The foundation is the most critical component of any structure.

In this episode, Wade Paquin explains the unique foundation system on a custom home that is being built in a FEMA Flood Zone just feet from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Wade will explain how this foundation system works from the ground up.  It all starts with helical piers - beefy grade beams that laterally lock in the footings and 14-ft. tall concrete piers will bear on the grade beams as those piers will take the load of the future structure above. This deep foundation solution wll secure the new foundations and is especially implemented in areas where soil changes can cause a need for special foundation types. 

The home will have a first-floor elevation of about 22.5-feet above sea level to allow for water to pass under the house safely in the event of hurricanes and storm surges. The breakaway walls used will give the house the appearance that it is a three story home. 

The main goal is to achieve a home that lasts for a few hundred years, comprised of stable, natural disaster-resistant foundations. This is a unique, complex process for building in the flood zone. Stay tuned for the rest of the build.