Preliminary guidance only. ALFAP TX provides preliminary informational guidance based on available public data and information provided by the user. Results are not a permit determination, legal opinion, code-compliance certification, engineering opinion, inspection, signed or sealed engineering report, or guarantee of approval. Requirements and property conditions must be confirmed with the applicable authority and, when appropriate, a licensed Professional Engineer.
A preliminary check across six areas
Each result is labeled as verified information, preliminary guidance, or unable to verify — so you always know what is confirmed and what to check further.
Property location
Verified Texas address, city, county, and whether the site appears inside or outside incorporated municipal limits.
FEMA flood zone
Mapped flood zone and FEMA panel reference from current public flood hazard data, with source and retrieval date.
TDI windstorm status
Whether the property appears within a Texas Department of Insurance designated catastrophe area, with WPI-8 and WPI-8E distinguished.
Likely permitting authority
The probable city, county, or other permitting authority, labeled as likely until confirmed directly with the agency.
Possible engineering services
Civil, structural, foundation, drainage, floodplain, MEP, SWPPP, TDI, and permit-support services that may be relevant.
Items needing verification
A clear list of items that could not be verified, so you know what to confirm with the authority or a Professional Engineer.
Four steps to a preliminary property check
Enter the Texas property address
Use address autocomplete and verification. We confirm the address is in Texas before continuing.
Add property and project information
Property type, proposed work, existing and proposed use, area, and permit status. No contact information is required to see the preliminary result.
Review your preliminary results
Flood zone, TDI windstorm status, likely permitting authority, possible engineering services, and a recommended document checklist.
Request an engineer review
If you want a professional opinion, request a review or quote from ALFA Engineering, or call 832-573-0305.
What you need
- The Texas property street address (autocomplete helps).
- The property type — residential, commercial, multifamily, industrial, vacant land, or other.
- The proposed work — new construction, addition, remodel, repair, change of occupancy, site development, drainage improvement, foundation evaluation, structural inspection, TDI windstorm inspection, stormwater quality inspection or renewal, permit correction, or other.
- Optional: estimated building and lot area, number of stories, existing permit status, agency comments, and a project description.
What the results include
- Verified property address with city, county, and jurisdiction status.
- Likely permitting authority with an official link when verified.
- FEMA flood information with map or panel reference and retrieval date.
- TDI windstorm status, with WPI-8 distinguished from WPI-8E.
- Possible engineering services and a project-specific document checklist.
- A downloadable preliminary report with a unique reference number.
Why a preliminary Texas property check matters
Texas permitting jurisdiction differs sharply from city to city and county to county. A property inside Houston city limits answers to Houston Public Works and the Infrastructure Design Manual; a few miles west in the county ETJ, the same project may fall under Harris County Engineering and different drainage criteria. Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio each maintain their own permit portals, plan-review process, and adopted codes. ALFAP TX identifies the likely permitting authority and labels it as likely until you confirm directly with the agency.
FEMA flood-zone checks use current public National Flood Hazard Layer data. A mapped Zone AE or Zone X is informational only — Zone X is not a guarantee of "no flood risk," and ALFAP TX never states that a property is safe from flooding. When FEMA data is unavailable for a location, ALFAP TX shows "Flood data unavailable" rather than estimating a result.
TDI windstorm applicability depends on whether a property lies within the Texas Department of Insurance designated catastrophe area, which can follow partial-county and coastal boundaries. ALFAP TX does not decide TDI applicability from the county name alone. It distinguishes WPI-8 (Certificate of Compliance associated with inspected ongoing or new construction) from WPI-8E (Certificate of Compliance for completed construction) and directs you to official TDI verification when the result is uncertain.
Residential and commercial project preparation both benefit from a preliminary check. For a residential addition, that may mean confirming flood-zone location, the permitting authority, and whether structural or foundation engineering will be requested. For a commercial change of occupancy or site development, it may mean identifying drainage, detention, SWPPP, MEP, and Fire Marshal requirements early. ALFAP TX lists possible engineering services using conditional language — may be required, often requested, confirm with the applicable authority, professional review recommended — and never states a service is definitely required unless the conclusion comes from a current, verified, directly applicable official rule.
ALFAP TX uses official public information wherever it is technically available, stores every jurisdiction rule with its source URL and last-verified date, and shows "Unable to verify" when required data is missing — so you are never given a fabricated or unsupported conclusion.
Engineering services and locations across Texas
ALFAP TX is operated by ALFA Engineering, LLC. Explore the services and Texas markets our engineers support.
Frequently asked questions
What does ALFAP TX check?
ALFAP TX performs a preliminary check of a Texas property address against public flood hazard data, TDI windstorm catastrophe-area information, the likely permitting authority, and engineering services that may be relevant to a proposed project. It is informational only and is not a permit determination or engineering opinion.
Is an ALFAP TX result a permit approval or engineering certification?
No. ALFAP TX provides preliminary informational guidance based on available public data and information provided by the user. Results are not a permit determination, legal opinion, code-compliance certification, engineering opinion, inspection, signed or sealed engineering report, or guarantee of approval. Requirements must be confirmed with the applicable authority and, when appropriate, a licensed Professional Engineer.
Which Texas cities does ALFAP TX cover?
ALFAP TX applies to Texas properties statewide. ALFA Engineering prepares permit-ready engineering work for projects in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and communities across the state, using official public data sources wherever available.
Does ALFAP TX decide TDI windstorm applicability from the county name alone?
No. TDI designated catastrophe-area boundaries can follow partial-county and coastal rules, so ALFAP TX does not decide TDI applicability from the county name alone. When the result is uncertain, ALFAP TX directs you to official TDI verification and a professional review.
What does ALFAP TX cost to use?
The preliminary property and permit check is free. If you request a professional engineer review or a quote, ALFA Engineering will follow up using the contact information you provide.