Flooding and Drainage: A Homeowner's Checklist

Find or order an elevation certificate

An elevation certificate is a FEMA form that documents a property's elevation measurements. It is used to evaluate a building's first floor height and the ground beside it. FEMA says licensed professionals, typically land surveyors, engineers and architects, complete them. An elevation certificate records how high a building's first floor sits above the surrounding ground, and FEMA says a certificate can lead to a lower annual premium.

The City of Bellaire keeps part of this paperwork for you. Its floodplain page says it provides copies of finished-construction elevation certificates for insurable structures completed in the 100-year special flood hazard area. If your house is new or rebuilt, start by asking Development Services whether one is on file. The department also says new residential structures must have the lowest floor, including any basement, elevated at least one foot above the 500-year floodplain elevation.

Flood insurance in plain terms

The federal government's FloodSmart site says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and only flood insurance pays to rebuild after a flood. The National Flood Insurance Program sells policies through insurance agents and companies, and FloodSmart has a page for finding a provider.

Some basics from FEMA's policy terms: coverage goes into effect 30 days after purchase, with four exceptions, including buying during a mortgage transaction. Building and contents coverage are typically bought separately and carry separate deductibles. The limits for a homeowner are up to $250,000 on the building and up to $100,000 on contents. Building coverage includes electrical and plumbing systems and foundation walls, and contents coverage includes clothing, furniture and electronics. Personal property kept in basements is not covered, nor are landscaping, septic systems, decks and patios, fences and swimming pools.

Bellaire participates in FEMA's Community Rating System, a program that discounts premiums for communities that do more about flood risk. FEMA's community listing puts Bellaire in Class 7, effective October 1, 2023, which carries a 15 percent discount on policies in special flood hazard areas and 5 percent outside them.

An elevation certificate records how high a building's first floor sits above the surrounding ground, and FEMA says a certificate can lead to a lower annual premium.

Several insurance agencies are listed in Bellaire, including Hartnett & Company, at 1308 N 1st St, Farmers Insurance - Michael Canahuati, at 6802 Mapleridge St, and Aegis Insurance & Financial Services, at 6565 West Loop S. We do not know which of them write flood policies, so ask each one directly whether it sells NFIP coverage and what a private policy would cost by comparison. Waiting until the forecast turns bad is too late, because a new flood policy does not begin for 30 days.

Ask the city before you build or regrade

The city's rules apply to ordinary yard and house projects. Its Development Services letter tells residents to check with the department before they build, alter, regrade or place fill on their property, and it says work in the floodplain requires a floodplain development permit. The department's floodplain page states that any development in the floodplain without a permit is illegal and should be reported.

It also sets the 50 percent rule: an improvement or repair that costs half or more of a building's market value must meet the same construction requirements as a new building, including being above the base flood elevation. If you are planning a large remodel, ask Development Services how the department values the project before you sign a contract. Our building and remodeling guide explains the permit steps.

Retrofit options the city describes

For a house that sits below the base flood elevation, the city's floodplain page lists four approaches: elevating the building so water cannot enter, building barriers of fill or concrete, dry floodproofing so walls and floors are watertight, and wet floodproofing so water can enter with minimal damage. The city's letter adds other basics: keep an inventory of your belongings, know how to shut off your utilities, and install a backflow prevention device. A licensed plumber can tell you what fits your house, and our home repairs guide says where to check a plumber's license.

Projects that change the drainage

The big project is the Cypress Ditch Regional Flood Mitigation Program, a regional effort costing about $110 million. Bellaire voters approved $40 million for drainage in Proposition A of the November 5, 2024 bond election. The city says the project is meant to reduce flooding in Bellaire, the Gulfton area and the Interstate 610 corridor, and it held a groundbreaking on May 12, 2026. Local reporting gives the targets as 2027 for the south basin, 2028 for the north basin and 2029 for the channel work, and schedules on projects this size can move, so the city's drainage page is the place to confirm.

The city's letter also asks residents not to dump or throw anything into ditches, tributaries or storm water inlets, and says it is a violation of the law.

Businesses that touch drainage and foundations

These are listings, not recommendations. Bellaire Foundation Repair, at 5001 Bissonnet St, lists concrete slab and pier and beam foundation repair, house leveling, root barriers and void filling on its website. Drain Cleaning Bellaire TX is also at 5001 Bissonnet St, and its site lists drain cleaning, sewer line services and toilet repair. Bellaire Plumbing, at 5311 Bellaire Blvd, lists leak detection, pipe repair and sewer drain cleaning.

Thompson + Hanson Landscape Architecture, at 1301 N 1st St, lists drainage among its landscape design services, although its site does not name Bellaire. We have not confirmed that any of these businesses does flood-specific work, so ask what they have done on lots like yours.

Before you go

- Ask Development Services whether an elevation certificate is on file for your address, and keep a copy with your insurance papers. - Ask your insurance agent whether the agency sells NFIP flood policies, and remember that coverage begins 30 days after purchase. - Photograph or list your belongings now, and learn where your utilities shut off. - Call Development Services before you regrade, add fill or start a remodel that could cost half your home's value. - Keep leaves, debris and trash out of ditches and storm water inlets.

Sources

- City of Bellaire, Development in the Floodplain: https://www.bellairetx.gov/1004/Development-in-the-Floodplain - City of Bellaire, Development Services letter to residents: https://www.bellairetx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/34476 - City of Bellaire, Drainage Facilities and Improvement Projects: https://bellairetx.gov/1937/Drainage-Facilities-and-Improvement-Proj - City of Bellaire, Development Services presentation for the Citizens Academy: https://www.bellairetx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/33654/BCA-Development-Services-2025- - FEMA, Understanding Elevation Certificates fact sheet: https://agents.floodsmart.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/2025-07/fema-nfip-understanding-elevation-certificates-fact-sheet-03-2023.pdf - FEMA FloodSmart: https://www.floodsmart.gov/ - FEMA FloodSmart, policy terms: https://www.floodsmart.gov/policy-terms - FEMA, Community Rating System: https://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management/community-rating-system - FEMA, Community Information System for Texas: https://www.fema.gov/cis/TX.html - Bellaire Foundation Repair: https://bellairefoundationrepair.com - Drain Cleaning Bellaire TX: https://draincleaningbellaire.com - Bellaire Plumbing: https://txbellaireplumbing.com - Thompson + Hanson Landscape Architecture: https://thompsonhanson.com/landscape-architecture

En español

Esta guía reúne los pasos prácticos para un propietario en Bellaire. Averigüe si existe un certificado de elevación para su casa, porque FEMA indica que puede reducir la prima del seguro. Compre un seguro contra inundaciones con tiempo, ya que la mayoría de los seguros de vivienda no cubren inundaciones y la póliza nueva empieza 30 días después de la compra. Consulte al departamento de Servicios de Desarrollo antes de nivelar el terreno, agregar relleno o construir, y recuerde que las reparaciones que cuestan la mitad del valor de la casa deben cumplir las normas de una construcción nueva. No tire nada en zanjas ni alcantarillas. La ciudad avanza con el proyecto regional de Cypress Ditch, de unos 110 millones de dólares.