner, its lower part is constantly waterlogged... To prevent the foundation from completely falling apart, the owner country house thinking about renovation. But this is difficult to do; the building is already standing on its foundation.

In this case, you can raise the house, put it on temporary supports, and carry out the necessary complex repair work and lower it into place on the repaired base.

And because prices from construction companies for such services bite, then many forum users undertake to raise wooden house on one's own. And if we more or less understand how to perform the lift country house jack, then when we're talking about not about the dacha, but about big house For year-round residence, difficulties begin.

Read on FORUMHOUSE how to raise panel house with your own hands and what you need to raise the panel house. See how a member of our portal leveled the corner of a house with a jack.

What kind of jack is needed to lift a wooden house

s uchhund:

– I lifted the wooden one myself frame house measuring 6x6 m. The reason that forced me to take such a step was the destruction of the old foundation and the desire to live “higher” from the ground, away from dampness.

The forum member’s foundation was an unreinforced concrete strip 30 cm wide and 50 cm high. 20 cm of the strip was buried in the ground, the remaining 30 cm were above the ground.

Due to the fact that the foundation was built in violation of technology back in the 70s of the last century, it began to actively crumble. Having thought about how to raise the house and drawn up a work plan to modernize the foundation, the forum member first purchased a tool: inexpensive jacks for wooden houses(2 pieces), with a lifting capacity of 8 and 10 tons.

Then suchhund sawed the wooden spacers from boards and timber of different lengths. Gaskets are necessary so that as the building is lifted with jacks, they can be placed under the lower rims until it reaches the required height. In total, the forum member sawed 100 gaskets of different sizes.

s uchhund:

“Having cleared the concrete debris, I installed jacks in the openings and began lifting. At one time I raised the wall of the house no higher than 20 mm, after which I installed spacers, moved the jack to another opening and again carried out a gradual rise.

While lifting the house, you can open the windows, this will protect the double-glazed windows from possible cracks.

The building was raised clockwise. In order to reduce the weight of the building, the forum member removed all the furniture and household utensils from it. In two days the building was raised by 60 cm. Having raised the building by required height, a forum member started reinforcing the new strip foundation, erected on top of the old one, the crumbling of which was already visible to the naked eye.

s uchhund:

“Everything that was left over from the old supplies from the construction site was put into use. I chose 12 A-III fittings as a working one, and 6 A-I fittings for clamps. The cross-section of the new tape poured over the old one was 30x50 cm.

To tie the two foundations together, the forum member drilled into the old tape with 6 mm anchors for clamps. He tied the entire perimeter of the foundation at once, except for those openings where temporary supports stood, which ended up inside the reinforcement frame. To ensure that there were vents in the foundation after pouring the concrete, suchhund took a plastic pipe with a diameter of 150 mm and sawed it into 12 pieces 30 cm long. There were 3 ventilation vents on each side of the building. In total, the process of reinforcing the foundation took 2 days.

Read our article about whether vents are needed in the basement.

Then it was time to install the formwork.

suchhund, Moscow:

– I made the panels for the formwork from hardboard sheets, sawn to size 2x6 meters. For rigidity, I screwed 3 “twenty” boards, 2 meters long, and three “forty” boards, 6 m long, to the shields. I covered the inner surface of the shields with film, and for additional strength, I tightened the shields with steel pins passed through a plastic tube with a diameter of 22 mm.

As a result, after installing the formwork, the lower part of which rested on old foundation, only the mounting openings remained uncovered. Having hit the horizontal line with a level, the forum member began pouring a new foundation. Suchhund prepared the mixture - “self-mix” with the following proportions of materials:

• 1 part cement M500;
• 1 part clean water;
• 3 parts washed river sand;
• 2 parts granite crushed stone fraction 5-20.

suchhund:

– I mixed the concrete with a mixer. After pouring the foundation, I vibrated the mixture with a deep vibrator. This must be done, otherwise you can forget about a quality foundation. After the concrete gained strength, I covered the top of the tape with waterproofing and lowered the house onto a new foundation.

Read on our portal how to raise country house on blocks and in general how to raise a garden house.

Instructionsfrom our experts

Although suchhund performed the work of repairing and leveling the foundation very efficiently, the experts of our site, after reading this example, came to the rescue and gave some advice to the manual for FORUMHOUSE users who decided to do the “rigging” work themselves.

Igor Bekkerev,(nickname on the forum Igor3):

– I have been lifting and moving houses since 1984. It should be noted that the above method of installing temporary wooden pads is very dangerous, and here’s why. Gaskets must ensure reliable stability of the entire structure, otherwise the structure may topple. It is best to make the bottom spacers from concrete blocks, and use special welded trestles (bedside tables) for hanging the house. And it is better to pour a new tape not in separate blocks, but as a whole - as a monolith.

Drawing of a device for lifting a house with a jack.

Gromozeka:

– Imagine: instead of concrete cubes (blocks), there are steel supports in the form of parallelepipeds, welded from angle, thick reinforcement or channel. It is necessary to pass the reinforcement through these blocks, tie it, then install the formwork and pour the concrete. The result will be a single monolithic strip foundation structure.

Welded pillars-supports, embedded in the tape, do not interfere with the pouring of the foundation, and the reinforcement and formwork rest on them.

It is important to remember that any mistake made when lifting a structure can lead to it tilting, sliding off temporary supports and falling. Among these errors are:

• Rapid, uneven and too high rise of one side of the house;
• Insufficient strength of temporary supports. But the building, while it stands “on chicken legs”, is also affected by wind loads;
• Insufficient strength of the base on which the jacks rest;
• Incorrect calculation of the lifting force of the jack, which is necessary to lift the house from the foundation.

Therefore, the lifting of a building must begin with the obligatory calculation of a number of nuances that directly affect both the safety of the structure (windows, doors, rafter system etc.), and for the safety of the “riggers” working under the house.

Igor3:

– They often ask how to raise wooden house on jacks so that it does not fall apart. There is only one piece of advice - you need to understand where the vector of applied forces is directed. The structure can rise clockwise or vice versa. We make 3-10 circles (as many as needed) until the house rises to a sufficient height. I do not advise raising it by more than 350 mm, although we raise houses up to 80 cm, and with the use of special technology up to 1.8 meters. When lifting, avoid swaying the building. This comes with experience - you already feel the moment after which it will begin to lose stability.

