The average cost of a cleanup from flood damage, when you factor in costs like cleaning, flooring, electrical, even from only an inch of water can be over $10,000. Regular insurance doesn’t provide flood protection, ,but the government does, in the form of the National Flood Insurance Program. To qualify though, you need a FEMA Elevation Certificate.
The Importance of Sustainable Development
Sustainable development in CT can save you money in construction costs and will help reduce maintenance costs in the future. Land management and development practices that follow Low Impact Development guidelines will create an environment that meets water quality standards and protects the sediment control and erosion that makes the property environmentally sensitive. The use of land surveys and civil engineering helps property owners design and plan their land improvement projects.
Land Surveying in Connecticut
A land survey does more than resolve property line disputes. When a Connecticut landowner seeks approval from their local building officials or planning board to make major changes on their property, a boundary survey is usually required. If money is being borrowed to pay for the land improvement, the survey will be required by the lender to approve the loan.
The services of land surveying CT businesses will show the boundaries of the property in addition to the easements or encroachments that could limit the use of the property because of local or state regulations. Work in the field is only part of the process. The history of the property is also researched to be sure that changes to the boundaries have not been changed because of previous land transfers.
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The Importance of Storm water Management
Many people love to own their own homes. Owning your own piece of property can be very freeing. However, owning a home comes with its own set of difficulties and problems. Maintenance is very important concerning property and structures on it. When disasters happen such as large storms, which have a tendency to destroy and damage property, preparation is needed to make sure that these damages can be repaired or that there are ways to go about getting things back to normal. Most importantly, it is vital to identify problems that can cause damage to a house or structure, consider hiring a land surveyor in CT.
Storm Water Damage
Storms can cause a lot of problems for your home. Mainly they can damage a foundation, flood basements or other parts of the structure and allow mold to grow. Storm water has proven to be a big problem for many who live in states such as Connecticut. Storm water management is incredibly important when trying to protect one’s home. Luckily, there are many resources that you can utilize to help prevent the damage storm water can reek on any structure.
When-Do-I-Need-Civil-Engineering-Services-in-CT
Civil Engineering
Most people associate civil engineers with road and bridge construction; however, there are times when a homeowner or landholder will find they need civil engineering services in CT. In general, civil engineering involves the design, planning, assessment, construction, and oversight of projects involving man-made, and naturally-built environments. From land surveys to structural home inspections, this type of engineer provides an array of residential services.
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What is a Survey and why should I advise my clients to pay for one?
What is a survey and why should I advise my clients to pay for one?
When we leave the grocery store most of us check our receipt to make sure we got what we paid for. When we buy cars we make sure we get all the options we paid for. But, when many people purchase real estate, they feel comfortable knowing “about” where the property lines are and “about” how much land is involved. The purchase of real estate is perhaps the biggest investment most of us will make. Deciding to protect that investment with a boundary survey is one of the wisest decisions your client can make. The following paragraphs explain in detail the steps necessary for producing an accurate survey that conforms to state statutes.
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In Memory of Ronald Heim
In February of this year, those of us at Godfrey-Hoffman & Hodge were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ronald Heim of Bristol, CT.
Stuck on the Border: Surveying the US-Mexico Border
There is one issue that seems to come up consistently when discussing the southern border of the United States – where does American end and Mexico start? Fences do line many areas of the border, but at other intersections of the land there is no barrier because of poor planning. Whether or not you agree with the idea of a fence lining our southern border, it must be understood that surveying this area of land is difficult and that many citizens find it hard to deal with.
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PHASE FOUR “KINGS WOOD” IN AVON
Village Developers is currently continuing phase four of Kings Wood on Lofgren Road in Avon, CT with two houses. Windsor court is also part of phase four which will connect to Scarborough Road. Godfrey-Hoffman & Hodge is providing the surveying and engineering services for this project. We have been working with Village Developers for many years and now that it seems the economy might be turning more new homes should be going up.
This phase was started a couple of years ago with surveying for the road which was roughed in. Catch basins were laid out and installed then the job was put on the back burner waiting for a better housing market. With these first few houses it’s a positive sign, we will add more as we go.
Stuck on the Border
There is one issue that seems to come up consistently when discussing the southern border of the United States – where does American end and Mexico start? Fences do line many areas of the border, but at other intersections of the land there is no barrier because of poor planning. Whether or not you agree with the idea of a fence lining our southern border, it must be understood that surveying this area of land is difficult and that many citizens find it hard to deal with.
That is, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, has become a major concern for people living on the border whose land has not been surveyed correctly:
“The Homeland Security Department last year put up a tall steel barrier across the fields from [Pamela] Taylor’s home. The government calls it the border fence, but it was erected about a quarter-mile north of the Rio Grande, leaving Taylor’s home between the fence and the river. Her two acres now lie on a strip of land that isn’t Mexico but doesn’t really seem like the United States either.”
The issue is one of security for Taylor, according to the article, but it’s also about knowing where her land lies. With part of America and part of Mexico in her backyard, Taylor’s land is technically in a precarious no man’s land. This occurred because of poor planning by civil engineers and land surveyors.
“But here, where the border’s eastern edge meets the Gulf of Mexico, the urgency of national security met headlong with geographical reality. The Rio Grande twists through Brownsville and surrounding areas, and planners had to avoid building on the flood plain. So the barriers in some places went up more than a mile from the river.While the border fence almost everywhere else divides Mexico and the U.S., here it divides parts of the city.”
Flood Zones Becoming a Bigger Issue
This winter was one of the worst many parts of the United States have ever seen. During one of the blizzards, snow was actually falling in 49 out of the 50 states, excluding only Florida. Slowly, as it came closer to warm temperatures and the spring season, many town officials, insurance representatives, land surveyors and civil engineers had to assess how much flooding may occur from the meltdown of the many feet of snow in so many places. One issue being looked at by government officials were the rules about flood insurance boundaries – when homeowners needed flood insurance and how the new flood zones would be drawn.
Thankfully, a congressman from Michigan was looking out for citizens located in precarious areas, according to a report from WILX:
“In a town hall meeting, Congressman Tim Walberg told Michiganders he introduced a new bill, the Floodplain Maps Moratorium Act. The bill would delay homeowners in newly drawn flood zones from having to purchase flood insurance for five years. “It appears they are in great error and people that never had to purchase flood insurance now have to do that at a great cost,” said Rep. Tim Walberg, (R) Michigan.”
Even though the new law and flood zones drawn by surveyors have made the matter of getting flood insurance easier for citizens, some still aren’t happy with what seems like forced insurance:
“One commissioner [sic] of Eaton County now finds his home to be in a new flood zone, meaning it has a 26 percent chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage. The commissioner says all but one of the 22 municipalities in Eaton County are negatively affected by the new maps.
FEMA declined to comment on the propsed [sic] legislation. But a state engineer that works with FEMA says the new maps are more accurate. But in some areas, such as Eaton County, the elevation on the topographic map were drawn to 10 foot contour intervals and could be more precise.”
It still stands to be seen whether or not this law will go into effect, but this story shows how important the zoning plans that land surveyors make can be.