Method and apparatus for raising a structure

A jacking system, comprising:

• a rotating, self-locking threaded lifting rod inside a vertical jack member;
• a first drive block inside the vertical jack member engageable with the rotating, self-locking threaded lifting rod;
• a first lifting element inside the vertical jack member, the first lifting element engageable with the first drive block to extend the first lifting element, the first lifting element having a restraint at a first extended upwards length;
• a second drive block inside the vertical jack member, the second drive block engageable with the rotating self-locking threaded lifting rod;
• and
• a second lifting element inside the vertical jack member, the second lifting element engageable with the second drive block to raise the first lifting element to a second upwards extended length, wherein at least one of the first and second lifting elements is a telescoping element inside the other of the first and second lifting elements.

A jacking system for raising a roof structure of a building for installation of a next floor structure and walls for an added story, the jacking system comprising:

• a bottom rail for fastening horizontally along a foundation of the building;
• a mid-rail for fastening horizontally along an upper structural element of a wall of the building;
• a vertical wall jack member including a bottom coupling to the bottom rail, a mid-coupling to the mid-rail, and a top coupling to a top rail, the wall jack member including an outer support sleeve and a telescoping portion slidable within the support sleeve to extend to variable length between the mid coupling and the top coupling;
• and
• a jack screw coupled to the telescoping portion and coupled to the bottom rail to extend the telescoping portion of the vertical wall jack member to raise the top rail and the structural element of the roof when coupled thereto.

A jacking system for raising a structure, the jacking system comprising:

• a bottom rail for fastening horizontally about a periphery of a foundation of the structure;
• a top rail fastened about a periphery of a top of the structure, the top rail separated from the bottom rail by a distance;
• at least one of a vertical jack member disposed between the bottom rail and the top rail, the vertical jack member including an outer support sleeve and an inner portion slidable within the outer support sleeve, the vertical jack member having a threaded rod inside the vertical jack member, the threaded rod coupled to at least one of a slidable inner portion, and configured to vary a length of the vertical jack member, thereby causing the distance between the bottom rail and the top rail to vary;
• and
• at least one of a telescoping diagonal brace having a spring-loaded plunger, the telescoping diagonal brace coupled at a first end to the top rail and at a second end to the bottom rail, and the brace configured to elongate as the distance between the top rail and the bottom rail increases, the brace further structured to resist contraction.