FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Permit Issues-any similar cases

DustinT | Posted in General Discussion on November 23, 2005 05:40am

So here is the scenario:  I live in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and am building a house for my family in town.  When we went for the permit, we were told our lot was in a sfha, special flood hazard area, for those not in the know.  After many calls and letters to fema, federal, and mema, Maine’s own emergency group, it felt like we were just spinning our wheels. 

I kept in contact with my local code enforcer, and he got in touch with our town’s planner/civil engineer/etc.  A few weeks later we were issued a permit. 

Fast forward a month, and I get a letter from FEMA, saying that our lot is still in a flood zone.  I brought the paperwork in to the town hall, and am wondering if they can pull the permit at this point.  Our foundation is in the ground, cash out of pocket, and we are planning on getting a construction loan for the rest of the project.  The problem with that is the bank will require flood insurance as part of loan terms, but because of the sfha classification, I don’t think we will be able to get flood insurance.

Anybody run into anything like this before?

Thanks,

Dustin 

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. DustinT | Nov 24, 2005 01:53am | #1

    Bump

  2. jdowney | Nov 25, 2005 05:15pm | #2

    Dustin: I was reading over my husband's shoulder and had to respond to your message. I was Senior Hydrologist for Pima County Flood Control District in Arizona for six years, so I am very familiar with your dilema. Your property is in an SFHA; it's going to stay that way unless something very unusual happens (like the town builds a levee, dam, flood wall etc.). You have a permit; people can and do get permits to build in flood zones, but that does NOT remove them from the flood zone. It just means you have to do certain things to make the house better protected from a flood. (I suspect this is where the engineer came into the picture). In Arizona, this means elevating the house. Here's the thing to remember: whether or not you elevate the house, flood insurance is available to you as long as Old Orchard Beach is a "participating community" (with the NFIP) which I suspect it must be. IF you elevate the house, flood insurance is cheaper; the more you elevate, the cheaper it gets (at least in Arizona). An unelevated house in an SFHA can get flood insurance, but it will run in the thousands $$ per year. So make sure your foundation is good and high, conforms with the community regs, and good luck. Let me know if I can clarify anything more.
    Jean

    1. mrfixitusa | Nov 25, 2005 08:05pm | #3

      Many homes exist in flood planes. When someone buys one of these homes their mortgage company will simply require flood insurance. I'm with State Farm Insurance and I live in a 3 bedroom home worth about $90 K. My homeowner's insurance premium is about $650 per year. I don't have flood insurance.If I wanted or needed to purchase flood insurance through State Farm Insurance on my home it would cost me about the same as my current premium $650 per year.As a realtor I have a telephone number I can call in my community and I can simply give them the property address and they will tell me if the home is located in a flood zone.In real estate home sales many buyers seem to "steer away" from homes in which flood insurance is required. When selling a home in a flood zone, some sellers have resorted to offering to pay one or two years premium as a "sweetner" to the deal to get someone to buy the home.Just my two cents.

  3. Piffin | Nov 25, 2005 08:06pm | #4

    Basically, you have a whole book to study, or you need to hire an engineer familiar with the book. Things like having the finished ground =floor a minimum of one foot above the max hundred year flood elevation, special hardware tiedowns to keep it from floating away and drifting into th eneighbor's house or boat, keeping utilities properly positioned and tied down, shear wall bracing, etc. Sometimes foundations have to be designed to be clear, as on piers so that a wave can flow through instead of meeting resistance whichj it would overcome. Starting place is your town's Flood plain ordinance. They are required to have one before FEMA will issue flood insurance for anytone in town, and it has to follow their guidlines.

    up here, the way we got around having to enforce all the minute detaails of that guidline, out floodplain ordinance simply states that no structures are permitted to be built in identified flood zones, period.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

  4. User avater
    txlandlord | Nov 25, 2005 08:09pm | #5

    Idowney's post is similar to what I would have posted, but it seems she missed:

    "Our foundation is in the ground"

    Her observations about elevation are similar to what we have here in Texas. Homes in flood zones require specified finish floor elevations for the best deals in flood insurance. Sometimes this can mean raising the finish floor elevation 3+ feet. You need to find what elevtion is required and check it against your foundation, related to the required finish floor elevation.

    You may have another problem, related to your procedure.

    Our foundation is in the ground, cash out of pocket, and we are planning on getting a construction loan for the rest of the project.

    Work is in progress and the "foundation is in the ground". This may cause delays in your construction loan funding. When progress has taken place, in Texas, our banks have a right to delay funding becasue they want to make sure all bills have been paid, and there are no liens against the house. A Builder response " Well, all the bills have been paid!" , but the bank wants to make legally sure.

    In two past cases, we had problems, one before we knew of potential delays caused by starts prior to construction loan closing, and the other at the insistance of a homeowner we had warned after the first experience.  He sadi he had it all worked out, and the bank was his friend. Both wanted us to start with their own cash prior to construction loand closing. We installed the foundation, and the HO went to the bank. In both cases, the banks delayed funding, the first for 6 months and the other for 3 months. The banks were waiting out the effective lien process to see if anything came up in the legal system.

    Some of the banks we work with require a picture of the site showing that no progress has been made. The banks will not allow a material drop, site prep or batter boards, etc.  

     

     

    1. DustinT | Nov 25, 2005 10:09pm | #6

      Thanks for the responses, everyone.  As soon as I correspond further with the town, I'll let you know what the word is.

      Thanks again,

      Dustin

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Choosing a Paintbrush

Tips for picking the right paintbrush based on paint type, surface, and personal comfort.

Featured Video

Builder’s Advocate: An Interview With Viewrail

Learn more about affordable, modern floating stairs, from design to manufacturing to installation.

Related Stories

  • Midcentury Home for a Modern Family
  • The New Old Colonial
  • Modern and Minimal in the Woods
  • Bryce Hollingsworth, Dry-Stone Waller

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 333 - August/September 2025
    • A Practical Perfect Wall
    • Landscape Lighting Essentials
    • Repairing a Modern Window Sash
  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data