With two major hurricanes striking Florida in less than a two week span this year, you may be asking yourself if Florida new construction homes are the better choice over older, more traditionally built homes in standing up to Mother Nature. It’s a question I’ve heard a lot recently from potential buyers who want to move to, or simply just stay in Florida, but also want a well-built, secure home to call their own.
It’s hard to miss the heartbreaking pictures and videos showing flooded and destroyed homes that emerge following a strong storm, but can opting for one of the Florida new construction homes for sale over an older home put you in a better position to weather Florida’s sometimes fierce and somewhat unpredictable weather situations?
When you start looking for a new place to call your own, no doubt you consider location and home style. You likely have an idea of the size of the home you want, perhaps the style of the home, and maybe even know what features you’d like to have in your new home. When it comes to Florida new construction homes, you have other options, too, and these could be crucial in how well your home stands up to the potential for hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall, and even flooding in the future.
Many homes in Florida are close to the coast, but even buying further inland doesn’t always mean your home is totally protected from severe weather damage. That’s why I recommend learning everything you can about what’s required for new homes in Florida to make them stronger and more weather resistant, and that includes understanding what all the options are for new construction homes in Florida.
With each hurricane we weather, it seems FEMA and local building codes have better adapted with new rules to counter the demands put forth by Mother Nature. As a buyer, the good news is that there are now some proven construction methods out there that can help new homes better withstand the potential impacts of major weather situations, such as the recent, almost back-to-back storm systems of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
New construction homes in Florida stand up to hurricanes
Take, for example, the new, sustainable community of Babcock Ranch. Sure, the massive, master-planned community is getting a lot of attention for its solar farm and its environmentally friendly features, but as a whole, this community of new construction homes in Florida was actually built to better stand up to hurricanes, and it’s proven to be successful, so far. Its Florida new construction homes were built with some of the latest, and strongest materials and construction methods that are available for new homes in Florida. Past hurricanes have shown us that it’s not uncommon for roofs to be torn off and homes can sometimes be destroyed altogether by high winds during hurricanes.
That hasn’t been the case with Babcock Ranch. It didn’t happen with Hurricane Milton, and it didn’t happen with Hurricane Ian a couple of years ago, either. The homes of this community were designed to stand up to around 150 mph winds and the community, as a whole, was designed in a way to help it mitigate the risk of flooding. Of course, flooding and high winds are common concerns with a hurricane, but as the homes of Babcock Ranch have shown us, it is possible to better weather a storm such as one of the hurricanes we’ve seen recently, when you choose new construction homes Florida.
New building codes
So, if you’re in the market for a home, I recommend checking out some of the latest and newest construction methods out there when shopping for a Florida new construction home. Local and federal building codes have had to quickly adapt to some of the recent demands of Mother Nature. That’s why you’ll see things like elevated construction, wind load requirements, and reinforced roofs with new construction homes for sale in Florida.
You’ll also see reinforced foundations, and impact-resistant windows and doors. Over the weeks, months, years, and even decades, we’ve learned that homes can indeed be designed in a way that we can better protect the structure and what’s inside from high winds, projectiles, flying debris, and even the potential of flooding. That’s why I strongly suggest broadening your home search to discover some of possibilities that already exist with Florida new construction homes.
Understanding new home construction methods
Cinder block construction, or concrete block, is a preferred method for making homes in Florida stronger and more efficient. Obviously, though, the closer you get to the coastline, the more you need to think about the potential for destruction and the greatest wind speed as a hurricane first makes landfall.
Steel-reinforced poured concrete
A home that’s built with steel-reinforced, poured concrete results in an extremely strong home, and one that’s more waterproof, too. The thick and solid walls of a steel-reinforced, poured concrete home are designed to stand up to hurricanes, high winds, and flying debris. Poured concrete methods are the preferred choice the closer you get to the coastline, including with new construction waterfront homes and beach homes.
Insulated concrete form construction (ICF)
With insulated concrete form construction, which is commonly just called ICF, the exterior wall is built out of hollow blocks, which are stacked up on top of each other and reinforced with rebar. Then, they’re filled with concrete. This type of home is very strong in the face of high winds, plus also it's more resistant to moisture and mold. That can be a problem if there’s flooding.
Elevated homes
Elevated home construction provides for a raised home that makes it better protected in terms of flooding. As we’ve seen from recent hurricanes, flooding can sometimes be just as catastrophic as high winds.
Stilts & piling
If you’re interested in one of the Florida new construction homes for sale right by the coast, I might suggest looking for a home that’s built up on stilts or pilings. These homes are designed so that if it does flood, and that’s certainly a possibility right by the coast, the living space of the home doesn’t get wet. Don’t be fooled. These homes are also very strong, because the stilts are driven down way into the ground, and the home is reinforced, too, so that it stands up well to bad weather situations. It’s also helpful in a landscape that is somewhat unpredictable and less stable on the surface.
Why choose new construction
Choosing a new place to call home is a major investment. Luckily, shopping for new construction homes Florida can help give you some peace of mind for the future. As proven already, new construction homes for sale in Florida have the ability to better stand up to the force of future hurricanes, flooding, and strong storms. As a bonus, you will likely also be in line for some insurance and utility savings. A better-built home is less likely to have major damage following a storm, and a better-built home is also likely less drafty, meaning you probably won’t see as big of a monthly financial drain, but instead could be in for a pleasant surprise with your utility bills.
