First, the DEP’s Blessing - House I

This is a post that actually goes along with an article written for Topsail-Island about the 3R’s - reduce, reuse, and recycle.  In the article I write about how the 3R’s also apply to our homes.  Simply stated: reduce living square footage, reuse your existing home, and build with recycled materials.  Over the next several months (however long construction lasts) I’m going to document the transformation of a few homes that are prime examples of the 3R’s put into action.    Exciting, right?

The first home is a residence on the beach.  This property has been in the family (not my family, if you’re wondering) for many years and has been passed down to the children.  Originally constructed in the 1980’s, this home has endured many storms and was fairly protected due to its modest size and location behind several dunes.  Over the years, the dunes have washed away and the gulf has crept a little closer.  During hurricane Ivan, beach erosion washed away the homes seaward facing porch, though no structural damage was done to the main house.  For the most part, the house has been rendered useless.  The owners, through much agonizing, have decided to keep the house intact and relocate it northward about 65′.  Since the storms, the DEP has relocated the CCCL closer to their northern property line essentially decreasing the square footage needed to build another home.  I know, you’re probably saying, “If I only had such problems.”

Back to the house.  The first step was to have updated CAD drawings of the existing structure drawn (me! me! pick me!).  Those drawings were then given to the structural engineer to redesign the piling and girder foundation.  In the meantime, geotechnical engineers stepped in to collect boring samples to determine the depth of the new pilings. A new topographic survey is ordered and all of this data is given to the structural engineer so he can work his magic.  He generates new drawings combining all of this information including the new building location, fill if needed, dune walkover location, piling depth and turtle lighting.  These drawings have been submitted to the DEP and now we wait for their approval and a permit.  That’s just the beginning.  We still need to get a county building permit, which can’t happen until we have the DEP permit.  The owners still need to settle on the piling company and a contractor that will pull the permits and rebuild the lost porch.  So that’s where we are on that house.  Patiently waiting.