Building a house on a floodplain

[warrington]

Building a house on a floodplain
If you were to build a 2 acre pond behind your house and use that dirt to build up your house in your driveway, could you build a house on a floodplain. It would be less than 100 yards from my main road.

[aggie2000tx]

Don’t believe you would ever be able to get insurance on it

[ramrod]

Might have a hard time finding a lender or insurance until you get a elevation survey that shows it's not.

[dhall]

This

[Neck]

What county and which floodplain? I know in my county if you are in say the 100 year floodplain you have to be at BFE (base flood elevation) plus 2 feet. So if the BFE is 25 feet you would have to build up to 27 feet to build. I have heard rumored though that they are thinking of changing that to BFE +4 feet in our county. If I were you I'd get an elevation certificate and then go at least 2 feet (4 feet even better) above the BFE just to be safe.

[southtx]

I’m currently building my house on an AE flood zone. The cause for my property to be in flood zone is its proximity to a river. ( rio grande river is little over a mile from my house). My home construction loan required flood insurance coverage. A flood elevation certificate will determine how far above or below your property is in the flood zone and will determine your flood insurance premium.

[Palmetto]

All depends on your county. Call them.

[BrianL]

You would likely still be required to carry flood insurance if you plan on borrowing money. If you are paying out of pocket, then yes you can, but I would build on pillars even on an elevated pad.

[TeamAmerica]

You should be able to build in a flood plain assuming you have flood insurance (the bank will require it).

but you can get the survey/elevation certificate and they can amend the maps. how much higher would you have to build to get out of the flood zone?

[batmaninja]

Good info so far.

I would just add to think through moving the dirt. It will depend on what kind of soils you have (soils in flood ares usually arent great) but it may need to be treated, and definitely will need to be compacted before building on it.

I am no expert on it but I know that building in the flood will effect things like under ground power and AC pads. Also things like the angle of your driveway. Just something else to think about.

[glen]

elevate your house

[jdg13]

It will depend on what the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) is. New construction or raising an existing house you are going to have to elevate above the BFE. By how much depends on local ordinances if they are higher than fema minimums. Around Houston the rules are really strict. Any spoonful of dirt that you put in the floodplain must be taken out elsewhere in the floodplain for mitigation. Talk to the county floodplain manager or engineer.

[cattlelackranch]

Building a house on a floodplain

You can raise the pad and file a LOMA and LOMR with FEMA to bypass the flood insurance.

They turn these around REALLY QUICK for you. ***insert sarcastic emoji here***

[eradicator]

Don’t believe you would ever be able to get insurance on it

You could get insurance, you just wouldn't be able to afford it

[Paycheck]

I live in a flood zone. Grandfather in. The neighbor tried to build and the county (McLennan) shut him down. Said that nothing can be hauled in or out of a flood zone. He sold the lot with a slab on it a moved away. Don't know all the facts. Side note, I think Baylor stadium was built in a flood zone.