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Ask about the storm plan for your property, and confirm insurance and building requirements with the people responsible for each.

Keep coastal certification in its proper context

TDI places the designated catastrophe area in 14 coastal counties and parts of Harris County east of Highway 146. Montgomery County is outside that described area. This geographic distinction does not determine the building requirements or insurance terms for your address.

For TWIA coverage in the designated area, TDI says most properties need a certificate of compliance. Ask your insurance agent about your own coverage and ask the local building official which construction rules apply.

Plan for inland weather

The National Weather Service: hurricane hazards identifies inland flooding from heavy rain, destructive winds, and tornadoes among tropical cyclone hazards. An inland location is not a reason to leave weather out of your project discussion.

Before work begins, ask for a conversation about communication and site preparation. Write down who will reach you, which contact number to use, and who will decide when work should pause. Ask how deliveries, stored materials, and unfinished work will be handled.

Use a short project checklist

  • Keep the builder and household contact details together.
  • Ask who documents the condition of the work before and after a storm.
  • Discuss access restrictions and how you will receive updates.
  • Ask who checks the site before work resumes.

Bring the address and scope to a home renovation discussion. Keep the construction plan, household emergency plan, and insurance questions on your meeting agenda.

Questions to bring to the conversation

Who should answer my insurance questions?

Take the address and proposed work to your insurance agent. Ask the building official separately about the construction requirements for that address.

What should I agree with the builder before a storm?

Ask who will contact you, who decides when work pauses, and how you will be told when the site is ready for work to resume.

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