FEMA and Floodplain Surveys
A Floodplain survey is most often used to determine the elevation of your home and property as to how they compare to the FEMA Base Flood Elevation. These surveys can reduce insurance premiums and determine how your property relates to the 100-year FEMA floodplain. This type of survey combines components of both a Boundary Survey and a Topographic Survey and often produces a flood Elevation Certificate (EC).
Floodplain Surveys can be broken down into several subtypes:
Elevation Certificate Surveys
Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) Surveys
Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) Surveys
Base Flood Elevation Surveys
Floodplain verification Surveys
Floodway verification Surveys
Hydrographic Surveys
From this Elevation certificate, FEMA will determine the appropriate level of flood insurance for the property. The Elevation Certificate can also be used to request a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) or Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) from FEMA by the property owner. FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requires an elevation certificate from property owners with buildings classified within a Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA).