Building Construction

Leave a comment

Building Construction on the Texas Coast

The Texas coast resort market is transforming into the nation’s leading destination for vacation homes and rentals, with a diversity of location lifestyles, new projects from mega high-rises to new urbanism communities and affordable hurricane resistant modular homes.

  • One thing for sure, now is the best time to invest in real estate on the Texas coast. We have new development opportunities that you’ll find nowhere else in the world.
  • Explore our site to find out more – or contact us – and we’ll prove to you just how special our market is right now – and where the best opportunities are – and how you can take advantage of them.

Questions? Ask our Coastal Architect

National Coastal Development Standards

Coastal Development Regulatory Requirements

Texas Coast Construction Handbook

Texas Wetlands Map

The typical steps / departments our architect works with to obtain local regulatory approvals to meet applicable building codes include:

  1. The City Building Department is the Authority having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for the building codes that Regulate:
    • International Building (IBC) & Residential Code (IRC) with Local Amendments for Construction Requirements.
    • FEMA Flood Plain Management Regulations for required Height your first floor shall be above the 100-year flood plain and other unique requirements for construction in the flood plain.
    • Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Windstorm Requirements for special construction fasteners, Windows, Doors, Roofing, & Siding.
  1. The City Planning Department normally regulates the City Zoning Ordinances that determine:
    • Allowable land use(s) within your Zoning District
    • Required Building Setback(s) from your property Line
    • Parking, Landscaping & Fencing
    • Amount of Allowable Impervious Cover
  1. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USCOE) regulates development in designated wetland area(s) consisting of shallow water with vegetative growth usually in low lying area(s) and along the bay shore.
  2. The City Shoreline Manager administers the Texas General Land Office (TGLO) development standards for Beach and Dune construction along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline. The TGLO also manages the waterways surrounding the barrier islands.
  3. There are Sensitive Species of Birds and Wildlife which if encountered during development are Regulated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and in some cases the Texas Department of Fish and Wildlife (TPWD).
  4. The Local Fire Marshall regulates International Fire Code (IFC) requirements normally associated with Commercial Construction.
  5. The Local Environmental Health Departments regulates commercial requirements for food and beverage sales. They also regulate Septic Tank installation and maintenance for Private Sewage disposal.

The International Building Code (IBC) contains regulations about practices used in commercial construction, while the International Residential Code (IRC) contains information and regulations applying to residential construction, including both new construction practices as well as remodeling issues.

Texas Coast Municipal Building Codes

Building codes are a set of rules that specify the standards for construction of buildings and structures. Buildings must conform to code to obtain planning permission from the city council to protect public health, safety, and general welfare as they relate to construction and occupancy. Building codes are law.

Texas Coast Municipal Zoning Maps

A map showing the allowed uses of real property in certain areas. For example, commercial use or residential use. Zoning maps assist developers, businesspersons, and residents in finding out what they can build in certain areas, and restrictions on property use, for example if short term rentals are allowed.

Texas Coast Central Appraisal Districts (CAD)

Each Texas county is served by an appraisal district that determines the value of the county’s real property by individual parcels of land. Land parcels are boundaries that have associated information such as property owner, land use, and value. This information is recorded and maintained in the appraisal districts.

Does Texas have a statewide building code?
A statewide building code is the strongest commitment a state can make to achieve building safety through minimum building standards and serves as a valuable tool for populous, growing, and disaster-prone states like Texas. Even so, Texas does not have a statewide residential building code.

Related Pages