FEMA & CRMC Building Specialist
Coastal Construction in Rhode Island
Custom coastal homes designed and built for AE and VE flood zones, salt-pond overlays, and high-wind exposure across South County and the Newport area.
Building on the Rhode Island Coast
Almost every parcel along Rhode Island's southern shore and Narragansett Bay involves multiple layers of regulation: CRMC jurisdiction over coastal feature setbacks and salt-pond watersheds, FEMA flood-zone construction standards, town zoning, and in many cases historic district review. The engineering decisions — finished-floor elevation, foundation type, breakaway walls, structural connections, dune protection — flow directly from which specific zones apply to the site.
Since 1999, NJ&J Builders has been designing and building in this environment. Our integrated design-build model — a single team responsible for both the documents and the field execution — exists precisely because coastal construction is where the gaps between architect, engineer, and contractor are the most expensive. Structural engineering for coastal and high-wind designs is provided by South County Design Group, an independent service provider in our office.
What We Build on the Coast
AE & VE Flood Zone New Construction
New custom homes designed from the ground up for FEMA AE and VE flood zones, with finished-floor elevation at or above base flood elevation, breakaway-wall detailing, and engineered open-foundation systems where required.
Lift-and-Addition
Raising an existing home to current base flood elevation while adding new conditioned space. Often the most cost-effective path for a flood-zone parcel where new construction would otherwise be limited or insurance costs prohibitive.
High-Wind Structural Systems
Continuous load path detailing, hurricane straps, structural connections engineered for the wind loads specific to the parcel, and foundation systems that resist scour and uplift in exposed coastal locations.
CRMC, RIDEM & Local Permitting
Full permitting management — CRMC coastal feature setbacks and Type 1/2 water assents, RIDEM wetland buffers, salt pond watershed overlays, ISDS design coordination, and HDC review in historic-district towns.
FEMA Flood Zones — A Practical Primer
AE Zones
Areas subject to base flooding (1% annual-chance) without high-velocity wave action. The primary requirement is finishing the lowest floor at or above the base flood elevation on a foundation that allows floodwater to pass through (open lattice, flood vents in enclosed crawl spaces). Common along sheltered coves and inland reach of Narragansett Bay.
VE Zones
Velocity-hazard areas with breaking waves three feet or higher. VE zone construction requires open foundations (piles, columns, or shear walls parallel to wave action), the lowest horizontal structural member at or above BFE plus freeboard, breakaway walls below BFE, and engineered structural systems certified by a licensed engineer. Common along the Atlantic shoreline, Charlestown breachway, and exposed Narragansett Bay frontage.
CRMC Coastal Feature Setbacks
Independent of FEMA, CRMC enforces setbacks from coastal features (dunes, bluffs, edge of vegetation, beachgrass) and governs assents for Type 1 conservation waters and Type 2 low-intensity-use waters. Salt-pond watershed overlays in Charlestown and South Kingstown add nutrient and groundwater protection requirements that influence ISDS design and stormwater handling.
Featured Coastal Project
Our Jerusalem Coastal New Build on Champlin Avenue in Narragansett is a teardown-and-rebuild on a parcel that sits in both a high-hazard wind zone and a flood zone. The project demonstrates how the foundation strategy — reinforced concrete piers and a structural slab on grade with rebar grid — flows directly from the FEMA and CRMC constraints of the site.
View the Jerusalem BuildBrowse our full project portfolio for additional coastal and FEMA-compliant builds across South County.
Coastal Construction Frequently Asked Questions
What does coastal construction in Rhode Island require?
Coastal construction in Rhode Island typically combines three regulatory layers: CRMC (Coastal Resources Management Council) jurisdiction over coastal feature setbacks and salt-pond watersheds, FEMA flood-zone construction standards for AE and VE zones, and town-level zoning and historic district review where applicable. Engineering decisions — foundation type, finished-floor elevation, breakaway walls, structural connections — are driven by which specific zones and overlays apply to the parcel.
What is the difference between an AE and VE flood zone?
AE zones are areas subject to base flooding (1% annual chance) without high-velocity wave action — the primary requirement is finishing the lowest floor at or above the base flood elevation (BFE) on a foundation that allows water to pass through. VE zones add the velocity hazard of breaking waves three feet or higher, which requires open foundations (piles or columns), the lowest horizontal structural member at or above BFE plus freeboard, breakaway walls below BFE, and engineered structural systems certified by a licensed engineer.
What is a lift-and-addition project?
Lift-and-addition is the process of raising an existing home to comply with current base flood elevation while adding new conditioned space — typically a new lower level with breakaway walls in VE zones or a habitable level above grade in AE zones. It is often the most cost-effective way to keep an existing structure usable in a flood zone where new construction would otherwise be limited or insurance costs prohibitive. NJ&J handles the structural engineering coordination, lifting subcontractors, foundation design, and the regulatory paperwork.
Do you handle CRMC permitting?
Yes. We manage CRMC, RIDEM, and local permitting for coastal feature setbacks (Type 1 and 2 coastal waters), salt pond watershed overlays, dune-line and bluff stability review, and freshwater wetland buffers. We also coordinate with town historic district commissions in towns like Newport and North Kingstown when projects fall within historic district overlays.
Can a coastal home in Rhode Island also be Net Zero?
Yes. Coastal construction and Net Zero design are fully compatible. The continuous thermal envelope, heat-pump systems, and solar PV that define a Net Zero home work alongside the structural and elevation requirements of FEMA flood zones — and the resilience of an all-electric system can be a strategic advantage in a coastal location. See our Net Zero approach for how we integrate the two disciplines.
Strategic Pairing
Build a Net Zero Coastal Home
Coastal construction and Net Zero design are fully compatible. All-electric systems can be a resilience advantage in flood zones, and the building science discipline overlaps significantly.