A CONSTRUCTION CHECKLIST 



Any coastal home, new or old, can be made 

 storm-resistant. 



A little added effort and a few extra dollars 

 could save you thousands of dollars in repairs 

 after the hurricane. 



If you're planning to build a beach house, 

 consider the following tips before choosing a 

 lot. 



• Erosion. On the average, 3 feet of the 

 state's shoreline erode each year. In truth, some 

 areas develop 7 or 8 feet of sand; others erode 

 15 feet or more. To find the erosion rate for a 

 specific area, check with an N.C. Division of 

 Coastal Management permit officer. 



• Inlets. Beware of building near inlets. One 

 hefty storm can close or open an inlet, and 

 inlets are always shifting. 



• Dunes. Choose a lot that has dunes and 

 vegetation. Natural shoreline protection can 

 reduce the impact of storm waves. 



• Storm surge. Know the highest storm surge 

 level recorded for your area. Records are 

 available from local building inspectors. These 

 flood maps show water levels and should not 

 be used to gauge erosion. 



• Flood insurance. Check to see if your 

 community qualifies for Federal Flood Insur- 

 ance. Flood damage is not covered by normal 

 homeowner's insurance. But you may obtain 

 coverage for floods from your insurance 

 agency if your community meets federal stan- 

 dards. Buying flood insurance early may lead 

 to better financing. 



• Building regulations. Before designing 

 your home, know the regulations that govern 



coastal construction. Check with the building 

 inspector in your area for local housing ordi- 

 nances and state building code requirements. 

 If you're buying beachfront property, see a 

 Division of Coastal Management permit 

 officer for setbacks — the distance the house 

 must be "set back" from the beach. 



In addition to the building code require- 

 ments, consider the following storm-resistant 

 building techniques. Rogers says these tech- 

 niques can be used during construction or later 

 to reinforce an older home. 



• Roofs. Do not allow roof overhangs to jut 

 more than 2 feet beyond the house. Long over- 

 hangs can allow hurricane- force winds to rush 

 underneath and lift the roof. 



• Connections. Reinforce connections 

 between the roof and walls and between walls 

 and the foundation with stainless steel straps or 

 wooden wind anchors. "Toenails," or nails 

 driven diagonally through perpendicular 

 boards, are weak connections that can fail in a 

 hurricane. 



• Corrosion. Stainless steel straps and 

 wooden wind anchors are corrosion-resistant. 

 Along the beach, corrosion can destroy regular 

 metal straps in three to five years. (For more 

 information about wooden wind anchors, ask 

 for Blueprint UNC-SG-BP-84-3). 



• Windows. Install windows that will keep 

 out blowing rains. Add storm shutters to pro- 

 tect the windows from flying debris. 



• Roof vents. Cover roof vents, especially in 

 gabled roofs, to keep out blowing waters from 

 high winds. 



secured from the pilings to the roof. 



Rich's house was on high ground and did not 

 need pilings. So the crew started with the 

 foundation. 



They set three layers of concrete blocks for 

 the foundation and poured concrete through 

 all of them. They screwed long bolts down the 

 middle to make the blocks stand firm. 



They completed the frame of the house, then 

 sheathed it entirely in plywood. Usually, build- 

 ers use plywood only at the corners for rein- 

 forcement. But the sheets better protect the 

 frame, and it should hold up when Rich's house 

 faces 100 mph winds again. 



Inside, Rich used metal straps to connect the 



roof frame to the second-story walls. Rogers 

 recommends wooden wind anchors or stainless 

 steel straps as sturdy, corrosion-resistant alter- 

 natives. 



Outside, Rich plans to add functional shut- 

 ters on all the windows. During Diana, he put 

 plywood over the windows in his old house to 

 keep them from shattering. 



"That was a lot of trouble," Rich says. "Shut- 

 ters will do a better job." 



These tips and regulations are the minimum 

 standards for protecting your house, Rogers 

 says. Anything extra you do will increase the 

 chances that your home will survive a hurri- 

 cane. 