Practice shows that to lift a frame house weighing up to 7 tons, 1 jack with a force of 10 tons is enough. The house will have to be lifted slowly, gradually moving the jack to different points. You can lift the building (one side of it) no more than 3-5 cm at a time, working in a circle! At professional work 15-20 jacks are used at a time.

What kind of jack is needed to lift a wooden house.

Metal plates are placed under the wooden beams of the building. To increase the supporting area, it is more convenient to rest the jack on wooden pads, which allow you to increase the area of ​​support on the ground.

The horizontalness of the rise is controlled visually, at the tear-off points, using templates (cuts of boards), because The laser level is difficult to see during the day.

You can also lift stone buildings, but another technology is used, detailed description to which we will devote one of our next articles. The stone structure must be lifted all at once, simultaneously from all sides, otherwise the lifting will lead to the destruction of the building.

Igor3:

– Any house can be raised. It is difficult to lift brick buildings. The cost of such work sometimes exceeds the cost of the building itself. Therefore, if a brick building is not of historical or architectural value, it is not practical to raise or move it.

The technology for lifting a stone building is as follows: openings are cut in the base for powerful beams. The beams are welded into a single frame. To lift a stone house, you will need several dozen jacks connected to each other by hoses or controlled by a computer. Jacks from 50 tons are used.

Such technologies are more expensive, because require more equipment, devices and skilled workers.

Almost a pro:

– To lift stone structures, professionals use many different devices, including a very expensive hydraulic station with hydraulic cylinders. You need rolled metal, I-beams, welding, and a lot of fasteners, because... A base of double metal frame is placed under the entire house. Therefore, the price tag for such work is appropriate.

Find out on FORUMHOUSE how (step by step) to pull a post out of the ground and how to raise a rickety brick fence using a jack.

Read our article on how to move a house.

Read our forum member’s story about how to raise a country house on its foundation yourself. FORUMHOUSE users can also find out how to raise log house on jacks without dismantling the floor. We offer you a detailed photo report on raising a wooden house and repairing the foundation. Watch our videos on how to redo a problematic foundation and how you can reconstruct an old country house.

Is it possible to lift a house with a jack without using special equipment? At first glance, this task would be overwhelming for one person. But having familiarized yourself with the technology and learned the features of raising wooden buildings, you can do such work with your own hands.

Preparatory work

There may be several reasons why a house should be raised to a certain height: destruction of the foundation, constant dampness of the base or an increase in its size, as well as replacement of the lower crowns of the house. To perform this work, you will need empty space between the building and the foundation. But first the house must be prepared.

List of mandatory actions before raising a building:

• simplify the structure as much as possible - remove furniture and things;
• disconnect the building from utilities - water supply, sewerage, gas and electricity;
• make sure that the lifting of the building will not be hampered by foreign objects - tree branches, power line wires, etc.

After this, you can begin the main stage of work.

Materials and components for raising a house

You can lift a wooden house using hydraulic jacks. It is not recommended to use mechanical analogues, as they are not reliable. The load capacity depends on the weight of the building. For frame house weighing up to 10 tons, two jacks with a lifting capacity of up to 20 tons will be sufficient.

Additionally, you will need the following tools and consumables:

• Wooden slats. With their help, the height of one of the walls is noted.
• At least two hydraulic jacks;
• Supports for fixing the height of the walls. Most often used wooden boards and timber with a thickness of 5 mm or more.
• Tool for making mounting openings. It could be a chainsaw, a sledgehammer.

The location of the supports depends on the type of foundation. For tape, it is necessary to install at least 4 supports under each wall. If the building is on pile foundation– the supports are mounted first under the outer ones, and then under those located in the middle part of the house.

Technology of lifting a house using a jack

After preparing the house for lifting it with a jack, you need to make sure that the walls are secure. First, control strips with markings are installed at a distance of 50-100 cm. Then mounting openings are formed for installing the jack. If necessary, the bonding layer between the foundation and the wooden wall is destroyed.

In order to lift a house with a jack, you need to do the following.

1. Install the hydraulic jack into the installation opening. Its size should ensure the installation of support boards.
2. In one approach, the building rises no more than 20 mm.
3. After this, support boards are placed to fix the position.
4. You need to move clockwise (or counterclockwise).
5. A fixed amount of lift is performed on all mounting holes at one time.
6. Without the use of special equipment, the maximum lifting height can be 50-60 cm.

After the work is completed, the foundation is repaired or a new one is poured, and the lower crowns of the wooden house are replaced. Additionally, it is recommended to check the condition of the support beams, and, if necessary, replace some of them and treat them with antiseptics.

It is important to follow safety rules while performing work. You cannot be under the building; all actions are performed outside the area where the foundation of the house is located. Before starting repair activities, you should make sure that the walls are securely fixed.

Upon completion of the work, you need to prepare the surface of the foundation for installing a building on it - laying roofing material, treating it with special compounds. Lowering the house is carried out according to a similar scheme. A jack is installed in the technological opening and the wall is fixed. Then some of the support boards are removed, after which the jack is lowered. The procedure is repeated until the house is completely fixed on the foundation.

Common mistakes when lifting a house

To avoid the possibility of partial or complete destruction of the house while lifting it with a jack, you must follow the technology. The lifting capacity of the jack should not be less than the total weight of the building. If this cannot be ensured, two lifting devices operating simultaneously are used.

Additionally, you need to avoid the most common mistakes:

• Uneven and rapid rise of the house. This will lead to its distortion and loss of stability.
• Mechanical strength of supports. They must withstand the loads of the greater mass of the building.
• Bases for jacks with increased stability.

A different technology is used to lift brick or monolithic houses. A complex metal structure is formed above the foundation, the building is shifted using hydraulic system. It is impossible to do this at home.

A wooden house has to be raised to replace the lower crowns or repair the foundation. In this article we will talk about how to raise a house with your own crayfish using a jack, what to pay attention to and what tool to use. We will also talk about the most common mistakes that are made when lifting a house on your own and their consequences.

What you need to know about lifting your house correctly

Wooden houses are raised in different ways and for different purposes. However general principle and the algorithm of actions is the same in all cases. It looks like this:

1. All communications are turned off.
2. Prepare a place for installing jacks.
3. Install jacks and detach the lower crown from the foundation.
4. They raise the house and put up supports.
5. They carry out repair work, for which they raise the house.
6. The house is lowered, gradually removing the supports.

