Hurricanes? (storms, history, moving, ground) - - City-Data Forum

Rich F · 02-23-2006, 12:20 PM

I am considering taking a job in the Tampa area and am curious as to the severity of the hurricanes in this area. Are the houses built to handle this? I am seeing a lot of houses for sale that were built in the 70's and earlier, so I'm guessing that either they are built to handle hurricanes, or that this area doesn't get hit very hard.

goinghome · 02-23-2006, 01:58 PM

Florida changed their guidelines for home construction after the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. I am not from the Tampa area and am not familiar with the severity of hurricanes there. But I would seriously consider hiring an inspector that would give you an honest opinion as to whether or not the house you are considering purchasing is hurricane ready.

t-town · 02-23-2006, 06:34 PM

Well i am from the tampa area and i can tell you that we hardly ever get hit strongly by hurricanes...usually the attack point is south of us, in the panhandle, or in the north/central part of the state. We usually get the tail end of them...

richkat · 02-24-2006, 05:49 AM

We're north of Tampa and have survived all hurricanes over the past 2 summers (didn't even lose power). It helps to be a bit inland, not in a flood zone and in a home built to the latest code.

OoAllyoO · 02-25-2006, 05:09 PM

Im also from the Tampa area. My home is pretty old but it is a concrete home, so hurricanes dont do much. Just dont buy a wooden home, whatever you do!

cakeprincess · 03-07-2006, 07:33 AM

I lives in Daytona Beach area. All I can tell you is to look for a concrete home, a step or two up, high land, and updated roof. Don't buy wooden frame house and mobile home - they're the one that blew away very easily.

Don't buy a house that you can walk inside and step down. Get the one with two step up. I can tell you from my own bad experience. I lives in my house on a low lying area and my floor is the same as the ground level. We got flooded more than 5 times during our 12 years living in our house.

Even though, your insurance or realtor may say that your new house is not in the flood proned area, that doesn't mean you don't need a flood insurance! You must have a flood insurance, no matter where! I have a friend who lives on the higher ground level and thinking she doesn't need the flood insurance - well, a tree fell down on her house and the rain got into her house, flooding it.

Also, always cut down or trim your trees away from your new house. Make sure your roof is sturdy and updated - you can check with your contractor or inspector.

You can always ask your realtor to find out for you by researching the existing homeowner's insurance history and see if they had any flooding or damages before.

I lives in Daytona area and I plans on moving to NC. I love it here, but the housing price has gotten expensive here - for example: 3 bedroom/2.5 bath with one car garage is $250,000. NC is $150K. That's why. I'll come back to FL when I'm retired.

Good luck.

mrs1885 · 03-12-2006, 06:57 PM

I think Tampa is still a windzone 2 area. They seems to have some kind of invisible barrier protecting them. Of course that is what I said about Naples since we have had nothing since Donna. We did take a pretty much direct hit this past summer, but even that wasn't too bad for us. The other coast got more than we did as it passed them back out to sea.

Zipperhead · 03-26-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich F

I am considering taking a job in the Tampa area and am curious as to the severity of the hurricanes in this area. Are the houses built to handle this? I am seeing a lot of houses for sale that were built in the 70's and earlier, so I'm guessing that either they are built to handle hurricanes, or that this area doesn't get hit very hard.

I briefly lived in Tampa ...2004 for one year. Just my luck? First month there, we got hit by Charlie, Francis and Jean !!! Nice huh? lol.

Anyways....I had THOUGHT I did my "homework" researching areas on the west coast of Fl. But Mother Nature has other plans. But during those 3 storms ... they all turned out to be downgraded to tropical storms. I'd look for a house that was built (cinder block and stucco foundation) after 2000. Apparently, that was after Hurricane Andrew and that devesation. So they upped the building codes of homes then.

I'd also look for homes East of Rte. 19 (not 19A) ...out of flood zones for insurance purposes and sanity. East of Rte. 19 is a nightmare to commute.

good luck

sleeper · 03-28-2006, 01:42 AM

Actually, if you ever watch the new houses getting built, I would question their safety.. The're thrown up like a pit-stop at the race-track. (fast)

Older homes were built when (it seems) contractors still cared about what they built. Not just a fast pay day...
My home was 'over built' by a contractor as his personal residence long ago.
It IS a wood-framed/Stucco, & is very well built !!!

So, just cause the're new, doesn't mean they were built w/pride.....
Just speed.......

Last yr, only homes near me that were damaged were the new ones. FYI.
Remember Block can't breathe, it breaks..

elfyum · 05-06-2006, 03:55 AM

Don't count your chickens...! The weather is freaky & ANYWHERE can be hit!!! They've even said the northeast (as in NY!) is due... There are natural disasters everywhere...Yeah hurricanes suck but where else in the US can you garden/sit outside ALL YEAR???!!! Works for me!