JOIN USIn drowning Bengaluru, homeowners rise to the occasion
Sowmya Srikumar felt a little relieved when her house rose a few feet from the ground in January this year; not by magic, but through a technique called house-lifting.
It is expensive but for residents like her, there is no other way to dodge Bengaluru's annual tryst with monsoon flooding.
"House lifting is no doubt expensive. But many houses in our locality were flooded at least 10 times in the course of the year, but we managed to escape the pain because our house is now at a higher level," said the resident of Duo Enclave near Kodichikkanahalli.
House-lifting involves laying a fresh new foundation and increasing the height of the building.
The cost of house-lifting depends on the area, the weight of the building, and the desired elevation. One company put the cost at Rs 5 lakh to lift a 1,200 sq ft house by three feet.
According to Sowmya, it is a cheaper option than building from scratch.
And it doesn't come as a surprise that companies offering these services are being flooded with queries.
“In the last three months, we have received about 400 enquiries from Bengaluru,” said Vikas Rana, Shri Ram Building Lifting Works, a Kerala-based company.
Queries usually go up when houses are flooded, but the number of people actively seeking the service has increased significantly in 2022, a year when the tech hub faced extensive flooding that made national news.
“In fact, those who had contacted us last year are coming back this year as they have suffered huge losses because of flooding,” said Sushil Sisodia from TDBD Engineering Works, which is based in Bengaluru.
Some owners are so desperate that they are taking loans to get their houses lifted.
Naveen Singh from Sai House Lifting Services, Bengaluru, said the firm had "elevated at least 150 houses since 2019”.
Sisodia said he has been getting calls from Bannerghatta Road, Kodichikkanahalli, JP Nagar Phase, K R Puram, Konankunte, and other low-lying areas.
But is house-lifting safe? Civil engineers say owners considering it should first consult a structural engineer.
“Lifting the house might be a good solution to prevent flooding but it is a risky affair, and you should ensure the building remains strong. Each building is different and calls for a customised plan,” said Srikanth Channal, chairperson of the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers, Bengaluru.
How do they do it?
The flooring of the ground floor is first removed and a trench is dug along the walls. Jacks are placed and the building is raised slowly and evenly. A new foundation is laid, with the building being lifted one foot at a time. It takes 30 to 45 days to lift a 1,200 sq ft house by three feet.