SURFSIDE BEACH, Texas – Many people go to Surfside for vacation, but it is also on the frontline when hurricanes or tropical storms move into southeast Texas. Family-owned builders Davison Gulf Coast have built beach homes on Surfside for decades.
Garrett Davison is building a new beach house just steps away from the Gulf of Mexico. He and his team are ensuring that the design is not only beautiful but also safe.
Daji: “Are we building better?”
Garrett Davison: “Better? Absolutely. And, 2020, the wind regulations went up from 130 to 150. So you’re seeing a lot more steel in these buildings, a lot more hold downs.”
Hold downs anchor structures, like walls, to prevent them from getting blown away.
Davison says the base flood elevation requirements are also higher. Some homes in Surfside sit close to 20 feet high. While the height is great for flooding situations, more height means more vulnerability to the wind if not built correctly.
“The higher these buildings go, the more deflection we have on the wind load. So, you’re seeing higher design pressures. And you can tell from our windows how far away from corners we are. We’re really dictated by the design pressures on the wall segments. So, there’s a ton of wood that goes into these houses. You know, it would be nice to put a ton of windows on the front, but we simply just can’t because of those regulations” said Davison.
Regulations that Davison lives by to make sure his project and community are still standing after the storm.
“We want to come back and know that all our houses are still here. It’s a good feeling after a storm to come back and all your projects still standing strong,” said Davison.
