Substantial Improvement is defined as any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the "start of construction" of the improvement. This term includes structures that have incurred "substantial damage," regardless of the actual repair work performed.
Projects that are considered substantial improvement must meet the current Florida Building Code, 6th Ed. (2017), as well as the provisions of the Collier County Floodplain Management Ordinance.
Learn more from FEMA's Answers to Questions About Substantially Improved/Substantially Damaged Buildings brochure, dated August 2018 (published November 2, 2018).
The forms below are required to be submitted when the scope of work for a building permit includes reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement to the structure. These forms will assist in the determination of whether the scope of work will be a substantial improvement or repair of substantial damage.
Please contact the Floodplain Management Section @ 239-252-2942 or email us at FloodInfoRequest@collier.gov to confirm flood zone and/or Base Flood Elevation (BFE) information.
To check if an Elevation Certificate (EC) is available for a structure, visit this webpage and search by address.
DFIRM Map with Elevation Certificates