Disabling communications

When planning to raise a house, it is necessary to completely disconnect all communications - electricity, water supply, gas, sewerage. If you do not do this, there is a high probability of serious damage. In addition, it is necessary to cut all the wires and pipes that connect the house to the ground. Otherwise, they will greatly interfere with the rise and may compromise the integrity of the log house. Particular attention must be paid to the stove, because the stove is placed on a concrete foundation that is not connected to the house. It will also be necessary to ensure free movement of the chimney through the roof. If the boiler is installed on a concrete base, disconnect it from the heating system. If the boiler is installed on the wall, then it will not interfere with the rise of the house.

Preparing to install jacks

The method of installing the jack depends on the type of foundation of the house. On tape and slab foundations you have to cut a rectangular hole either in the foundation or in the lower crowns. On columnar or pile foundations, strong wooden panels are laid on the ground, on which jacks are installed.

When equipping a place for a jack, it is necessary to prepare a flat and strong platform that will allow the tool to withstand the weight of the wall, often reaching 3-5 tons. It is also necessary to stock up on metal triangular four-legged spacers (supports, bedside tables) with the ability to adjust in height (they can be purchased at any auto store), and wooden planks of various widths and thicknesses. It is advisable that the width of the slats should not be less than 20 cm, optimally 40–50 centimeters. Such planks can be made from boards with a thickness of 50, 25 and 10 mm, connecting them using half-wood jumpers of the same thickness.

If you are going to completely replace the foundation and grillage under the house, then you will need metal channels and corners to weld them into a temporary structure that will take the weight of the house until you finish all the work and the new foundation acquires the required strength.

Select places for jacks in such a way that the distance from the corner was 1–2 meters, and between the jacks there was 3–4 meters. Larger homes may require up to 10 jacks.

Do not forget that the jacks must be installed on the side of the lower beam of the casing (lower) crown. Therefore, first carefully inspect the house to determine the bottom beam or capping log. On the side of the upper beam, the requirements for installing jacks are lower - the distance from the corner is up to 4 meters and the distance between the jacks is up to 6 meters.

House lifting technology - Video

Once you have prepared the area for the jacks and installed them, place strong wood spacers under the top and raise the jacks until they rest against the bottom crown or wood grillage of the house. If a metal grillage is installed under the house, then it must be cut at the places where the jacks are installed to a sufficient width to accommodate the spacer. Having supported the house, disconnect the frame crown from the foundation or grillage. This operation must be carried out around the entire perimeter of the house. If you forget to disconnect the flashing in even one place, it will jeopardize the integrity of your home. If you only have one jack, you will have to raise the house gradually, placing wooden planks and moving the jack from place to place.

Raise the jacks gradually and no more than 3–5 centimeters at a time and immediately place the prepared strips under the crown. Continue to raise the first jack only after all jacks have been raised. If something goes wrong and the house falls off the jack, the slats will prevent it from gaining speed and causing a strong impact. Whenever possible, replace thin planks with thick ones, and then install supports. This will keep the house from falling under the influence of the wind. The height to raise the house depends on what you want to do. If you need to replace one or more crowns, then the height of the house should be equal to the height of one crown plus 10–15 centimeters. To replace the crowns, you will have to move the spacers, changing first on some walls, then on others.

After all the repair work for which the house was raised is completed, it begins to be lowered. To do this, first lift it slightly and install slats instead of goats. Then they pull out the top bar in each support and carefully, one millimeter at a time, lower the house by 2–4 cm. After all the jacks have been lowered one circle at a time, pull out one bar again and lower it another 2–4 cm. If there is only one jack, then first they raise one side and instead of the goat they put a set of planks. Then the same operation is performed on the remaining areas. After this, they lift the first section, pull out the top bar and lower the house until it rests on the remaining package. This operation is performed in a circle until all the slats are removed. After this, the casing crown is attached to the foundation or grillage.

What tools are needed

When planning to raise a house, you need to prepare all the tools in advance so that during the work you do not have to run to the store for the missing tools. Here is a list of tools that will be required for this job:

• a hydraulic jack with a lifting force of at least ¼ of the weight of the house;
• strong wooden panels for installing a jack (only for pile and columnar foundations);
• chain saw for concrete (for slab and strip foundations and reinforced concrete grillages);
• various linings with a width of at least 20 cm each;
• safety stands with height adjustment;
• grinder with a metal disc (for houses with a metal grillage);
• keys and screwdrivers for detaching the casing from the foundation or grillage.

How to choose a jack to raise a house

When choosing a jack, you need to focus on two parameters - power (lifting force) and shape. To determine the required jack power, calculate the weight of the house and divide it by 4. If the house is small, then it is advisable to use a jack with a lifting force equal to half the weight of the house. This is due to the fact that in big houses up to 10 jack installation points, so the tool will work without overload, and in small houses there are only 4 points, so the jack will work with maximum load.

For lifting houses located low above the ground, rolling and inflatable jacks with a board 50–100 mm thick and at least 250 mm wide placed under them are well suited. If the distance from the ground exceeds 30–40 cm, then bottle and scissor hydraulic jacks, as well as screw rack and rhombic jacks, are well suited.

The most common and dangerous mistakes

When lifting wooden houses, the following mistakes are most often made:

• they forget to disconnect the casing from the foundation;
• raise one side too much;
• the jack is not installed clearly;
• do not use gaskets between the jack and the crown;
• pads that are too narrow are used.

If you forget to disconnect the frame crown from the grillage in at least one place, then when raising the house, there is a high probability that the frame crown will split, causing the whole house to shake. If this happens, you will have to caulk not only those crowns that you change during the repair process, but also all the others.

If you raise one side too much (more than 5 cm), then there is a high probability of skewing and jamming of windows and doors. In addition, lifting one side too much will cause the beams or logs to warp, which will force the house to be re-caulked, which is difficult and expensive.

One of the common and very dangerous mistakes is unclear installation of the jack. If during the lifting process it pushes through the soil or somehow changes its position, there is a high probability that this will lead to a shift of the entire house relative to the foundation. If this happens, it will be very difficult to get the house back. In especially severe cases, you will have to disassemble it completely, then reassemble it on the foundation. Using a jack without a “heel” - a spacer between it and the crown - often leads to splitting of a beam or log. After all, the area of ​​the bottle jack rod is small, but the pressure it creates is enormous.

