Is there any way I can get a rough idea of the BASE FLOOD ELEVATION and the ELEVATION OF THE FIRST FLOOR of my home without hiring a surveying company to provide me with an elevation certificate?
Find out from your neighbor what the difference was from the base flood elevation and his first floor. The base flood elevation will be the same for your house. If his difference was 10 feet then unless he was on a hill then you should be in the clear. If his difference was very close then you could spend a few bucks on a cheap laser level or even a string line level and set it up at his first floor level aiming towards your house. Measure down to your level and do the math. If you are above the flood elevation then hire the surveyor.
orangemiles: Good idea. I’ll definitely look into that. JJ86: His flood certificate shows the BASE ELEVATION equal to 13.8 and the TOP OF BOTTOM FLOOR equal to 13.8 as well. I guess this means his home is right AT the base elevation. I was not sure if the base elevation for his home would be the same for mine. Since my home is visibly lower I now have some serious doubts as to whether it would be worth the money to pay for a certificate. croutonsupafreak: I’m in New Port Richey, FL. PEAK OIL: Thanks for the helpful link! DU: This reiterates what JJ86 had to say. I was unaware the base flood elevation would be the same. I wasn’t 100% certain of the definition of that term. Thanks, everyone. I’m still open to other suggestions, however!
It’s more likely that your property is in the flood zone shown on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Here’s what you do: 1. Get a copy of the FIRM for your area (available here.) 2. Try to locate your property. If it’s not or in zones B, C, or X, then you don’t need insurance. If it’s in the flood zone , you have to file a letter of map amendment (LOMA) to get it changed, see here. To file a LOMA you’ll need the elevation certificate. Keep in mind that you have to prove that you’re not in the flood zone. Chances are that based on the property description in your deed, you are located in the flood zone. This site gives you a rough assessment of whether you are or not.
You can get the information on your home yourself, but I don’t think you’re really going to be able to do anything with it. Note that the document you’re ultimately trying to get is called a certificate, and don’t take that lightly. You need to be certified to be able to produce one that anyone will accept. You’re dealing with an insurance company here; why would they accept information from Joe Blow on your house’s elevation if it’s going to mean less money for them? The fact that the surveyors are able to provide you a certified elevation is really what you’re paying for; not so much the work of finding the elevation of your house. In certain areas around me where neighbors are extremely contentious about preserving views and things, if you build a new house, you have to get it certified by a surveyor before you’re allowed to occupy it, just to make sure that the actual building is the same height as the plans the building department approved.
ITistic, “visibly lower” is difficult to determine even for a seasoned veteran. Unless the houses are within 5 feet of each other, an experienced surveyor would be hard pressed to make an accurate observation by eye. Using some sort of instrument even if it is a string line will give a better approximation and will help you better gauge whether it is worth hiring the surveyor. If it turns out that your house is indeed lower than the flood elevation, the insurance company can even deny you coverage entirely or refuse to payout when there is damage due to a technicality. Either way may not be acceptable for your mortgage company. Check out FEMA’s program.
Related Questions
- Is there any way I can get a rough idea of the BASE FLOOD ELEVATION and the ELEVATION OF THE FIRST FLOOR of my home without hiring a surveying company to provide me with an elevation certificate?
- What if I believe there has been an error in mapping my home or business into a high-risk area or if I believe the Base Flood Elevation is too high?
- What do I do with this carpeted-over, linoleum-tiled floor, post- basement flood?
