Advance Surveying & Engineering offers decades of experience across a range of disciplines. One of the many activities we’re involved in is the administration of a FEMA survey. This important survey and the subsequent certification it provides are must-haves for any property owner.
What Is a FEMA Survey?
A FEMA survey (the collective term for a flood survey and an elevation survey) targets two key entities: property developers and homeowners whose lenders have requested that they purchase flood insurance. The “elevation” part of a FEMA survey comes with an elevation certificate that helps determine whether a property is within a FEMA-designated flood zone. The “flood” part of a FEMA survey is done to confirm whether or not a property is at risk of flooding. If the property does not pose a flood risk, it receives flood certification.
Even though a cost is associated with a FEMA survey, the benefits far outweigh this one-time expense. A FEMA survey never expires, and according to FEMA itself, a homeowner with elevation/flood certification will save around $9,000/year on flood insurance.
How Can Our Nearby Surveyor Help?
For property developers and homeowners, Advance Surveying & Engineering brings its expertise to bear in several ways:
- We provide accurate measurements of all required elevation points associated with a property
- While taking these measurements, we collect critical information such as photos, a history of the property, a summary of the surrounding geography and structures, and more
- Once our onsite responsibilities have concluded, we proceed with gathering the documents we need to prepare a FEMA elevation certificate
- When all documents are in-hand, we prepare the elevation certificate (in accordance with the proper FEMA forms) that highlights the elevation points near the property and compares them to real-time flood data for the area in which the property sits
- If necessary, we’ll send electronic copies of all documentation to FEMA so it can process accordingly
The Goal
With our expertise in FEMA certification, property owners may (as mentioned earlier) avoid paying for flood insurance, even if a lender requires it. Our goal is to prove conclusively that your property does not flood. The aforementioned elevation certificate that we prepare on FEMA’s official form shows three important measurements that are vital in attaining the “no insurance” goal:
- Base flood elevation for your property (the elevation to which floodwater is anticipated to rise during the base flood)
- Low floor elevation for your property (the lowest floor in your property)
- Lowest adjacent grade elevation of your property (when you walk around the outside of the property, this lowest adjacent grade elevation is the lowest point you step on)
If either the low floor elevation or the lowest adjacent grade elevation is higher than the base flood elevation, it’s likely that your flood insurance requirement will be waived.
A FEMA Survey Can Save You Money
Flood zones can change, and as a property developer or owner you need a partner that fully understands FEMA guidelines and has access to the latest flood maps. That partner is Advance Surveying & Engineering – and with our FEMA survey and FEMA flood certificate expertise, you could save big.