Is my property on Siesta Key in a coastal high-hazard zone?

That depends on the specific parcel and the current effective flood map, and zones can change from one side of a key to the other. We check the effective FIRM panel for your address when we prepare the certificate and show the zone and Base Flood Elevation on the form.

What is measured differently on a house built on pilings?

In coastal high-hazard zones the key value is the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member supporting the lowest floor. We also document the area below the building — open, breakaway walls, or enclosed — and the lowest machinery and equipment.

We added a room to our house. Do we need a new certificate?

If the addition changed the building's lowest floor, added an enclosure, or moved equipment, the old certificate may no longer describe the building. Send us the existing certificate and a short description of the work; we will tell you whether a new one is needed before you schedule anything.

Can you work with our condominium manager on the keys?

Yes. Visits are booked through the manager, keys and gate codes are arranged ahead of time, and the association receives one certificate per structure that it can pass directly to its agent.

Sarasota · Sarasota County

Elevation Certificates in Sarasota, FL

Licensed Business LB8702Signed & sealed by a Florida PSMFree quote within 24 hours

From a slab home on the mainland to a house on pilings on Siesta Key, you receive a sealed FEMA Elevation Certificate that reflects how the building is actually built. Send us the address and we'll reply with a quote within 24 hours.

Our crews work Sarasota and the keys as part of Southwest Florida coverage, with fieldwork typically scheduled within 5–10 business days.

Get a Free Quote Call (954) 470-5589

Barrier Keys and the Bayfront Mainland

Sarasota's flood-zone work splits into two settings. On Lido Key, Siesta Key and the other barrier islands, many homes and condominium buildings face open water and may be elevated on pilings or columns. On the mainland, bayfront neighborhoods and older streets near the water include many slab-on-grade houses, many of them renovated or expanded over the years.

We do not assume a flood zone from the address. For each property we read the current effective Flood Insurance Rate Map panel and record the zone and Base Flood Elevation that apply, then measure the building against them.

Get a Free Quote or call (954) 470-5589

What's Included

Every Elevation Certificate we prepare in Sarasota includes:

A field visit to the property by our survey crew
Elevation measurements referenced to NAVD88
The photographs of the building that FEMA requires with the certificate
A certificate signed and sealed by a Florida-licensed PSM
Delivery as a PDF, ready to send to your insurance agent, lender or building department

Get a Free Quote or call (954) 470-5589

Homes on Pilings and Coastal Construction

Where a building lies in a coastal high-hazard zone, the certificate is built around the elevation of the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member — the beam that supports the lowest floor — rather than the floor surface itself. We locate and measure that member directly, along with the ground below the building.

Space below an elevated coastal building is also documented: whether it is open, enclosed with breakaway walls, or used for parking, access or storage. Equipment such as A/C units and elevators that serve the building is measured wherever it sits. Photographs of each side of the building and of the area below the floor go with the certificate.

Get a Free Quote or call (954) 470-5589

When a Renovation or Addition Comes Up

Before design: a certificate of the existing building gives the architect and contractor measured floor and grade values to plan from
During construction: a building-under-construction certificate can confirm a new floor or addition is set where the plans intended
After completion: a finished-construction certificate records the building as built, garage and equipment included
For associations: a separate certificate for every structure on the property, with entry to lobbies and parking levels set up through the manager