New House Elevation Questions
 

Purchased a lot on bayou lacombe, its in Flood Zone A@E and map says elevation must be 11 foot. My lot is 2.5 above sea level, my question is do I build to 11 foot are do I subtract from my 2.5 elevation and build up to 8.5 foot?

The parish should have to approve it ...Tell you how high to go...If you are at 2.5 ft. you should need to go up 8.5...Unless you paying cash on your own the bank used to require a survey to come out and shoot a grade and tell where foundation should be...This was years ago so don't quote me on it...Where i live the surveyer comes out and drives a nail in phone pole and contractor shoots elevation from there...

build it to 15 or 16 if you plan on being there for 20 yrs or so. our insured elevation is being pushed to 14'. i'm at 13' 10", which was a foot over the old elevation requirement, but i'll be grandfathered as long as i don't let my insurance lapse and can pass it onto a buyer.

If your lot is at elevation 2.5 and the base flood elevation is 11.0 the finished floor or lowest structural member will have to be at least 8.5 feet above natural ground. Go to your Parish building official and obtain a flood elevation certificate based upon the type structure you plan to build or place there. The certificate will have the base flood elevation on it. Then you will have to have a surveyor come out and set a bench mark with an elevation to go off of. See your insurance agent about premiums based upon the height of finished floor or low structural member above the base flood elevation. The surveyor will also have to verify it on the certificate after completion. All stuctures built in flood zones must follow this procedure not just those financed

Keep in mind when you pour your slab your AC also has to be over the required elevation.

Thanks good information

You build once so make sure your house is WAY above the 11 ft. You can not make it higher once you build. You can add to the yard but that makes a bowl, then house is lower than yard. Think of the Indians, they had enough sense to live on a mound around the rivers. LOL. Dirt is cheap compared to a flooded house or camp!

Check the telephone poles closest to your property. If anyone else has had the survey done there may be an aluminum tag at elevation height already.

I would not recommend using an unknown nail in a nearby power pole. Suppose it is not at the current base flood elevation? If you build at the elevation of the nail and then when the surveyor comes out and shoots your finished floor elevation(you WILL have to have an elevation certificate certified by a surveyor, engineer, or ar****ect in order to connect to the electric utility) and it's low, what recourse would you have? Better to spend a few more dollars up front and hire a professional to set a temporary benchmark at or above the BFE that your contractor can use to build your home at. Once construction is done the pro will come out and shoot the finished floor, or lowest flooring member(depending on the type of construction). It will cost you a few hundred dollars, but then the surveyor bears the responsibility-in case of a mistake he will be liable.

I said an aluminum tag not a nail . Elevation tags have a height and date stamped on them. won't hurt to look.

And who is responsible for verifying the "aluminum tag" to say it is accurate? Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Speck as givemeabreak and myself have indicated a surveyor or engineer is going to have to provide a certified post construction finished floor or low structural member elevation on your flood elevation certificate which is going to be required by the local building and flood official. Without the completed certificate the parish building official will not give clearance to the power company to turn on permanent power to your structure. If financed your lending agency will also require a completed elevation certificate prior to initiating your permanent mortgage loan.