Building a house in Flood Zone A ? - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Building a house in Flood Zone A ?

Posted: 4/15/2022 11:11:45 AM EDT

Has anyone done it? I have been looking at properties for sale in Central Florida and I've noticed as more people move in, land that was recently a swamp is being drained, graded and built on. Is this a common practice where as long as proper precautions are taken things work out, or is it a quick and dirty 'solution' to very high demand that will end in disaster?

What do I need to look out for if I want to build on a swamp? What is acceptable 'fill dirt' to bring the elevation up to the required height and where do I get some

TIA

Posted: 4/15/2022 12:17:18 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
Has anyone done it? I have been looking at properties for sale in Central Florida and I've noticed as more people move in, land that was recently a swamp is being drained, graded and built on. Is this a common practice where as long as proper precautions are taken things work out, or is it a quick and dirty 'solution' to very high demand that will end in disaster?

What do I need to look out for if I want to build on a swamp? What is acceptable 'fill dirt' to bring the elevation up to the required height and where do I get some

TIA

View Quote

Best advice is buy a chainsaw and generator, store some water, gas, medicine and food.

Sounds like electric could be your enemy before flooding.

Posted: 4/15/2022 2:08:15 PM EDT

[#2]

What is the BFE (Base Flood Elevation) in that area?

Posted: 4/15/2022 5:44:47 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
What is the BFE (Base Flood Elevation) in that area?

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From what I understand, in Zone A there isn't a BFE, or rather it hasn't been established.

Posted: 4/15/2022 6:14:57 PM EDT

[#4]

I live in Ft Myers. Everything is built in the swamp. Digging "lakes" to build up the property is almost 100%. Including my house. It is a common practice. Look at an aerial of Cape Coral. They dug all those canals to build up the swamp.

Posted: 4/19/2022 4:39:46 PM EDT

[#5]

Be careful buying land with any sort of “wetlands” determination. While cut and fill was the norm decades ago, Florida now has strict regulations about identifying and preserving wetlands. Just because you own the property does not necessarily mean you will be able to obtain a building permit or even disturb the soil without extensive (and often expensive) mitigation/preservation requirements. The Seller may NOT be forthcoming with this information. Have an informal environmental survey performed by a licensed inspector (~$1,000) before signing any contract.

Posted: 4/19/2022 6:55:57 PM EDT

[#6]

I'd be more concerned if your area is prone to sink holes.

Posted: 4/20/2022 7:35:57 AM EDT

[#7]

I advise to not build on property with cypress trees on or very near it. I know two families that built homes in areas of Odessa/Trinity, they have never had water in their homes but both can't flush toilets or shower because of septic tank/drain field issues in the wet months. Something to consider if you will be building in a area without county sanitary sewer hook up.

Posted: 4/27/2022 4:31:14 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'd be more concerned if your area is prone to sink holes.

View Quote

Osprey21 is right.

Sinkholes are scary here.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Building a house in Flood Zone A ?

Hometown » Florida

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