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Base flood elevation/certificate - future home site
Posted on 6/5/23 at 3:19 pm
Posted on 6/5/23 at 3:19 pm
Looking for advice from others that have gone down this road. About to purchase some property for a future home site. Half of the property is in flood zone A and the other half is in flood zone C. I could put my home in flood zone C, but it would be very close (within 25 feet) of the flood zone line. I don't want to have any issues with lenders or insurance agents in the future, so here is my plan - please comment if you have done this before or have any advice. I'll obtain a BFE letter from the Army Corps - permit office told me this property is currently undetermined BFE, so the Corps has to create the BFE form based on coordinates of the property in the flood zone. Have a surveyor create an elevation certificate which states how high my dirt pad needs to be above the BFE. Create a dirt pad X amount over BFE per surveyor recs, then have the surveyor back out to verify the correct elevation of the pad. Submit letter (LOMA) to FEMA (which the surveyor does) which excludes the future home from the flood zone. Anyone done this before?
5
Posted on 6/5/23 at 6:05 pm to AyyyBaw
call the flood zone surveyor office and ask them about it
this is not something you rely on random advice for
i would think you can build the pad up but you need to know if that gives you a zone exclusion or if it is still considered a flood zone after you raise the ground level
this is not something you rely on random advice for
i would think you can build the pad up but you need to know if that gives you a zone exclusion or if it is still considered a flood zone after you raise the ground level
This post was edited on 6/5/23 at 6:11 pm
Posted on 6/5/23 at 8:00 pm to AyyyBaw
I’ve done it. A LOMA or in your case actually a LOMR-F will technically exclude you from the flood zone, but with FEMA 2.0 it will not affect your flood insurance rate. You will simply NOT be required by your mortgage company to have it.
FEMA description of LOMA/LOMR-F
You will have to greatly overbuild your pad to qualify for the LOMR-F. They use the LAG elevation which is usually measured ~1ft beyond the actual house slab. You can’t get an elevation certificate with this until the house is complete. Most slabs are poured 1ft above the pad elevation, then additional fill is brought in to level out around the slab. I’ve got conflicting answers on the impact of this, particularly if you have a drop brick ledge, lower garage, porch, etc.
It definitely a worthwhile process to exclude your property from the FEMA requirements. But you absolutely have to account for it during the initial build process.
FEMA description of LOMA/LOMR-F
You will have to greatly overbuild your pad to qualify for the LOMR-F. They use the LAG elevation which is usually measured ~1ft beyond the actual house slab. You can’t get an elevation certificate with this until the house is complete. Most slabs are poured 1ft above the pad elevation, then additional fill is brought in to level out around the slab. I’ve got conflicting answers on the impact of this, particularly if you have a drop brick ledge, lower garage, porch, etc.
It definitely a worthwhile process to exclude your property from the FEMA requirements. But you absolutely have to account for it during the initial build process.
Posted on 6/5/23 at 9:49 pm to AyyyBaw
First 2 replies are pretty spot on.
Your local floodplain administrator will advise on how high your LAG needs to be above BFE to be approved for a LOMR-F.
Start with them. Tell them your plan, they will guide you and possibly recommend a surveyor they know who will get it right the first time to not delay the process. Not all surveyors are equal.
Your local floodplain administrator will advise on how high your LAG needs to be above BFE to be approved for a LOMR-F.
Start with them. Tell them your plan, they will guide you and possibly recommend a surveyor they know who will get it right the first time to not delay the process. Not all surveyors are equal.
Posted on 6/6/23 at 4:58 am to Antib551
Talked with administrator yesterday and she helped me file a BFE request from the corps. Also talked with a surveyor that will recommend minimum pad height (based on BFE) then come back for elevation certificate later. That’s disappointing to hear that LOMR-F didn’t help insurance rates. I plan to try to keep the dwelling in flood zone X, but it’ll be about 20-25 from the flood zone line. I’ll go ahead and do the LOMR-F as well though. The entire pasture is laser leveled, so it’s the exact same elevation throughout, but half is in the “flood zone”. Just doesn’t make much sense to me. Thanks for the replies.
Posted on 6/6/23 at 9:15 am to AyyyBaw
I am doing this now.
You will pay flood insurance on the ground level for the initial BFE, then once you construction your house, the surveyor will come back out and adjust your lowest living floor elevation. You send that to the insurance co to reduce your flood premium.
I might also suggest you get a wetlands delineation if you dont have one. Seems half the property can be considered wet lands?
You will pay flood insurance on the ground level for the initial BFE, then once you construction your house, the surveyor will come back out and adjust your lowest living floor elevation. You send that to the insurance co to reduce your flood premium.
I might also suggest you get a wetlands delineation if you dont have one. Seems half the property can be considered wet lands?
Posted on 6/6/23 at 9:29 am to AyyyBaw
flood zones aren't as important as previously. the bank could also control how they want the flood policy written if its a dual zone property. I'd look into flood quotes now and not worry as much about zones for time being. Zone x could be expensive still.
Posted on 6/6/23 at 9:30 am to AyyyBaw
I would do a CLOMR-F if I was in your position. That way you will know how FEMA is going to rule before you do the work. We have run across cases where the local floodplain administrator or Corps determines a BFE and then FEMA says it is a couple tenths higher. You want to do a LOMR-F based on a legal description of the area you have removed. That way you don't have to have the structure completed before you get the LOMR-F. Just make sure your house will fit within the area you remove. The guidance for surveyors is actually 3' outside of the house for the LAG, but as long as you get it close, most will certify.
Posted on 6/6/23 at 11:42 am to LSUengr
Yes, a CLOMR-F is what I am getting documents in order to submit for just for peace of mind. After construction I will apply for a LOMR-F. Does that sound correct? Thanks for the replies and suggestions.
Edit:
I think I understood that incorrectly. Apply for CLOMR-F now, and then I would be able to apply for LMOR-F as soon as I can get a first floor elevation certificate during construction but prior to occupancy. Am I following that correctly?
Edit:
I think I understood that incorrectly. Apply for CLOMR-F now, and then I would be able to apply for LMOR-F as soon as I can get a first floor elevation certificate during construction but prior to occupancy. Am I following that correctly?
This post was edited on 6/6/23 at 11:45 am
Posted on 6/6/23 at 3:47 pm to AyyyBaw
You can do a structure only LOMR-F or a LOMR-f of actual property. So you can actually have the LOMR-F done before you start construction on the actual house. We do them all the time. The pad is built large enough for the house to be built on with the appropriate overage for the LAG measurement stipulation. Then you create a legal description of the pad and remove the land from the flood zone. As others have stated, mortgage companies treat these things differently. Some will make you carry flood insurance if you do a structure only LOMR-F. Haven't heard of many requiring it if you actually remove a portion of the property and not just the structure.
Posted on 6/6/23 at 4:03 pm to LSUengr
I understand. Sounds beneficial to remove the portion of land as opposed to structure only. Build pad with correct LAG elevation above BFE and overage for home footprint, submit LOMR-F application, then pour slab after approval. Makes sense. Really appreciate your input.
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