Building on
Stilts:
Seaside Solutions
by Gordon Tully
Houses built directly on the seashore
are subject to periodic damage from
large storms. To prevent large claims
under the National Flood Insurance
Program, the Feds (through local
zoning regulations) have mandated
special regulations for construction
along the seashore.
If a home is entirely or partly
within the "velocity zone" as shown
on a special map (known as the
FIRM, for Federal Insurance Rate
Map), it must be built on sturdy piers
so that the underside of the support
structure is above sea level by an
amount shown on the map.
Everything built below this safety
level must either be strong enough to
resist the force of the waves, or weak
enough to safely "break