Another extremely dangerous mistake is using narrow linings. After all, a raised house is in no way connected to the foundation, so even a small wind creates enough force to overturn the narrow supports, as a result of which the house falls from the foundation and is destroyed. To avoid this, it is necessary to use wide pads and welded triangular “goats” with the ability to adjust in height. Such “goats” are used to secure raised cars. When choosing goats, make sure that they have not 3, but 4 legs. Goats with three legs are not suitable for lifting a house.

This question often arises among owners of old wooden buildings when it is necessary to carry out major renovation of their dilapidated home. The task cannot be called simple, but you can cope with it yourself if you follow the recommendations and advice given in the article.

Preparation

The process of raising a wooden house with jacks with your own hands is not very difficult, but in order for everything to go as it should, you need to thoroughly prepare for the work and act without haste.

It is important! In autumn and spring it often rains, due to which the soil becomes limp (and the groundwater level becomes higher), so the jack will get stuck in it. It is better to do the work in the dry season.

Interior of the house and communications

To make the structure as light as possible, it is recommended to remove furniture from the house.

You also need:

• disconnect the water heating pipes from the boiler installed on a separate foundation;
• disconnect the gas pipeline from the house (the work is performed by a gas service specialist);
• it may be necessary to disconnect the power lines;
• dismantle part of the sewer leaving the building.

A visual inspection will help determine what else is in the way - it could be trees, their branches, bushes, etc.

Tools and consumables

You can lift a wooden house (a four-walled hut) with one jack, but two are more convenient.

It is important! Use only hydraulic jacks with a lifting force of 10 tons or more.

Car jacks should not be used to lift a house - they are not reliable enough for these types of work. It is also not recommended to use screw jacks without providing reliable support - when the nut rotates, a strong rotational load is created on the tool, and it can turn and jump out.

In addition to the lifting mechanism, you will need:

1. Wooden slats. Height marks will be placed on them, showing the degree of elevation of the wall.
2. Boards or bars of different thicknesses. Will be used as stands for raised walls.
3. Metal plates. Designed to protect logs from splitting (a cut of a channel or corner will do).
4. Flat plates made of thick metal.
5. A gas or electric saw to cut mounting holes in the wood.
6. Sledgehammer.

Now you can begin the main stage of work.

Sequence of work

The process of raising a wooden house depends: firstly, on the type of foundation, and secondly, on the type of house.

Type of foundation. A strip foundation is poured under a wooden house or it is made columnar. In the first case, it is necessary to prepare places for installing jacks under the house, and in the second, there is enough free space to lift the building.

House type. Under a five-wall or six-wall it is necessary to make a support for the wall dividing the house. Raising the four-wall is not so troublesome.
Now let's look at how to raise a house on jacks.

Since the work is complex, you need to follow the recommendations:

1. When using a jack to lift a wooden house, you need to check the condition of the log against which it will rest - it must not be rotten and strong. If this check is not performed, then at the most crucial moment the thrust head of the jack can be pressed into the trunk, as a result of which the entire structure can become warped and even crumble. A metal plate must be installed between the log and the lifting mechanism.
2. Depending on the lifting capacity of the jack, its dimensions change, as a result of which the supporting area of ​​the device can be very small. If this is the case in your case, then it is extremely important to provide a reliable site for its installation. It is recommended to compact loose soil.
3. It is regularly necessary to check the position of the house to see if it has begun to shift. If a displacement is detected, work must be stopped immediately until the cause is determined. Then the house is leveled and its rise continues.
4. You must not be under the house being lifted! You also need to make sure that an accidentally falling log does not crush your leg or arm.

Raising a house with jacks

Now let's look at how to lift a house with a jack. It is important to adhere to the following sequence:

Preparing areas for installing jacks

1. When raising a house standing on a pile foundation, reliable supports for jacks are made. A notch is made in the strip base.
2. Near each support point, a sufficient quantity of prepared linings (slats, bars, plates) must be prepared.
3. The prepared areas in which the jacks will be installed are inspected. You need to try to lift the house so that the lift “takes its place” - then it will become clear how correctly the preparation was carried out.

Installing jacks and raising the house

1. The horizontal position is checked with a water or laser level. It is very convenient to navigate along the slats hammered near each corner of the building - they mark the lower level of the house.
2. After checking and eliminating all defects, using prepared jacks for wooden houses, you can begin lifting the structure. The work is performed from one, lowest side of the building - using at least 2 lifting mechanisms, two people raise the house to a height of about 4 cm.

   The process of lifting a house with jacks and replacing the foundation - step by step video instructions

   Pads are installed (for safety, and the house rises another 4 cm (total 8 cm)). A set of pads is placed between the foundation (or a new support is laid out), and the structure is lowered onto them.

   It is important! You can raise the house with just one lift, but this is very inconvenient - you will have to regularly rearrange the device, and the height of a single lift will be only 2-3 cm.

3. Further work is carried out on the opposite side of the house. Lifts are installed, and, just like in the first case, the house is raised. Gradually, checking the position of the structure, it is lifted to a height of up to 16 cm, placing new supports under the jack. It is better not to use the adjustable rod of the device as an alternative, since such actions reduce the supporting stability of the device.
4. The sequence of work is repeated until the house is raised to the desired height.

It is important! Using lifting mechanisms (without the use of special equipment), a wooden house can be raised to a height of no more than 60 cm.

Now you can replace the rotted crown log or repair the foundation.

Preparing the house for return to the foundation

Even if the house was raised only to replace a rotted crown, it is necessary to check the condition of the foundation, whether it is strip, column or screw. All damaged or dilapidated parts of the foundation must be repaired.

It is important! A screw foundation has a limited service life. If at least one support is damaged by corrosion, it is better to replace all the piles.

House on a new foundation

Having completed the restoration work that caused the house to rise, it is returned to the foundation, on top of which waterproofing material is laid.

• as with lifting, no rush is allowed during lowering. Each side is lowered alternately a short distance;
• the next stage of action depends on what kind of foundation it was - lifts are removed from the belt, and the openings are filled with concrete.

All that remains is to connect the communications and, if necessary, seal the roof around the chimney.

