Flood Proof Homebuilders in Houston, TX

The damages left from Hurricane Harvey on the Bayou City can be seen as having both short-term and long-term effects. The likely long-term impacts have directly influenced the redefining of building codes and regulations that are rolling out at the beginning of September 2018.

In the shorter-term, it is important for home buyers to be aware of the risks of damage from storms and floods. Builders and building code officials on the whole as well as product manufacturers are continuing to work closely together to create solutions that result in safer, flood-proof homes.

Legion Custom Home Builders can build flood-proof homes in Houston, West University, Bellaire, the Houston Heights, and Memorial Villages utilizing a variety of engineering and floodproofing techniques to reduce the risk of the water damage in the event of flooding.

Elevation

The more obvious answer to avoid floodwaters is to simply build up or elevate a home. Elevated crawlspaces and pier and beam foundations can be constructed, which allows floodwaters to flow beneath the home, while the finished floors of the home are unaffected.

Foundation

Slab foundations are more common in the Houston area, however they can often be negatively impacted by changing soil conditions, as clay soil holds water. Alternative approaches can help to prevent water damage. Crawlspace foundations can replace slab foundations. Vented pier and beam foundations can allow water to flow underneath homes, a technique used in wet floodproofing, sparing them from floodwaters which can enter and destroy non-elevated homes. While slab foundations can be constructed quicker and generally at a cheaper cost, “crawlspace” foundations have multiple more steps involving piers that extend out of the ground. The foundational beam then rests on the pier, providing more support and a route for floodwaters to go through.

Build with Materials that Can Get Wet

Some of the most water sensitive building materials used in construction today are paper-faced drywall. Usually, the interior of a structure is lined with drywall. There is both paper-faced drywall and non-paper faced drywall. It is imperative to build with non-paper faced drywall to reduce the risk of water damage. In addition, cavities should be constructed to support airflow and easily dry. Insulation in these areas should be avoided.

Other building materials, such as poured concrete floors, brick and fiberglass-faced drywall and others work well for wet floodproofing homes.

Building with flood protective measures in mind helps to maintain quality and value to a property as well as peace of mind for the owners.

Contact our team at Legion Custom Home Builders for information on how to build a flood proof home in Houston, West University, Bellaire, the Houston Heights, and Memorial Villages.