My flood insurance costs about $1,100/year. My house, built in 1998 in a coastal flood area, has the first floor about 10 feet above the mean high water line. So, unless the storm surge exceeds 10 feet, and happens at high tide, the house will be OK for flooding. Most damage in a hurricane is wind damage anyway.
Our neighborhood is already built to flood requirements. Older homes, built before those requirements became code, are at risk. My next door neighbor has twice had water in his house, up to about 12" on the interior walls. That required ripping out all flooring, cutting out the drywall up to about 3 feet (it wicks water up), and replacing all the electrical outlets. He pays more for flood insurance than I do. That Nor'easter was the worst in terms of storm surge and flooding. The wind direction simply backed the water up in the bays and inlets here and added to the modest surge from the low pressure of the storm.
A 30" dam around his house would not have made any difference. There are some homes further up the street (at higher elevation) for which the dam would've worked. But $18,000 is a lot of money for something that might work in a very limited set of circumstances.
Our neighborhood is already built to flood requirements. Older homes, built before those requirements became code, are at risk. My next door neighbor has twice had water in his house, up to about 12" on the interior walls. That required ripping out all flooring, cutting out the drywall up to about 3 feet (it wicks water up), and replacing all the electrical outlets. He pays more for flood insurance than I do. That Nor'easter was the worst in terms of storm surge and flooding. The wind direction simply backed the water up in the bays and inlets here and added to the modest surge from the low pressure of the storm.
A 30" dam around his house would not have made any difference. There are some homes further up the street (at higher elevation) for which the dam would've worked. But $18,000 is a lot of money for something that might work in a very limited set of circumstances.
