Limited Grading and Drainage Plan for a New Steel Building in Granite Shoals, Texas

The project

A steel building company contacted us about a new project in Granite Shoals, Texas. The reported structures were a main building listed as 36' x 50' x 12' and a 10' x 50' lean-to with a reported height of 8'4" / 10'.

The requester reported that the site is in FEMA Flood Zone AE. That is a special flood hazard area where FEMA has set a base flood elevation, meaning the water level for a flood with a 1% chance of happening in any year. In these zones, local floodplain rules generally relate the building's finished-floor elevation to the base flood elevation. How the site drains around the new building is often part of the permit review too.

What was requested

The company ordered a drainage, grading and elevation plan along with an Elevation Certificate. Their request referred to a site plan and an architectural plan. At the time, the property was identified only by GPS coordinates. The street address and lot information had not been provided.

We agreed to prepare a limited engineered grading and drainage plan for the building and lean-to. It would be based on the information and plans from the client and on the survey and elevation control the client supplied. Elevation Certificate documentation was also part of the agreement, and the job included a site visit.

Scope of the plan and its limits

Under the agreement, the grading and drainage plan was to be based on the client-provided survey and the Granite Shoals requirements. Its scope included:

• Existing and proposed spot elevations and contours, to the extent the survey data supported them, with proposed finished-floor and local grading elevations
• Drainage directions, such as flow arrows, swales, berms or roof and downspout discharge provisions, where appropriate for the building and lean-to
• A review of FEMA flood map (FIRM) information and local floodplain requirements as they relate to the proposed finished-floor elevation
• Erosion-control notes and details for construction
• The proposed building footprint on the site

The plan relies on the survey and elevation information the client provided. We did not do boundary or topographic surveying, and we did not stake the building or verify property lines or setbacks. The scope did not include structural or foundation design, flood vent design, off-site or regional drainage studies, hydrologic modeling, detention design, or FEMA map changes such as a LOMA or LOMR. Permit filing and construction inspections were also outside our scope.

What was delivered

• October 25, 2026: Request received
• October 26, 2026: Engagement accepted
• November 3, 2026: Grading and drainage plan delivered

How long a job like this takes depends on how complete the survey, plans and site information are when the work starts.

If you're building in a flood zone

Before you order a grading plan or an Elevation Certificate, gather the following:

• A current survey with elevations, tied to a stated benchmark
• The street address or legal description of the lot
• The final building dimensions and use
• The driveway layout and any known utility locations

Also confirm with your building department which Elevation Certificate stage it needs. A certificate can be prepared before construction, during construction, or after construction is finished, and some jurisdictions ask for more than one.

An engineered grading and drainage plan shows how a site is meant to be graded and drained. It does not replace the survey it is based on. The local building and floodplain officials decide whether the plan is acceptable when they review the permit application.