Violation of the integrity of the foundation is a phenomenon often found in wooden buildings of considerable age. It happens that the house itself is in excellent condition, but the base has rotted due to external factors and the inability to get close to the structure due to its burial in the ground. In such cases, there are 2 options:

1. Disassemble an old house and build a new one.
2. If the building is in good condition, it is not practical to dismantle it; raising the foundation of a wooden house and reconstructing it would be a rational decision.

There are even technologies for lifting and carrying stones and multi-storey buildings, but on your own, without the help of specialists, you can only lift a small wooden house using conventional tools.

The general principle of lifting or which houses can be lifted

The essence of the technology is to place a jack under the wall above the foundation and directly lift the building. You will need 4 lifting devices, their capacity must be at least 10 tons, or according to calculation: take the approximate weight of the house and divide it by 4, you will get the load per jack. The device should be selected with a power reserve.

As they increase, supporting objects are inserted into the opening gaps: beams, bricks, blocks around the entire perimeter. In this way, wooden houses made of timber, logs, or wooden panels can be torn off the ground. These materials and the method of fastening them together are able to compensate for minor distortions that occur during the work, and the house does not fall apart.

Things are more complicated with block, monolithic, stone buildings. The rigid connection of structural components is not able to withstand distortions and destruction of individual parts of the load-bearing and self-supporting frame occurs. In such cases, a technological approach is required:

• Metal plates or beams are installed under the wall, which take on a uniform load from the entire perimeter of the house;
• Powerful jacks are installed under the plates at many support points and lifting is carried out.

This process is impossible without special equipment and qualified specialists.

Restore the foundation or build a new house

Before deciding to replace the foundation, you should evaluate the entire situation:

• Is the house itself suitable for further living?
• If the building is suitable, decide whether the foundation needs to be restored or completely changed.

In cases where restoring a house is a more affordable option than building a new one, you, of course, need to start with the main supporting structure. Why does the foundation break?

• Long service life, as a result of which the constituent elements have time to rot;
• For the same reason, the house may sag along one side or corner, causing a general misalignment;
• Improper construction of structures. This phenomenon happened everywhere 50-60 years ago: they built with what they could and as best they could, the technology was rarely followed;
• Soil erosion, high level groundwater give their results.

Problems may also arise in newly built houses:

• Incorrect calculation of the foundation structure, insufficient depth, resulting in cracking of the structure as a result of soil heaving;
• Errors in construction technology;
• The low base does not allow sufficient insulation of the floor of the first floor, which is why the rooms are cold and constantly damp.

In the case of old houses, there is only one recommendation - no restoration, complete replacement of the foundation! The tree will continue to deteriorate in unfavorable conditions and the effect of the work will not last long. You should select a monolithic device concrete base. For new houses, the situation is assessed individually: if there has been a significant violation of the integrity of the structure, it is advisable to completely replace it with a more powerful foundation. If there is noticeable discomfort from dampness on the ground floor and it is impossible to insulate the floor, you can resort to raising the base.

Foundation calculation

To determine the correct depth for laying a new foundation, assess the condition of the soil:

• Availability of groundwater on the site;
• Soil type: sand, clay or rocky base.

Sands and rocky soils without groundwater are ideal for construction. Shallow foundations can be placed on these, without taking into account the level of soil freezing in the region. For reinforced concrete tape, it is enough to take 50-60 cm in depth.

Clays and fluid soils require a different approach. If the house is one-story or two-story with a lightweight structure without weight concrete floors, it will be enough to install shallow strip or column foundations. The latter will cost much less. The depth is taken based on the depth of soil freezing; the depth can be placed at the level of ½ or 1/3 of the table value.

When installing a shallow foundation, it is necessary to create a compensation cushion of sand and crushed stone under the structure. It will take on the pressure of the soil during heaving and the structure of the house will not move.

If the house has a basement, it is advisable to build a buried foundation. To do this, you need to use SNiP “Building Climatology” and take from its appendix the depth of winter soil freezing in the region. Add 20-30 cm to the result. This is true for both tape and columnar foundation. If there is a basement for a columnar foundation, it will be necessary to create enclosing walls and carefully insulate them.

Preparing the bottom frame of the wall

In order for the house to withstand the rise without destruction, it is important to check the condition of the lower frame in order to identify its weakness. If the log is rotten or dry, it must be replaced or dismantled before installing the jacks. You can make a cut under the lifting mechanism to a whole log through the defective one.

In general, before starting work, you should check the entire lower tier: tap it, identify weak logs. To this end, you may need to hire a professional to accurately diagnose the condition of the walls.

What you need to prepare for work

To raise the foundation of an old wooden house, you will need a small set of tools and equipment:

• Shovel;
• 4 jacks;
• Laser or bubble level;
• A set of wooden blocks and planks of different thicknesses.

To dismantle it, you will need a hammer drill, a crowbar, an ax - any tools for dismantling the old structure, based on its material.

Preparatory work

If you need to raise a wooden house and pour the foundation, you need to dig a trench around the perimeter of the building. Its depth should correspond to the design depth of the new foundation, and its width should be sufficient for convenient work and installation of equipment, optimally 60...70 cm.

As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to prepare a place for the jack. To do this, a compaction is created in the ground near the corners of the house for installation, and a thick board is laid. It is advisable that the device be located directly under the wall. If there is an old foundation under the wall, a separate part of it should be cut down. Next, the fragile wall belt is dismantled until it is intact and strong. Now you can install the jack. It is advisable to place a thick metal plate width greater than the thickness of the timber. This is necessary so that if the wood is not strong enough, the mechanism will not pierce it, and the load on the plate will fall evenly.

Some sources claim that you can take 1-2 jacks. If you imagine the situation in practice, what will happen: you need to lift the structure evenly, but with 1 or 2 devices you will have to constantly move around the perimeter. In addition, the structure of an old house may not withstand such distortion. Feel free to take 4 jacks at the corners (or more, depending on the type of perimeter) and get to work.

How to lift an old wooden house with a jack

The first thing to remember is no rush! At every step, you need to monitor the process and urgently take action if unforeseen situations arise.

The jacks are installed. We begin to slowly raise the devices by 2-3 centimeters one after another. Greater distortion is undesirable. They raised it and placed a support board. Then they raised it and put another board down. When the free distance is significant, the boards can be replaced with stronger beams. Supports are installed as often as necessary to support the walls. Under 6 meters you can place 2-3 supports.

