Spencer Rogers 



At Right: Hurricane 

 straps secure construc- 

 tion, but this kind is 

 vulnerable to corrosion 

 on oceanfront homes. 



Water and wind 

 destruction from seven 

 major hurricanes that hit the 

 state in the 1950s brought 

 about important changes in 

 the North Carolina building 

 code. "In the 1960s, the 

 building code called for 

 structures that were elevated 

 on pilings at least 8 feet in 

 the ground," Rogers says. 

 "Prior to that, the houses 

 were built on the ground, 

 very susceptible to wave and 

 erosion damage. The code 

 helped change the public 

 perception of a beach house 

 in North Carolina to one on pilings with 

 parking underneath." 



This design became popular even in 

 areas where pilings were not required. 

 "Because of that shift in building — far 

 beyond the limited application of regula- 

 tions — damage in Hurricane Fran was 

 much lower than it would have been 

 earlier," Rogers adds. 



The keys to hurricane-resistant 

 construction are measures to resist erosion, 

 flooding waves and wind, Rogers says. The 

 foundation should be deep enough in the 

 ground so that it's not undercut by erosion. 

 It should also be high enough to withstand 

 waves and flooding. The building should 

 be tied together with good connections 

 (nails, bolts, straps) from top to bottom to 

 resist high winds. Good roofing pays off in 

 hurricanes, and window protection (storm 

 shutters) prevents shattering. 



Coastal builders are now implement- 

 ing these measures and more. 



At Waterfronte Villas and Yacht Club, 

 a 35-unit condominium complex under 

 construction at Carolina Beach, safety 

 features and aesthetic appeal are of prime 



importance, says project manager Tom 

 Cunningham. Glass windows and doors 

 used in the buildings are now designed to 

 withstand higher wind speeds. Anchor 

 bolts attaching the building to the footing 

 were increased in size and number, and 

 special attention was paid to the attachment 

 of the roof and the sheathing to the 

 building. The larger, heavier metal clips 

 enable the trusses to support more weight 

 and hold the roof better. 



"The rules are more stringent now," 

 Cunningham says. 



These rules can give buyers confi- 

 dence that their new waterfront homes 

 have the latest hurricane-resistant features. 

 And as demand grows for homes with a 

 view of the water, it's important that safety 

 features evolve with the latest research 

 about building to survive storms unique to 

 the coast. 



The attraction of the coast remains 

 undiminished by the grim realities of 

 recent hurricanes. But it's important to 

 remember that beach replenishment, 

 building regulations, rising insurance costs 

 and the constant danger of erosion, 



flooding and storm damage are problems 

 not limited to coastal residents. These 

 concerns and the astronomical costs of 

 federal and state disaster aid are issues that 

 affect everyone. □ 



Brooks Preik is a real estate 

 agent in Wilmington. 



I n late 1 997, nearly 500 real estate 

 agents and developers learned about building, 

 marketing and selling coastal property 

 through a series of workshops sponsored by 

 North Carolina Sea Grant, the N.C. Division 

 of Coastal Management and the N. C. Real 

 Estate Commission. 



A free brochure, Questions and 

 Answers on Purchasing Coastal Real 

 Estate in North Carolina, is available from 

 Sea Grant at 91 9/51 5-91 01 or the Real 

 Estate Commission at 91 9/733-9580. The 

 Division of Coastal Management offers 

 Where to Find Out, a guide for real estate 

 agents whose clients have questions about 

 coastal property. Call 9 1 9/733-2293 for a 

 free copy. 



COASTWATCH 19 



