Looking for Gulffront Townhome

[Paula]

I figured that new construction would matter when it comes to hurricanes, but the realtors would have more information on this. In Michigan, older homes seem to be very sturdy and can out-last some of the newer homes (of course, we don't have hurricanes), but I assume new is better than old in florida.

 

[Cork On the Ocean]

It's kind of odd. When you move inland, there's lot so of sturdy brick homes but when you move closer to water there's mostly frame homes, of course many are on piers or stilts which is why they're frame, I guess. It seems that I'm seeing more block homes this year down in the Rosemary/Seacrest area. Not just 1st story block but 3 story block. Alys so far looks like all block but my home is all frame and as I said held up beautifully and though I evacuated, I know we must have had some pretty strong winds from Ivan. Maybe some of the people that stayed could tell us how bad the winds were.

 

[Kurt]

The wind was intense but nothing like near the eye which is where you start seeing structural damage from winds. Most problems are caused by rising water, waves, flooding, and wind driven rain.

 

[Paula]

I wonder, too, why more homes are built with block construction. But even the newer frame homes are built according to better standards than were available 20 years ago. I'd be curious to know how 30A held up after Opal. Were many homes devastated by the storm (I know there were many fewer homes/condos at that time, of course)? Did the eye of Opal hit the area?

 

[Kurt]

Opal came ashore at Navarre Beach, which meant that we got some of the highest winds. There was a bit more wind damage, but not much structural.

The surge in the gulf was higher from Opal and washed out 30-A at Dune Allen and a few of the lake causeways - Western and Eastern Lake. Afterwards the causeways were beefed up with the rocks you see along them now. The bay rose higher during Ivan than Opal.

I was surprised when I saw Grayton Beach the morning of Ivan. Even though the waves were very high, Grayton was not flooded from surge like during Opal.

As for block vs. frame - it's simply a matter of short term cost. People want the most house for the money, and would generally prefer to have more square footage and fine interior materials. A frame house on high and dry ground built carefully to current code will do very well in all but the most intense storms, as long as windows and doors are shuttered or boarded.