When the lifting height is sufficient for subsequent work, you can begin to dismantle the weakened part or the entire foundation. A hammer drill, axe, crowbar and other auxiliary tools will help here. It is important to thoroughly clean the area for the new base.

Now let's start changing the design itself.

When choosing a strip foundation, we build formwork, make a 20-30 cm sand and gravel cushion, and install a frame. Concrete is poured using wheelbarrows or a hose from a concrete truck. It is imperative to compact the solution with a submersible vibrator. The period during which concrete will gain 70% of its strength is 5...7 days. After this, the house can be lowered onto the foundation.

To install shallow-depth posts, you can use monolithic concrete or ceramic brick. We lay out or pour into the formwork the supports placed on a bed of sand and crushed stone.

In all cases, the walls of the foundation structure should be waterproofed to preserve its integrity for a longer period.

We make a monolithic concrete grillage along the columns or use a ready-made reinforced concrete beam.

Before lowering the building onto a new foundation, it is very important to create a layer of roofing felt or other polymer insulator between dissimilar materials (wood and concrete). We lay 2-3 layers along the grillage or top of the tape.

Restoration of the lower crown

If the lower crown of the wall was removed due to dilapidation, do not forget to restore this belt. To do this you will need a prepared log or timber. We lay them on a new base. We cut out the places where the jacks are installed; after removing them, the missing parts will be inserted into place. But if the lifts are only in the corners, then there will be no problems. We carefully insulate the gaps between the beams with caulk, flax-jute or padding polyester.

Now we lower the jacks at the same speed as we raised them - 2 cm from each corner. After removing the mechanisms, if necessary, insert the sawn parts of the first tier, insulate and close all the holes.

If the house has a stove or an outbuilding

Separately, it is worth mentioning the old houses with a stove. It has its own foundation, so it will not rise with the house. Before raising a wooden house, it is necessary to clear the floor surrounding the stove, the hole for the chimney in the ceiling and the roof so that the pipe can move freely. After the work is completed, when the house is put into place, if the work is done correctly, the floor and ceiling will remain undamaged.

If the house has an extension, there are 2 options:

• 1) Raise it along with the house;
• 2) During the work, unhook the connections of the attachment, if this does not affect its stability.

The second option is more understandable and simple, but the choice must be made solely by assessing the situation.

As houses are used, their structures wear out over time. To a greater extent, this applies specifically to wooden houses made of timber, in the construction of which materials that have not undergone special treatment were used. Despite the fact that wood is the most environmentally friendly material, if construction technology is violated, its beneficial qualities may decrease.

For preventive purposes, it is necessary to replace or repair the foundation once every 15-20 years.

After a long time, the bottom row wooden beams under the influence of moisture it can begin to rot, losing its load-bearing capacity. To prevent the destruction of the house, rotten beams should be replaced with new materials, and for this it is necessary to raise the entire structure. Therefore, let's look at how to raise a wooden house on your own.

How to raise a house with jacks?

Stages of replacing the crowns of a wooden house.

Raising a house without violating its integrity is quite difficult, because any mistake or wrong action can lead to the destruction of the entire building. When lifting, you must exercise extreme attention and caution, and strictly follow the instructions and recommendations of specialists.

Then you should choose places to install the jacks. Depending on the reasons for raising the house, the process of installing jacks may vary slightly. For example, to replace the lower beams, it is necessary to cut holes in the rotted beams until they stop at a solid beam, against which the hydraulic equipment will rest. The holes must be such that not only the jack, but also the support beams fit through them.

You can also raise a wooden house in order to increase the level of the base or foundation. In this case, you should make a niche in the foundation into which the jack will be installed. If the base of the house is columnar, then there is no need to make a niche; it is only necessary with a strip foundation.

There are several basic rules that must be followed when raising a wooden house:

1. It is necessary to lift a wooden house simultaneously on two jacks, which are mounted at opposite angles.
2. One corner at a time can be raised no more than 6 cm, after which it should be fixed with supports, and then the opposite corner should be raised by the same amount.
3. One corner can be raised if it has sagged significantly in relation to the other corners. In this case, it rises separately until it reaches the level of the remaining corners.
4. Reliably fixing the house in a raised position can be done by placing strong boards or “benches” under the corners. The choice of one or another fixation depends on the work that will be performed after lifting.

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Correct placement of jacks

The jack must be installed under the bottom log. If it is placed on the ground, the soil in this place should be well compacted and a beam or strong board should be placed on top. These materials should also be used if the jack is installed on concrete surface, which will more evenly distribute the load from the weight of the building and give the jack greater stability.

A steel plate measuring 10x10 cm is placed under the head of the jack. For greater fixation, it should have a small concavity in the center or a milling, where the head could rest. The place on the log where the head will rest should be slightly processed with a chisel, so that as a result wooden surface was smooth.

Particular attention should be paid to the position of the hydraulic device, which must be strictly vertical. If the slightest tilt appears, the lifting should be stopped immediately and the jack secured in the desired direction.

To be able to control the height of the house, a rail with a mark is installed in the ground near the corner. The same mark should be applied to the corner of the house. When lifting, the difference between the marks will show the height of the structure.

It is forbidden to control the lifting height along the length of the jack rod extension, because in this way we will not get an accurate height value, since the jack may sink slightly into the ground under the influence of the load.

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The process of raising a wooden house on jacks

To carry out lifting work, it is necessary to prepare the following tools and materials:

• 2 jacks;
• chain saw;
• chisel;
• building level;
• hammer;
• shovel;
• bars;
• steel plate 10x10 cm;
• slats;
• durable boards;
• nails.

Under each wall, two holes should be dug 100 cm long along the beam, 50 cm deep below the beam and 70 cm wide, at a distance of 50 cm from the corners of the building. The bottom of the pits should be flat, compacted and covered with a strong board or timber.

For additional fixation of the walls, two horizontal strips are attached to the logs, which are sheathed with boards. In this way, the entire structure can be rigidly connected, which will eliminate the possibility of displacement of individual elements.

Raising the house should be carried out gradually, constantly monitoring the angle of inclination using building level. The house should be raised until the upper beam comes out of the fastening of the lower beam. Two jacks are mounted on opposite sides and the building is lifted in several approaches. If you raise one corner at once to the required height, the house may become deformed.

