'Renovation Island' Season 4: What is FEMA’s 50% Rule? Bryan and Sarah hit a hurdle ahead of renovation
Any type of property renovation has its own set of laws and restrictions. Sarah and Bryan, seasoned renovators, hit a hurdle when attempting to remodel their newly purchased Florida house.
Sarah and Bryan Baeumler will embark on a fresh renovating journey in the new season. They have moved on to another project after successfully reopening their island resort, Caerula Mar, after Covid travel restrictions were eased. The family plans to extensively renovate their Florida house, which is in desperate need of some renovation. Juggling house restoration, family life, and resort management is no easy task, and it becomes even more difficult when you encounter barriers along the way.
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While working on the home, Sarah and Bryan receive a call from Jenna, the architect who is working on the house's blueprints and drawings. When Bryan asks Jenna whether there are any potential issues with the permits in Florida, she delivers him a worrisome message. She explains that because they will be renovating the majority of the current building, she is attempting to figure out the percentages. Whether they are more than or less than fifty percent of the overall building area, and according to her first estimates, they are more than fifty percent. This suggests that they must bring everything up to date with the current code. Bryan outlines the possible snag in their project, explaining that in their county, renovating 50% or more of the house moves them from Stage II to Stage III. Once they reach Stage III, they will conduct a more extensive and in-depth evaluation of the current building, including the roof structure, wall construction, insulation, electrical wiring, and HVAC installation. Everything would need to be brought up to code.
Jenna adds that it is most likely the worst-case scenario, but it wouldn't hurt to keep it in mind. Bryan responds that, based on their previous experiences, worst-case scenarios are usually where they wind up. So, if they intend to build a top floor, they will need to look into it more, and if they run into problems with the percentage, they may have to review the entire project budget. The worst-case scenario would also entail hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional work on top of their present plans, which is not in the cards for them.
Bryan later spoke with Jenna again, and it appeared that with the additional math they'd done and the walls they planned to keep the same, they were just under 50%. As a result, they would remain in Stage II, which streamlines the permit procedure in terms of inspections. Sarah is relieved to hear this since it means they can expect to finish the project on time and on budget.
Rule Information for 50%
The "50 percent Rule" is a Floodplain Management Ordinance requirement. The regulation does not apply to constructions in zones "X" or "D." The regulation applies in all other flood zones, and it requires any building or structure enhanced, damaged, or repaired by 50 percent or more of the building or structure's worth to be brought up to Florida Building Code criteria, including any FEMA or elevation requirements.
HGTV's 'Renovation Island' airs new episodes every Sunday at 9 pm ET.