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Before you sign a rebuilding contract or begin structural work, check whether the home is safe to enter, get the local building department’s and—after a flood—the floodplain administrator’s direction, document the damage, and review your insurance claim. These decisions can determine which permits, inspections, code upgrades, elevation or floodproofing rules apply, and whether repair, retrofit, relocation, or replacement is a viable choice. The exact requirements depend on the property and its community; a general checklist is not local approval.
Start with safety, documentation, and local officials
Do not let a contractor’s schedule or an insurance estimate substitute for a safety decision or permit. Follow any official occupancy restriction or unsafe placard. If the building’s safety is uncertain, stay out until the appropriate official or qualified professional has advised you. Structural repair and mitigation should be handled by qualified professionals, not attempted as do-it-yourself work.
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Before committing to a scope, contact the local building department. After flood damage, also contact the community’s floodplain administrator. Ask which permits, inspections, zoning restrictions, floodplain ordinances, and adopted codes apply to this address and proposed work. Local officials can tell you which determinations are needed before repair begins; the answers may change the permitted scope and cost. Contact them before starting repairs or rebuilding, not only when you are ready for a final inspection.
Document the damage and keep the records together with the insurer’s estimate and communications, proposed repair scopes, and any written direction from officials. Ask your insurer or agent about claim deadlines, required proof, and the process for reviewing a scope before you agree to a rebuilding contract. The particular records and deadlines depend on the policy and claim, so confirm them directly rather than relying on a general checklist.
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Flood damage: resolve the local floodplain trigger first
Get a written substantial-damage or substantial-improvement determination
Ask the local official to determine whether the building is substantially damaged or whether the proposed work constitutes a substantial improvement. Do not calculate this independently and assume the result will satisfy the community. FEMA’s baseline definition of substantial damage covers damage from any origin where restoring a structure to its pre-damage condition would cost at least 50 percent of its pre-damage market value. The threshold compares the repair cost with the building’s pre-damage market value; it is not a comparison with the value of a newly rebuilt home. Substantial improvement uses a similar 50 percent comparison between the cost of the work and the structure’s value before the work.
That 50 percent figure is a federal baseline described by FEMA, not a guarantee that the same threshold or calculation controls every project. A community may use a lower threshold, cumulative rules, or other stricter requirements. Ask the floodplain administrator what valuation and cost documentation the community uses, whether prior work is counted, and for the determination in writing. The written local decision is what you need to plan the permitted scope. A preliminary estimate or an insurance adjuster’s scope may be useful information, but it does not replace the community’s determination.
Confirm elevation, floodproofing, and material requirements
If floodplain requirements apply, establish the property-specific compliance target before selecting a design. Ask the floodplain administrator which base flood elevation or design flood elevation applies, how the required elevation is measured, whether floodproofing is an eligible approach for the building and its use, and whether state or local rules require freeboard above a minimum level.
FEMA says that in NFIP-participating communities, buildings in regulated flood areas undergoing substantial improvement or repair of substantial damage must meet NFIP requirements for new construction, along with adopted codes. State and local requirements may exceed the NFIP minimums. FEMA Technical Bulletin 2, dated January 22, 2025, addresses flood-damage-resistant materials and states: “Federal, state, or local requirements that are more restrictive than the minimum NFIP requirements take precedence.” The appropriate material depends on its location in the building and the applicable code; the bulletin does not provide a universal product list for every home.
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Ask the official and design professional to identify the requirements for the specific parts of the structure and proposed work before ordering materials. A product described as flood resistant is not automatically acceptable in every location or under every local code. Confirm which requirements are minimum NFIP standards and which, if any, are more restrictive state or local rules. That distinction can affect the design and the materials allowed in different locations within the building.
Evaluate mitigation measures for this home
FEMA’s rebuilding guidance identifies potential flood-mitigation topics to discuss with local officials and qualified tradespeople. Their suitability depends on the home’s design and applicable requirements; they are not a universal specification.
- Whether utilities can be elevated to reduce exposure to floodwater.
- Whether flood vents are appropriate for an enclosed area and meet local requirements.
- Whether flood-resistant insulation and drywall are suitable for the affected locations.
- Whether a more flood-resistant floor finish, such as tile, is appropriate.
- Whether a plumber should evaluate a sewer backflow valve.
Ask which measures are required for compliance and which are optional risk-reduction choices. Distinguishing the two helps you compare scopes without assuming that one mitigation item resolves the home’s flood exposure. Ask the qualified tradespeople and local officials to consider each measure in the context of the property and applicable requirements; a checklist item alone does not show that a particular product or installation will be accepted.
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Respect occupancy restrictions and obtain an appropriate evaluation
Follow any official restriction or unsafe placard. Before entering a damaged building or deciding on repairs, arrange an appropriate building safety and structural evaluation by qualified professionals. Visible damage alone does not establish whether the home is safe, whether a particular retrofit is required, or whether replacement is necessary.
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FEMA’s 2025 post-earthquake repair and retrofit guidance focuses on performance-critical damage and procedures for deciding whether seismic retrofit is needed. It emphasizes that the local adopted existing-building code applies to repair and retrofit decisions. The guidance is not a property-specific engineering design. Ask the building official and a qualified structural engineer to identify the applicable repair code, classify the damage, and explain what additional evaluation or design is required for this building.
Compare repair, retrofit, and replacement on performance as well as cost
The decision is not simply “repair the visible damage” versus “tear down the home.” FEMA’s earthquake guidance ties repair or retrofit decisions to the nature of the damage and expected future performance. Demolition can be the prudent option in some cases after considering repair cost and future performance, but earthquake damage alone does not prove that demolition or any particular retrofit is required.
