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Nationwide, buildings that are constructed in agreement with NFIP building standards experience about 80% less damage annually than those that do not meet the standards. It includes interior work such as replacement of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components.įloodplain development is regulated to protect life, safety, and property to protect the important environmental functions of floodplains and to ensure the District’s continued eligibility for federally subsidized flood insurance and disaster relief through participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Development is defined as any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, streets and other paving, utilities, filling, grading, excavation, mining, dredging, drilling operations, storage of equipment or materials, and the subdivision of land. Building Permits are required for new construction or development in the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA).Īll development projects in the SFHA must comply with the Title 12 DCMR - DC Construction Codes, some provisions of ASCE 24-14 are incorporated by reference, and Title 20 DCMR Chapter 31 - Flood Hazard Rules. Note that some communities may have more stringent requirements than the NFIP.<< Back to Flood Risk Management main pageīuilding permits protect the residents, their families, communities, and buildings by ensuring all proposed work complies with current codes, standards, ordinances, and construction techniques. Please check with a local building official regarding the requirements for different flood zones and elevation in your area. Fore more information, visit National Flood Insurance Program Elevation Certificate and Instructions. Although these publications are written for local building officials, surveyors, architects, and engineers who are authorized by law to certify elevation information on the certificate, the information can help homeowners understand the requirements for elevating buildings.

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In addition, FEMA offers several free publications that provide information on how to complete an Elevation Certificate.

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All of these publications can be downloaded for free from FEMA’s NFIP Technical Bulletins web site here.

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Fact Sheet 9.1, Repairs, Remodeling, Additions, and Retrofitting – Flood, discusses requirements and recommendations when rebuilding or remodeling a property damaged by flood.įEMA also produces a series of Technical Bulletins to provide guidance on the building performance requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

FEMA P-499, Home Builder's Guide to Coastal Construction (FEMA, 2010) is a series of 37 fact sheets that provide technical guidance and recommendations concerning the construction of coastal residential buildings.

Please refer to Section 5.2.3, Elevating on an Open Foundation.

Chapter 5, Elevating Your Home, includes important elevation considerations and techniques.

FEMA P-312, Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting(FEMA, 2014) is a guide for homeowners to help them make decisions when retrofitting their homes and it introduces flood protection methods and building construction techniques.

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Chapter 5E provides guidance to determine the appropriate parameters for elevation and includes procedures and alternatives that apply to elevating buildings with a variety of foundation types. Chapter 3 includes a checklist (Figure 3-1) to help determine homeowner preferences for retrofitting options and a checklist (Figure 3-10) that a design professional may use to assess the initial building condition and determine whether the house is a good candidate for elevation.

FEMA P-259, Engineering Principles and Practices of Retrofitting Floodprone Residential Structures (FEMA, 2012) provides guidance for elevating an existing home.

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FEMA P-55, Coastal Construction Manual (FEMA, 2011) is a 2-volume publication that provides a comprehensive approach to planning, siting, designing, constructing, and maintaining homes in the coastal environment. Chapter 15 discusses retrofitting buildings for natural hazards.All of these publications can be downloaded for free from FEMA’s Building Science Publications web site. Yes, FEMA has several publications for homeowners, design professionals, and builders that illustrate important concepts and best practices for constructing stronger, safer residential buildings in flood-prone areas in accordance with building codes and standards.