I have a house that has a LAG above the BFE, but the attached deck is not. They would have to bring in quite a bit of fill to get the deck out.
Has anyone came across any creative ways, accepted by FEMA to leave a deck attached to a house?
Looking for a solution on this one for the client, pretty nice old couple.
Thanks
FLS, post: 327222, member: 647 wrote: I have a house that has a LAG above the BFE, but the attached deck is not. They would have to bring in quite a bit of fill to get the deck out.
Has anyone came across any creative ways, accepted by FEMA to leave a deck attached to a house?
Looking for a solution on this one for the client, pretty nice old couple.
Thanks
You really have to separate the deck from the house by placing posts under the side that normally is attached to the house. Not a big deal for the average deck, couple of posts and some cement. May also want to "flood proof" the deck supports with the special anchors etc.
Jim
We run into this quite often. There really is not option other than to disconnect the deck from the structure. Chainsaw works, re-support so that it does not have to be attached to the dwelling. You can not just bring in fill, fill is not allowed.
This seems to be a beaucratic stupidity. Disconnecting the deck would have no influence on actual damages in a flood. Why can't they just insure the house and exclude the deck from coverage?
Bill93, post: 327254, member: 87 wrote: This seems to be a beaucratic stupidity. Disconnecting the deck would have no influence on actual damages in a flood. Why can't they just insure the house and exclude the deck from coverage?
I assume that this work is to obtain a LOMA and therefore drop the requirement for flood insurance. If the LAG to a support for the deck structurally connected to the house is below the BFE no LOMA will be issued.
If the flood water washes away a deck attached to a house there could be major damage to the house.
Detach the deck. Dumb, maybe, but if it saves them an arm or a leg in insurance, go for it.
If it is tight, have the contractor look at diamond piers : www. diamondpiers.com
No need for concrete.
We have helped many folks detach decks to avoid flood insurance.
Yes, I would think the deck would have to be removed from the house, and FEMA's thinking is if a deck that is structurally part of the house were to collapse, then it would cause damage to the house. I see there argument in a VE zone, but not really in an AE zone.
That's one of those silly little deals that bureaucrats seem to love. It encourages people to do things that seem to make no sense in the general case, but could possibly be envisioned to be important in a specific case.
Interesting topic...and not one I ever have to deal with. No LOMA's around here, the ground is way too low.
My question is: Does detaching the deck change anything regarding the permitting as a "separate structure" after you do that??
I'm wondering if the structural integrity of the deck as a stand alone entity differ from one that's attached to a home.
And not just in a few support posts and beams, but as a whole.