Ask the engineer to explain what each proposed option is intended to achieve, what code requirements it addresses, and what limitations remain. Then compare the options with the building official’s direction and the insurance scope. A repair estimate that excludes required code work is not directly comparable to a complete retrofit or replacement scope. Ask the engineer and official to clarify whether the proposed repair addresses the performance-critical damage and whether retrofit is needed under the applicable requirements.
Compare the viable paths before choosing a scope
Where more than one option is viable, compare them against the same decision points. FEMA’s earthquake guidance supports considering performance and cost for repair or retrofit; FEMA’s flood materials support checking compliance and mitigation requirements. The table is a framework for the questions to resolve, not a prediction that any option will be permitted or funded.
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| Decision point | Questions to resolve |
|---|---|
| Safety and future performance | What does the structural evaluation say about each option, and what future performance is expected? |
| Code and floodplain compliance | What current adopted code, permit, and—where applicable—floodplain requirements apply to each scope? |
| Total project cost | Does the estimate include triggered upgrades, mitigation, design work, permits, and inspections? |
| Insurance or assistance | What is the insurer’s written scope, what proof and deadlines apply, and what assistance may be available for this action? |
| Site-specific hazard | How does the option address the property’s flood or seismic exposure, as applicable? |
| Occupancy and schedule | What approvals, inspections, design decisions, and construction work must occur before occupancy? |
For flood-damaged homes, include relocation or floodproofing in the discussion if officials and qualified professionals identify them as viable options. For earthquake-damaged homes, include retrofit and replacement when the structural evaluation supports considering them. Do not compare a partial repair price with a complete scope and treat the difference as a reliable cost comparison. Include compliance work triggered by the selected scope, then confirm the approvals and funding terms for that scope rather than assuming one option is covered or permitted because another is.
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Read the policy and adjuster’s scope, then ask the insurer or agent about deadlines, documentation, and how proposed changes to the work affect the claim. Resolve questions before committing to a contract whose scope or timing could conflict with claim requirements. Keep the community official’s compliance determination separate from the insurer’s coverage decision: one does not establish the other.
FEMA’s homeowner retrofit guide describes Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program for certain eligible flood-compliance actions, including elevation, relocation, demolition, or floodproofing. That guide dates from 2014 and does not establish an individual homeowner’s eligibility or current benefit limit. It reports a historical $30,000 limit effective May 2011; that is historical information, not a current promise of payment. Confirm current policy terms, limits, eligibility, required proof, and deadlines with the insurer or agent and the community official before relying on ICC funds. Do not put a presumed ICC payment into a project budget until those parties confirm whether it applies to your situation.
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- Confirm entry and occupancy status. Follow official restrictions or placards. If safety is uncertain, obtain appropriate professional direction before entering.
- Document damage and open the insurance conversation. Ask the insurer or agent what scope, records, deadlines, and proof are required before agreeing to work.
- Ask the building department what approvals apply. Confirm permits, inspections, zoning, adopted codes, and the local process for repair or rebuilding at the property.
- For flood damage, contact the floodplain administrator. Request a written substantial-damage or substantial-improvement decision and the property-specific elevation, floodproofing, and material requirements.
- For earthquake damage, obtain a structural evaluation. Ask the building official and engineer to identify the applicable repair code, damage classification, and whether retrofit or other options need evaluation.
- Develop comparable scopes. Have qualified professionals describe the viable repair, mitigation, retrofit, relocation, demolition, or replacement options and include applicable upgrades.
- Check funding and approvals against the final scope. Confirm insurance or assistance terms directly, then obtain required permits and inspections before construction starts.
Why a generic checklist cannot approve the project
The controlling code edition, permit trigger, flood elevation, substantial-damage calculation, insurance terms, and available professional services depend on the location, policy, building, and proposed work. FEMA’s guidance helps identify the questions to raise; it does not replace a local determination, an insurer’s coverage decision, or an engineer’s property-specific design. Resolve those decisions before construction begins so the contract reflects the work the community will permit and the building actually needs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 50 percent substantial-damage threshold apply to every flood-damaged home?
No. FEMA describes a 50 percent baseline: substantial damage is generally determined by comparing the cost to restore the structure to its pre-damage condition with its pre-damage market value. Communities may use a lower threshold, cumulative rules, or other stricter requirements. Ask the local floodplain administrator for a written determination rather than calculating it yourself.
Can I choose flood-resistant materials or mitigation measures from a general checklist?
Not without checking the property’s requirements. Material suitability depends on its location in the building and applicable codes, and local or state rules may be stricter than NFIP minimums. Discuss options such as elevated utilities, flood vents, flood-resistant insulation or drywall, tile flooring, or a sewer backflow valve with local officials and qualified tradespeople.
Does earthquake damage mean I have to retrofit or demolish my home?
Not by itself. A qualified structural evaluation and the local adopted existing-building code inform whether repair, retrofit, or replacement is appropriate. FEMA notes that demolition may be prudent in some cases after weighing repair cost and future performance, but damage alone does not establish that a particular option is required.
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Eligibility, covered actions, limits, proof, and deadlines depend on current policy terms and the homeowner’s circumstances. FEMA’s homeowner retrofit guide is from 2014 and reports a historical $30,000 limit effective May 2011; that figure is not a current payment promise. Confirm current terms with the insurer or agent and the community official before relying on ICC funds.
The Bottom Line
Before rebuilding, confirm safety, obtain the local approvals and hazard-specific determinations, and compare complete scopes rather than partial estimates. Flood elevation and substantial-damage rules, earthquake repair or retrofit needs, and insurance benefits all depend on the property and local requirements, so get the relevant decisions in writing before construction begins.
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