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Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage (SI/SD) tracking helps floodplain managers monitor cumulative improvements and damage to properties in Special Flood Hazard Areas. Forerunner automates calculations, tracks thresholds, and maintains documentation to support NFIP compliance and CRS activities.

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What is SI/SD tracking?

Under the National Flood Insurance Program, communities must track when the cumulative cost of improvements or repairs to a building exceeds 50% of the building’s market value. When this threshold is crossed, the building must be brought into compliance with current floodplain management standards. Substantial Improvement occurs when the cumulative cost of improvements over a rolling period exceeds 50% of the building’s pre-improvement market value. Substantial Damage occurs when the cost of repairing damage from any cause exceeds 50% of the building’s pre-damage market value.
The specific calculation period and rules vary by community ordinance. Your Customer Success Manager configures SI/SD record types to match your local requirements during account setup.

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How SI/SD tracking works in Forerunner

Forerunner provides two related record types that work together:

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Substantial Damage Estimate (SDE)

A calculation record that estimates the cost of repairs or improvements and compares it to the building’s market value. SDEs include element-by-element damage assessment, and saving a complete SDE adds a linked damage entry to the property’s SI/SD tracking.

Substantial Damage Estimates

Learn about SDE forms, automatic calculations, and the 50% threshold determination process

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SI/SD record

A cost entry for a property. Each one has a Date, Total value, Type of cost (Improvement Cost or Substantial Damage), Description, and Property Market Value, plus an option to exclude it from the running total. Together they build a history of improvements and damage over time. To see a property’s running total, open the property and go to its Records tab for the Improvements & Damages summary.

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Creating an SI/SD record

You can create SI/SD records independently or from an SDE: When you submit an SDE, Forerunner adds the damage entry to the property’s SI/SD tracking for you, linked back to the SDE. If no linked record exists (for example, the SDE was saved before it was complete), use Create SD record on the SDE summary page. Editing an SI/SD entry that came from an SDE doesn’t change the original SDE.

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Independently

  1. Navigate to the property
  2. Click Add and select your SI/SD record type
  3. Fill out the form manually:
    • Date
    • Total value
    • Type of cost (Improvement Cost or Substantial Damage)
    • Description
  4. Save the record
Creating SI/SD records from SDEs ensures consistency and maintains the connection between your calculations and determinations. This is valuable for audits and CRS verification visits.

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Understanding SDE calculations

Forerunner’s SDE module performs several calculations automatically:

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Element costs

Each element’s cost is its share of the replacement cost. The damage you enter for each element is applied to that cost.

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Percentage calculation

Depreciation isn’t used in the percentage.

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Invariants (calculated fields)

SDEs store calculated values as “invariants” that persist for export and reporting:
  • Replacement cost
  • Market value
  • Estimated damage cost
  • Percent damaged
These values remain fixed even if the SDE form structure changes, ensuring historical records remain accurate.

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Tracking cumulative improvements

Many communities track cumulative improvements over a rolling period (e.g., 10 years). Your Customer Success Manager sets your threshold and tracking period: Rolling period tracking:
  • System identifies all improvements within the specified timeframe
  • Calculates cumulative costs
  • Compares total to building value
  • Properties get a warning at 80% of the threshold, and again when they go over
Excluded improvements:
  • Option to mark certain improvements as excluded (e.g., required repairs)
  • Documentation requirement when excluding costs
  • Maintains audit trail of exclusions
Cumulative tracking requirements vary significantly by local ordinance. Work with your Customer Success Manager to configure tracking rules that match your community’s regulations.

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Public visibility and transparency

SI/SD records can be shared with property owners through your public website:

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Visibility controls

Public by default - Configure SI/SD record types to be visible on the public portal, allowing property owners to view determinations. Hidden by default - Alternatively, SI/SD records can default to hidden, requiring manual approval before public visibility. Account-level setting - Managers can turn off Show Substantial Improvement / Substantial Damage in public website settings to hide all SI/SD records from public view, regardless of individual record settings. If an SI/SD record is hidden from public, all related SDE records must also be hidden. This prevents property owners from seeing calculation details while hiding the determination.
Many communities choose to make SI/SD determinations public to promote transparency, but hide draft SDEs until the determination is finalized. Your CSM can help configure this workflow.

