That is stupid, my answer is now no.

Nope

I bet you're just full to the brim with knowledge about New Orleans. Did you watch some TV during Katrina? Come on, surprise me!

No. I wouldn't.
I wouldn't build one on top of a hill surrounded by brush in a high fire danger zone either.

Isn't the San Fernando Valley one big floodplain?

would I NO!!!!!!!

i think living in flood plain is stupid...even if your house is ok. inconvenient not being able to get in/out when it rains would suck.

NO does not flood 2-3 times per year. I can't think of a place in the continental US that does.

Standard foundation? No. I doubt it is allowed by code. Shore areas, etc. have foundation designs that have ports, allow for water to flow through without damage.

Shawn, is this another social experiment, or is there a specific location you are referring to?

Edit: I would build in a flood area, if I really wanted to be there. Using proper techniques, and not expecting a handout for repairs.

build a dock for the ark

Before levees there were housed built to deal with floods. All the plantations along the river had living quarters starting on the second floor. The city was never that way. Trust me, lots of places flood, burn or shake to pieces more often than NO floods. Almost everywhere is on a flood plain of some sort.

I actually do live in a flood plain. And currently fema will only pay up to a certain value once. If you have more than something like 50% damage you have to either raise your house or not be covered for flood insurance in the future. And they keep track of the claims made on the property. Also currently Fema will only insure a residence for $250,000. You would have to get a rider from someone else past that amount. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1219882734.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1219882758.jpg

I built my house after the 93 flood and you have to meet fema standards in order to get a permit and insurance. I had to build at least 2 feet above the 93 level that was considered I believe the 500 year level. I built 7' above.

So in order to build somewhere that it floods reqularly you would have to put the house up on stillts and the piers would have to meet fema standards. They have some of those around here on the river. We call them clubhouses.

no - and you ruled out building on stilts or one based on a floating slab that is tethered...

but what's your point Shaun? time to reveal where you're headed, unless you just want the thread to drift away....


BTW - the real problem is not new construction so much as RE-BUILDING. The latter includes all new construction when there is just one grain of concrete foundation left from the last flood....

Why build in an area below sea level, near the coast?

Oh, wait...

tomorrow, I'll put it together Randy. very long day, going out to get some dinner.

What's the big deal? We have an entire community in Biscayne Bay..."Stiltsville":

http://www.key-biscayne.com/about/stiltsville5.jpg

http://www.key-biscayne.com/about/stiltsville3.jpg

http://www.vantagepointguides.com/gl...ayne_bay_1.jpg

http://com.miami.edu/parks/images/stiltsville5.jpg

http://img1.jurko.net/wall/paper/miami_stiltsville.jpg

In some coastal areas, they build houses on stilts. Sounds like that would be a good way to go.

Geez, how do you water that lawn? You must have like a hundred sprinkler heads?

No sprinkler heads, just rain. We had so much this year that I am going to have a couple of truck loads of dirt hauled in to fill in a couple of low spots that held water so long the grass died.

If you had to have a standard concrete foundation you could make the bottom floor (10') garage and then build on top of that. You can put uninhabitable floors under the fema 100yr peak elevation.

I've seen this done with condo's in Everglades City. But they were on public utilities and the had there A/C units on 8' stilts.