The coast Katrina erased and rebuilt on pilings, and the state FEMA has spent the most to lift.
FEMA has funded mitigation on 13,922 Mississippi properties, investing $1.5B in flood-risk reduction, by far the deepest elevation-and-acquisition programme of any state in this directory. Mississippi licenses builders through the State Board of Contractors (residential jobs above roughly $50,000 require it) and Alabama through its Home Builders Licensure Board, so a state licence number is checkable on both sides of the line.
Where it floods, and why
Biloxi & Gulfport (Harrison County)
Harrison County took the worst of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the rebuild became the largest housing recovery in US history ($16B of a $110.6B federal effort). Gulfport adopted advisory base flood elevations in 2006, and ICC payments funded lifts to the new standard. FEMA’s own assessment found elevated houses came through Katrina with only minor damage where the surge ran about a foot above the regulatory lowest floor.
Bay St. Louis & Pass Christian (Hancock County)
Katrina’s surge came ashore hardest here. Two decades on, elevated homes on tall pilings are the default building form along this shoreline rather than the exception, and the contractor base reflects that.
Mobile & the Alabama coast
Mobile Bay, Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach face hurricane surge and repeated tropical flooding. Alabama requires a Home Builders Licensure Board licence for residential work, so the builder number is verifiable.
How much does it cost to raise a house in Biloxi & Gulfport?
Home elevation runs about $20,000 to $80,000 for a typical project nationally, and $150,000 or more for complex or coastal work. Local ground conditions, foundation type and required height drive the number, so treat this as a range to check against a local quote, not a price.
Who can lift a house in Mississippi & Alabama Gulf Coast?
We list 2 house-lifting or structural-moving firms serving Mississippi & Alabama Gulf Coast, each confirmed against at least two independent sources. We are not affiliated with any of them and nobody pays to be listed.
Will FEMA pay to elevate my house in Mississippi & Alabama Gulf Coast?
FEMA grants (FMA and HMGP) typically cover 75% of eligible cost, rising to 90% for repetitive-loss and up to 100% for severe-repetitive-loss properties. You apply through your community or state, not directly to FEMA, and funding is competitive rather than guaranteed.
Flood-risk figures are drawn from FEMA’s National Risk Index and NFIP datasets and reflect the most recent data we could source; verify current status at fema.gov before relying on a number for a financial or legal decision.