After one side is raised to the desired height (about 30 cm), it is fixed with bars, after which you can move to the opposite side. These steps should be repeated until the upper logs are separated from the lower ones.

In order to raise a house, you can use several jacks installed along the perimeter of the building, which will allow you to immediately raise the house to the required height, although this is not always possible, so one or two jacks are often used. This technology will take a lot of your time and effort. In addition, it is necessary to constantly monitor the lifting height, the angle of inclination, the reliability of fixing the jack in each corner and the fixation of the supports.

Raising a wooden house is not an easy task, and not every building can be lifted, since not all structures can withstand heavy loads. Therefore, before the lifting procedure, you should correctly calculate the possible options and, if the situation requires, contact a specialist.

Repairing flashings, the lower part of the facade or the foundation of a wooden house is a task that often arises for owners of country real estate. Almost always, to carry out such work it is necessary to raise the house or some part of it. This is done with the help of jacks that can withstand the required load for quite a long time.

Read our article about which jacks are best to use and how to carefully lift a building without damaging its frame and cladding.

What kind of jacks are needed?

Raising wooden residential buildings requires the same types of jacks that are used in car repair shops and tire shops. They just have to be designed for a much larger load. Therefore, before you start selecting a jack, you need to correctly calculate how much the house you plan to lift can weigh under current weather conditions:

• The total weight of the house can be calculated as the sum of the weights of the walls, ceilings, partitions and roof. This value can be estimated by multiplying the volume wooden structures on wood density;
• To the resulting number it is necessary to add the mass of all internal engineering devices and communications that cannot be disconnected during the period of work;
• We do not take into account the contribution of furniture located inside the house, since it must be removed;
• In order for the jack to lift and hold the house, we increase the value calculated in the previous step by 20-25%. In this way, we take into account the influence of moisture, which is always present inside the wooden material.

The jack should not work to the limit of its capabilities, so we provide an additional margin of approximately 20%.

Types of jacks

To lift a wooden house, two types of lifting devices are most often used: screw and hydraulic.

In terms of reliability, both types of jacks are approximately equivalent, it all depends on how much one or the other costs, how many tons it can lift, and how well it is made. For example, you need to use Chinese jacks with a great deal of caution, since many manufacturers from this country are not careful enough to comply with the declared parameters.

It is worth keeping in mind that for wooden houses, jacks with a lifting capacity of 10 tons and above are most often used.

Technology for raising a wooden house

The sequence of work carried out to raise a wooden house to the required height depends on the type of house, its weight and the number of jacks available.

Lifting with one jack

If there is only one jack, then the house is lifted in turn from each side. In this case, the lifting height should not exceed 5 cm in one cycle. Otherwise, unacceptable deformations may occur, and a lopsided frame will cause cracked glass, burst wallpaper or warped doors.

Safety beams are placed under the raised angle, onto which the base of the house is then lowered. After this, the jack is pulled out and transferred to the other side, from which a similar operation is performed. As a result, in four passes the entire surface wooden base rises to the same level. By applying this cycle the required number of times, with one jack you can raise the structure to the desired height and get exactly as much free space as is required for unhindered work.

Using two jacks

If you have two jacks, it is very important to space them so that you can lift the two sides correctly in sequence. Under no circumstances should you hang both sides at the same time; each corner must be lifted in turn. Otherwise, the house may move in a direction parallel to the jack line and become deformed. Otherwise, the lifting technology is similar to the previous case.

Four jacks

If you have the ability to place one jack at each corner, you can get the job done as quickly and conveniently as possible. It is also worth lifting the house one at a time, moving from one corner to another and lifting them a few centimeters at a time.

It should be noted that there are centrally controlled jack systems that can move all points upward synchronously. But such systems are more likely to be professional equipment and are used quite rarely in everyday life.

Precautions when lifting wooden houses

Raising a wooden house is a difficult and dangerous job. If you decide to do it yourself, be sure to study the basic rules that should be followed in order not to cause harm to yourself and others:

Finally, watch how to properly use wooden house jacks in the video below.

Violation of the integrity of the foundation is a phenomenon often found in wooden buildings of considerable age. It happens that the house itself is in excellent condition, but the base has rotted due to external factors and the inability to get close to the structure due to its burial in the ground. In such cases, there are 2 options:

1. Dismantle the old house and build a new one.
2. If the building is in good condition, it is not practical to dismantle it; raising the foundation of a wooden house and reconstructing it would be a rational decision.

There are even technologies for lifting and moving stone and multi-story buildings, but on your own, without the help of specialists, you can only lift a small wooden house using conventional tools.

The general principle of lifting or which houses can be lifted

The essence of the technology is to place a jack under the wall above the foundation and directly lift the building. You will need 4 lifting devices, their capacity must be at least 10 tons, or according to calculation: take the approximate weight of the house and divide it by 4, you will get the load per jack. The device should be selected with a power reserve.

As they increase, supporting objects are inserted into the opening gaps: beams, bricks, blocks around the entire perimeter. In this way, wooden houses made of timber, logs, or wooden panels can be torn off the ground. These materials and the method of fastening them together are able to compensate for minor distortions that occur during the work, and the house does not fall apart.

Things are more complicated with block, monolithic, stone buildings. The rigid connection of structural components is not able to withstand distortions and destruction of individual parts of the load-bearing and self-supporting frame occurs. In such cases, a technological approach is required:

• Metal plates or beams are installed under the wall, which take on a uniform load from the entire perimeter of the house;
• Powerful jacks are installed under the plates at many support points and lifting is carried out.

This process is impossible without special equipment and qualified specialists.

Restore the foundation or build a new house

Before deciding to replace the foundation, you should evaluate the entire situation:

• Is the house itself suitable for further living?
• If the building is suitable, decide whether the foundation needs to be restored or completely changed.

In cases where restoring a house is a more affordable option than building a new one, you, of course, need to start with the main supporting structure. Why does the foundation break?

• Long service life, as a result of which the constituent elements have time to rot;
• For the same reason, the house may sag along one side or corner, causing a general misalignment;
• Improper construction of structures. This phenomenon happened everywhere 50-60 years ago: they built with what they could and as best they could, the technology was rarely followed;
• Soil erosion and high groundwater levels are producing results.

Problems may also arise in newly built houses:

• Incorrect calculation of the foundation structure, insufficient depth, resulting in cracking of the structure as a result of soil heaving;
• Errors in construction technology;
• The low base does not allow sufficient insulation of the floor of the first floor, which is why the rooms are cold and constantly damp.

