Contour Survey

Elevation Certificates in Hollister, CA

Flood elevation certificates and LOMA surveys for homes and commercial buildings in Hollister, San Benito County.

Elevation certificates from $1,000 · (510) 543-2220

Elevation Certificates in Hollister: Local Conditions

Hollister's mapped flood hazard is smaller than in the Pajaro Valley cities, but it is there. FEMA's flood data for the City of Hollister shows Special Flood Hazard Area along Santa Ana Creek and a mapped tributary of it, with the San Benito River's floodplain at the edge of the city, and a flood profile for the Enterprise Basin outlet near the river. Most of the mapped SFHA is Zone AE, with some AO shallow-flooding areas where the depth of flooding rather than an elevation is published. The FIRM panels covering Hollister are dated April 16, 2009. Large parts of the city fall in Zone X, so the first step for many owners is simply confirming which side of the line the building sits on.

That matters because the lines on a FIRM are drawn from topography that is coarser than a parcel survey. A building shown in a narrow AE strip along Santa Ana Creek may be on ground that is higher than the base flood elevation. When that is true, a letter of map amendment can remove the structure from the SFHA, which removes the federal flood insurance requirement on a federally backed mortgage. FEMA charges no review fee for a LOMA and issues a determination within 60 days of receiving complete data, and an eLOMA filed by a licensed land surveyor can come back much faster when it meets FEMA's criteria. For buildings that really are below the BFE, a FEMA elevation certificate still documents the actual floor heights for insurance rating, and it does not expire unless the building is changed. In an AO zone the EC compares the floor to the highest adjacent grade and the depth number rather than a BFE.

Our field work ties a benchmark on the FIRM's vertical datum with GNSS, then measures lowest adjacent grade, highest adjacent grade, the lowest floor, garage and crawlspace levels, flood vents, and machinery and utilities with a Trimble S3 total station. We photograph the building, process in Trimble Business Center and sign the EC. If the numbers support a LOMA we prepare it or file through eLOMA. Hollister work is scheduled as a mobilization. See our elevation certificate service and the Gilroy and Salinas pages.

Full service details, process, and deliverables: FEMA Elevation Certificates & LOMA

What's Included

  • Signed and sealed by a California Professional Land Surveyor
  • Completed on FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152, with the required photographs
  • Elevations tied to a published benchmark on the flood map’s vertical datum
  • eLOMA submission as a licensed professional when the building qualifies
  • Construction-stage ECs for permits: construction drawings, building under construction, and finished construction
  • Sacramento region, Central Valley, Delta, and Bay Area

Our Process

1

Address & Flood Map Check

Send the address and the reason you need the certificate: lender letter, insurance quote, building permit, or a LOMA. We pull the effective FIRM panel, flood zone, and Base Flood Elevation before quoting, and tell you up front if a LOMA looks possible.

2

Benchmark Tie

We tie the site to a published benchmark on the vertical datum the flood map uses, with GNSS and a total station. Every elevation on the certificate is measured from that tie, not estimated from a contour map.

3

Building Measurement

We measure the top of the bottom floor, the next higher floor, the garage slab, the lowest and highest adjacent grade, the lowest machinery and equipment, and the flood openings, and take the photographs the form requires.

4

Signed EC, and the LOMA if It Qualifies

You receive the completed, signed Elevation Certificate as a PDF. If the lowest adjacent grade is at or above the Base Flood Elevation, we prepare the LOMA request and submit it to FEMA, through eLOMA when the building meets its criteria.

Elevation Certificates in Hollister: FAQ

FEMA flood data for the city shows the Special Flood Hazard Area along Santa Ana Creek and its tributary, with the San Benito River floodplain at the city edge. Look up your parcel at msc.fema.gov or send us the address.
Sometimes. If the lowest ground touching the house is at or above the base flood elevation, FEMA can remove the structure from the SFHA. We measure first so you know before anything is filed.
AO zones publish a flood depth instead of an elevation. The EC records the lowest floor relative to the highest adjacent grade so it can be compared with that depth number.

Elevation Certificates Across the East Bay

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Need Elevation Certificates in Hollister?

Elevation certificates start at $1,000. Call (510) 543-2220 with the Hollister address and we'll check the flood map and give you a fixed price.

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Private licensed surveyor, not affiliated with FEMA • Homeowners welcome • Response within 24 hours

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