An Elevation Certificate is a FEMA form that records how high a building sits relative to the ground around it and to the flood elevation for its zone. It is a measurement document, not an opinion, and it is what an insurer prices a flood policy from.
The reason owners care is money. In a high-risk zone, a building that sits well above the required elevation can be rated very differently from one that sits at or below it. The certificate is what proves which of those you own.
What gets measured
- The lowest floor of the living area
- The garage or lowest enclosed area, which is often the controlling number
- The highest and lowest adjacent grade against the structure
- Machinery and equipment servicing the building, air conditioning, generators and pool equipment included
- Building characteristics, flood openings and the diagram type FEMA requires
What we need from you
Access to the building, including the garage and any enclosed area below the living floor. If you have a prior certificate, the flood zone determination, or the elevation shown on the original construction plans, send it along. It rarely replaces the field work but it does tell us what to expect.
Who usually needs one
Owners renewing or disputing a flood insurance rating, buyers in a designated flood zone, lenders requiring one at closing, and builders finishing a structure in a high-risk area where the certificate is tied to the certificate of occupancy.
Where we do them
Anywhere in Florida, from Hillsborough County out to the coast.