In the case of old houses, there is only one recommendation - no restoration, complete replacement of the foundation! The tree will continue to deteriorate in unfavorable conditions and the effect of the work will not last long. You should choose a monolithic concrete foundation. For new houses, the situation is assessed individually: if there has been a significant violation of the integrity of the structure, it is advisable to completely replace it with a more powerful foundation. If there is noticeable discomfort from dampness on the ground floor and it is impossible to insulate the floor, you can resort to raising the base.

Foundation calculation

To determine the correct depth for laying a new foundation, assess the condition of the soil:

• Availability of groundwater on the site;
• Soil type: sand, clay or rocky base.

Sands and rocky soils without groundwater are ideal for construction. Shallow foundations can be placed on these, without taking into account the level of soil freezing in the region. For reinforced concrete tape, it is enough to take 50-60 cm in depth.

Clays and fluid soils require a different approach. If the house is one-story or two-story with a lightweight structure without weighted concrete floors, it will be sufficient to install shallow strip or column foundations. The latter will cost much less. The depth is taken based on the depth of soil freezing; the depth can be placed at the level of ½ or 1/3 of the table value.

When installing a shallow foundation, it is necessary to create a compensation cushion of sand and crushed stone under the structure. It will take on the pressure of the soil during heaving and the structure of the house will not move.

If the house has a basement, it is advisable to build a buried foundation. To do this, you need to use SNiP “Building Climatology” and take from its appendix the depth of winter soil freezing in the region. Add 20-30 cm to the result. This is true for both strip and column foundations. If there is a basement for a columnar foundation, it will be necessary to create enclosing walls and carefully insulate them.

Preparing the bottom frame of the wall

In order for the house to withstand the rise without destruction, it is important to check the condition of the lower frame in order to identify its weakness. If the log is rotten or dry, it must be replaced or dismantled before installing the jacks. You can make a cut under the lifting mechanism to a whole log through the defective one.

In general, before starting work, you should check the entire lower tier: tap it, identify weak logs. To this end, you may need to hire a professional to accurately diagnose the condition of the walls.

What you need to prepare for work

To raise the foundation of an old wooden house, you will need a small set of tools and equipment:

• Shovel;
• 4 jacks;
• Laser or bubble level;
• A set of wooden blocks and planks of different thicknesses.

To dismantle it, you will need a hammer drill, a crowbar, an ax - any tools for dismantling the old structure, based on its material.

Preparatory work

If you need to raise a wooden house and pour the foundation, you need to dig a trench around the perimeter of the building. Its depth should correspond to the design depth of the new foundation, and its width should be sufficient for convenient work and installation of equipment, optimally 60...70 cm.

As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to prepare a place for the jack. To do this, a compaction is created in the ground near the corners of the house for installation, and a thick board is laid. It is advisable that the device be located directly under the wall. If there is an old foundation under the wall, a separate part of it should be cut down. Next, the fragile wall belt is dismantled until it is intact and strong. Now you can install the jack. It is advisable to place a thick metal plate on its lifting plane with a width greater than the thickness of the beam. This is necessary so that if the wood is not strong enough, the mechanism will not pierce it, and the load on the plate will fall evenly.

Some sources claim that you can take 1-2 jacks. If you imagine the situation in practice, what will happen: you need to lift the structure evenly, but with 1 or 2 devices you will have to constantly move around the perimeter. In addition, the structure of an old house may not withstand such distortion. Feel free to take 4 jacks at the corners (or more, depending on the type of perimeter) and get to work.

How to lift an old wooden house with a jack

The first thing to remember is no rush! At every step, you need to monitor the process and urgently take action if unforeseen situations arise.

The jacks are installed. We begin to slowly raise the devices by 2-3 centimeters one after another. Greater distortion is undesirable. They raised it and put a support board on it. Then they raised it and put another board down. When the free distance is significant, the boards can be replaced with stronger beams. Supports are installed as often as necessary to support the walls. Under 6 meters you can place 2-3 supports.

When the lifting height is sufficient for subsequent work, you can begin to dismantle the weakened part or the entire foundation. A hammer drill, axe, crowbar and other auxiliary tools will help here. It is important to thoroughly clean the area for the new base.

Now let's start changing the design itself.

When choosing a strip foundation, we build formwork, make a 20-30 cm sand and gravel cushion, and install a frame. Concrete is poured using wheelbarrows or a hose from a concrete truck. It is imperative to compact the solution with a submersible vibrator. The period during which concrete will gain 70% of its strength is 5...7 days. After this, the house can be lowered onto the foundation.

To install shallow-depth posts, you can use monolithic concrete or ceramic brick. We lay out or pour into the formwork the supports placed on a bed of sand and crushed stone.

In all cases, the walls of the foundation structure should be waterproofed to preserve its integrity for a longer period.

We make a monolithic concrete grillage along the columns or use a ready-made reinforced concrete beam.

Before lowering the building onto a new foundation, it is very important to create a layer of roofing felt or other polymer insulator between dissimilar materials (wood and concrete). We lay 2-3 layers along the grillage or top of the tape.

Restoration of the lower crown

If the lower crown of the wall was removed due to dilapidation, do not forget to restore this belt. To do this you will need a prepared log or timber. We lay them on a new base. We cut out the places where the jacks are installed; after removing them, the missing parts will be inserted into place. But if the lifts are only in the corners, then there will be no problems. We carefully insulate the gaps between the beams with caulk, flax-jute or padding polyester.

Now we lower the jacks at the same speed as we raised them - 2 cm from each corner. After removing the mechanisms, if necessary, insert the sawn parts of the first tier, insulate and close all the holes.

If the house has a stove or an outbuilding

Separately, it is worth mentioning the old houses with a stove. It has its own foundation, so it will not rise with the house. Before raising a wooden house, it is necessary to clear the floor surrounding the stove, the hole for the chimney in the ceiling and the roof so that the pipe can move freely. After the work is completed, when the house is put into place, if the work is done correctly, the floor and ceiling will remain undamaged.

If the house has an extension, there are 2 options:

• 1) Raise it along with the house;
• 2) During the work, unhook the connections of the attachment, if this does not affect its stability.

The second option is more understandable and simple, but the choice must be made solely by assessing the situation.