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Exporting SI/SD data

SI/SD and SDE records can be exported for reporting, analysis, and CRS documentation:

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Export formats

  • CSV - Spreadsheet format with all field values and calculations
  • Shapefile - GIS format with spatial data for mapping
  • GeoPackage - Modern GIS format for advanced spatial analysis

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What’s included

Exports contain:
  • All form field values
  • Calculated invariants (replacement cost, market value, percent damaged, etc.)
  • Property information (address, parcel ID, coordinates)
  • Record metadata (created date, created by, last updated)
  • Links to related records (SDE ↔ SI/SD connections)

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Export process

  1. Navigate to Records > SI/SD
  2. Filter to desired records (date range, threshold status, etc.)
  3. Open the … menu on the table and select Export
  4. Pick the SI/SD report or Current view, then a File type
  5. Receive email with download link
Learn more about Exporting Records.

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Mobile data collection

SDEs and SI/SD records can be created from the mobile app during field inspections: Field workflow:
  1. Inspector navigates to property on mobile device
  2. Opens property details and creates new SDE record
  3. Captures photos of damage or improvements
  4. Enters cost estimates
  5. Saves record (syncs when online)
  6. Reviews SDE summary in office
  7. The linked SI/SD entry is added when the SDE is submitted
The mobile app supports offline data collection, so inspectors can work without connectivity and sync when they return to the office.

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Integration with other workflows

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Preliminary Damage Assessments

Connect PDAs to SI/SD tracking:
  1. PDA identifies property with significant damage
  2. Create SDE to calculate damage percentage
  3. Saving a complete SDE adds the damage entry to SI/SD tracking
  4. Track compliance requirements

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Elevation Certificates

  • View property’s Elevation Certificate data when creating SDE
  • Use EC information to inform compliance requirements
  • Link EC uploads to SI/SD determination records
Learn more about Elevation Certificates.

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Permit applications

  • Reference SI/SD determinations during permit review
  • Require compliance documentation for substantial improvements
  • Track permit conditions related to SI/SD findings
Learn more about Permits and EC Submission.

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CRS documentation benefits

Proper SI/SD tracking supports several CRS activities: Activity 430 (Higher Regulatory Standards) - Documents enforcement of substantial improvement/damage requirements Activity 440 (Flood Data Maintenance) - Maintains records of development in floodplain Activity 540 (Drainage System Maintenance) - Tracks improvements that affect drainage Activity 610 (Flood Warning and Response) - Documents post-disaster damage assessments
Forerunner’s SI/SD tracking is designed to support CRS verification visits. All calculations, determinations, and supporting documents are organized and easily exportable for review.

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Common use cases

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Post-disaster damage assessment

After a flood or other disaster:
  1. Create PDAs for affected properties
  2. Create detailed SDE records for properties with significant damage
  3. Calculate damage as percentage of building value
  4. Review the SI/SD entries added from each complete SDE
  5. Track compliance actions and rebuild permits

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Renovation permit review

When reviewing building permit applications:
  1. Check property for existing SI/SD records
  2. If cumulative tracking enabled, sum recent improvements
  3. Create new SDE to calculate proposed improvement impact
  4. If new work pushes total over 50%, flag for compliance requirements
  5. Document determination in SI/SD record
  6. Attach to permit approval documentation

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Proactive compliance monitoring

For ongoing monitoring:
  1. Watch for properties with a warning at 80% of your threshold
  2. Review improvement permits and create SDEs
  3. Track cumulative costs over rolling period
  4. Contact property owners as they approach threshold
  5. Document determinations and compliance actions

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Getting help with SI/SD configuration

SI/SD tracking requires specialized configuration to match your local ordinance. Your Customer Success Manager can help with:
  • Calculation methods - Configure depreciation formulas and market value sources
  • Rolling period rules - Set up cumulative tracking over time
  • Threshold and tracking period - Set the threshold and period your warnings use
  • Form customization - Add fields specific to your requirements (or customize yourself if you can see Record types in your settings)
  • Public visibility - Configure default visibility and approval workflows
  • Integration setup - Connect SI/SD tracking to permits, inspections, and other workflows
  • