LaHouse has a flood protection level thee feet above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). This provides a margin of safety and qualifies for the best flood insurance rating. The house is elevated; the garage/classroom is dry-floodproofed. Sill gaskets prevent air infiltration under wood sills.

Pier Foundation (Master Bedroom)

• Block piers—filled-cell concrete masonry units (CMUs)—are steel-reinforced and anchored to continuous concrete footing, not independent pads.
• Embedded hurricane straps connect piers to floor beams and to [future] porch columns.
• Deck and subfloor are treated to prevent decay.

Crawlspace Foundation (Master Bath/Utility Room)

• Reinforced CMU chainwall is anchored to reinforced concrete footing.
• Flood vents within 1 ft. of grade allow floodwater to flow in and out freely. Some vents have code-compliant closures.
• Crawlspace ground is higher than surrounding grade so water does not collect under the house.
• 6-mil. plastic ground cover will reduce moisture in crawlspace.
• Wood subfloor is treated to prevent decay.

Slab on Back-Fill Foundation (Main living area and north bedroom)

• Reinforced CMU stem-walls are anchored to continuous-reinforced concrete footings.
• Reinforced concrete slab cap over compacted soil/limestone back-fill is anchored to the stemwalls with re-bar.
• Durable plastic sheeting under slab and waterproofing compound on upper stemwall prevent moisture migration.

Slab-on-Grade Foundation (Garage/Classroom)

• Durable plastic sheeting provides moisture barrier under slab; wraps under grade beams. 
• Low water-to-cement-ratio concrete (fly ash, slag mix) for high strength and reduced curl.
• Wet curing blanket improves concrete strength without frequent rewetting.
• Exterior coating on the slab will be part of the dry floodproofing system.