[OpusX1]

We own a stick built home in Ohio and a CBS here in the Villages. The CBS is quieter. Our Village home also has metal stud walls so the roof and windows are the weak spots for wind. We like the looks of the CBS here in Florida too where in Ohio it would not look right... go figure.

[Army Guy]

Opus, totally understand. To us concrete "looks" like a FL home, where it would not fit in other places. Our home in AL is frame and siding also. MUch prefer our TV concrete villa!

Army Guy

[Carla B]

Sorry, Russ, no one on this forum so far seems to have been around for the hurricanes in 2004. I'd like to know their experience, as well.

One thought about pine trees and wind. I also went through Hurricane Alicia in 1983 in Houston. Although I lived on the "clean" side of the hurricane I saw a lot of destruction in the northeast part of Houston which was on the "dirty" side and in a pine forest. Yes, pine trees snap in high wind, but the good news is that TV doesn't have a lot of pine trees.

Also, insurance companies seem to take a different view of the risk of living in The Villages versus living near the coast. It's expensive and difficult to get insurance on our condo east of I-95 in south Florida. Here our concrete house is insured for more than 4 times the value of the interior only of our condo for about the same premium.

All in all, I'd rather be here than there. Probably the main danger of a hurricane here would be the tornados that might be spawned by the system.

[militarymom]

Hi Lincoln we are heading there the first of April to find a home. We lived in Fort Thomas KY for the past 36 years. Maybe we will run into you. Sitting on the floor typing on my laptop as the house is almost totally emply!

[Rag Bagger]

Militarymom, I sent you a PM we need to meet when you get to TV.

[JohnN]

I don't think a hurricane has ever gone through TV.

That said, CBS will be safer in any storm, though the roofs and doors are the same standards as frame, and likely the real danger points.

CBS is higher maintenance and quieter.

[PJOHNS2654]

Originally Posted by Carla B

Sorry, Russ, no one on this forum so far seems to have been around for the hurricanes in 2004. I'd like to know their experience, as well.

One thought about pine trees and wind. I also went through Hurricane Alicia in 1983 in Houston. Although I lived on the "clean" side of the hurricane I saw a lot of destruction in the northeast part of Houston which was on the "dirty" side and in a pine forest. Yes, pine trees snap in high wind, but the good news is that TV doesn't have a lot of pine trees.

Also, insurance companies seem to take a different view of the risk of living in The Villages versus living near the coast. It's expensive and difficult to get insurance on our condo east of I-95 in south Florida. Here our concrete house is insured for more than 4 times the value of the interior only of our condo for about the same premium.

All in all, I'd rather be here than there. Probably the main danger of a hurricane here would be the tornados that might be spawned by the system.

Sorry Russ, Carla, just picked up on this thread. I was living in an RV park two miles east of the Villages in 2004. First one (forget the name) knocked out power for a few days while I was hiding in Texas. The next one (Charlie) was supposed to hit us direct. A friend went to his son's house in Orlando where Charlie hit pretty hard. Nothing here but a gentle breeze. The next one (Frances I think.) knocked down a few trees and did considerable damage to quite a few roofs in the Villages and Spruce Creek South. I think there might have been another but of no consequence. I think we need to worry more about Tornados here as evidenced by the severe damage in the Villages in Feb. 2007. It came through the Villages with a vengance and crossed Rolling acres just one mile south of the R V Park, thank God. Hope to be back inTV in a CBS when the next one hits.

[RayB]

I have lived in Florida for twenty seven years and the reason I live in a concrete construction house is simple: Termites! Although you now see more wood framed houses in central Florida in and around The Villages, you will not see as many framed buildings south toward Tampa. You go south of Tampa and a newly constructed wood framed building is a rarity. The Villages has mostly Subterranean Termites. Further south of the Villages they have a different species of Termites which aggressively attacks buildings from the surface rather from subterranean entrance. Termites can destroy a wood house if undetected and untreated. I work at Cracker Country which is a living history museum at the Florida State Fair grounds in Tampa. We have over twenty-five historical wood buildings relocated from all over Florida. Despite professional termite service the damage done by Termites is sometimes overwhelming. Most of the buildings built by Florida Crackers back in the mid 19th century were built out of cedar or lightered pine because of the resistance of this wood to Termites. This type of wood is not used today for wood construction here in Florida.

[LoriAnn]

Marjorie,
I understand your concern regarding the possibility of a tornado. I agree with EdVinMass, you should read "10 seconds inside a tornado". I have also always had a basement and could not imagine having no protection in the event of a tornado. I have been considering options in preparation for my retirement and move to TV in November. There is a variety of "Tornado Safe Rooms" available that can be installed in a garage. One variety even doubles as a workbench. The cost range is $3,000 - $6,000. The peace of mind is worth the investment.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by LoriAnn

Marjorie,
I understand your concern regarding the possibility of a tornado. I agree with EdVinMass, you should read "10 seconds inside a tornado". I have also always had a basement and could not imagine having no protection in the event of a tornado. I have been considering options in preparation for my retirement and move to TV in November. There is a variety of "Tornado Safe Rooms" available that can be installed in a garage. One variety even doubles as a workbench. The cost range is $3,000 - $6,000. The peace of mind is worth the investment.

Assuming you get enough notice to get into it!

[NJblue]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Assuming you get enough notice to get into it!

With today's warning systems you should have plenty of time to get into your garage shelter. And, if you don't, then having a basement wouldn't help you either.

[LKBP33]

Central FL has quite a lot of them. Several have hit over the years in Ocala, Belleview, Leesburg and the one that went from 301 thru the Villages and out to 441. I have lived in Miami since 1960 and have been thru more hurricane's than I want to remember. Even a cat 1 is bad. No two storms are alike. The bad thing about hurricanes is that most time you will be without power for up to a week and almost all stores are closed. I would not stay in a wood frame home.
As for tornado's, several company's sell small to med underground fiberglass tornado shelters. You can have one installed in the backyard. Most are the size of a closet. Several other company's will build a safe room in your house. I priced some and they were less than $2000.00. Just google storm shelters. Hope this helps.

[Carla B]

Before moving to TV we looked at new homes in Vero Beach. One builder (I think it was DiVosta) was installing concrete safe rooms in their houses under construction. What a neat idea, we thought. The safe room was located in the bedroom wing of the house and doubled as a closet.