BOCA RATON, FLA. (WSVN) - Florida’s second Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday ends today. Tax-free items include pet supplies, tarps, batteries, generators, and flashlights.
South Florida is no stranger to horrific hurricanes and as the summer ends we are now in the peak of the season.
“We have seen in the last couple years that active season has moved more in September, October. The most active season is upon us right now.”
The sunshine state has seen its fair share of record rain fall with families being flooded out of their homes. Many of them returning back with lost of storm damage.
This hurricane season some south Floridians are facing yet another challenge: rising homeowner insurance costs.
“It’s getting kind of unaffordable for us now, honestly. It’s just kinda been creeping up each year and at some point, it’s gonna break. It’s gonna break us,” said a homeowner.
The damage a storm can do is common knowledge and it can often be a major setback for homeowners, knowing this, developers in Boca have built what they’re calling the safest homes imaginable and these homes could be the future of Florida.
Developers say they used special supplies and techniques to build the five-bedroom, seven-and-a-half baths, nearly 7,000 square feet home, that’s literally made to weather the storm.
“But instead of, you know, pouring the concrete every four feet, it’s actually poured all the way throughout the home. And there’s vertical rebar and horizontal rebar that’s put in place every 12 inches. So essentially you’re building a bunker,” said developer, Meir Kroll.
Instead of pouring concrete, they use what is called ICF-insulated concrete form. The home is equipped with impact windows, which can handle flying debris up to two hundred miles per hour.
With a structure like this insurance wouldn’t be an issue.
“They’re looking at the cost of completion and the cost to repair. So this type of quality is sure to have an impact on the cost of insurance, versus something that wasn’t built to the same standards or home that isn’t as new,” said Jay Philip Parker, CEO of Douglas Elliman.
This home could potentially be the blueprint for the future of surviving storms.
Storm protection doesn’t always come cheap. The home is listed for 6.85 million dollars.
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