FEMA Recommendations for Commercial Construction.

When you have an office or headquarters for your business or businesses built, it is important to make sure that your building is up to code. FEMA or the Federal Emergency Management Agency is responsible for some of those codes we must adhere to in construction.

Especially for us in the coastal area of the United States are subject to those certain codes due to the natural threats we face. High-velocity winds, storm surges, and flooding are very common in this region. Those natural threats are constants here. Even if you have insurance for the building, you need to feel assured that your office building or headquarters will be safe. At Adkins Building and Construction, we make sure we adhere to the codes and recommendations to make that one less thing you have to worry about for your business.

With construction, we will first look at the foundation. The codes and recommendations of FEMA on foundations for commercial construction are not unlike those of residential construction. The foundation is expected to sustain possible higher stories even against storms, high winds, floods, and even seismic activity. Those factors contribute to the decision process: how deep we will want the foundation to be, the design of the foundation, and what material we will use to build it. We will also need to take into consideration what zone we will be building in. The characteristics of the building site could affect the design. We look at the design flood conditions, site elevation, long and short-term erosion, and site soils.

Building in this coastal region can get complicated. Natural threats are common and will be taken into account in planning and construction. On top of that, there are many unexpected issues and red tape to navigate when building a home, office headquarter, warehouse, or whatever is needed. All of that should not be something that weighs you or your business down. Because we understand that, we make sure to adhere to the codes and recommendations given to us, and we look to take all of those obstacles out of your way. We will work with your budget to build the building that will meet the expectations of the government, our standards, and your own. For your research on FEMA’s different standards and recommendations, please check out their website at fema.gov.