Coastal Building
Building Near the Coast: Texas Windstorm Requirements Explained
Quick answer
If you build or remodel in Texas’s designated coastal catastrophe area — the 14 first-tier coastal counties, including Galveston and Jefferson, plus part of Harris County east of SH 146 — qualifying work must pass Texas Department of Insurance windstorm inspections to be eligible for TWIA coverage. Plan the engineering, products and inspection schedule before construction starts.
Who needs a windstorm inspection in Texas?
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) provides wind and hail coverage along the coast where private coverage is limited. To be eligible, new construction, additions and many repairs or remodels in the designated area must be inspected and certified as meeting the applicable building code for wind.
In our service area, that includes Galveston, League City and the rest of Galveston County, Beaumont and Jefferson County, and parts of the Baytown area. If you are unsure, we verify the requirement for your address before design.
What gets inspected?
Inspections focus on the parts of a home that hold it together in high winds. Inspectors typically need to see work at specific stages, before it is covered up, so scheduling matters.
- Roof decking attachment and nailing patterns
- Roof covering installation and underlayment
- Hurricane straps, clips and the continuous load path from roof to foundation
- Windows, doors and garage doors with appropriate wind or impact ratings, or approved shutters
- Wall sheathing and fastener schedules
What is a windstorm certificate of compliance?
When the work passes inspection, the property receives a certificate of compliance — commonly called a WPI-8. Keep it with your home records: insurers and future buyers will ask for it. Missing inspections can be difficult or expensive to fix once walls and roofs are closed.
How is flood elevation different from windstorm?
Windstorm rules deal with wind loads. Flood rules are separate and based on FEMA flood maps and local floodplain ordinances. In coastal high-hazard zones, homes are often elevated on pilings, with breakaway walls below. A coastal project usually has to satisfy both sets of requirements.
How do we plan a coastal build?
We bring the engineer, product selections and inspection schedule into the plan from day one. We specify corrosion-resistant fasteners and connectors, wind-rated windows and doors and materials that tolerate salt air, then coordinate inspections at each required stage so certification is never an afterthought.
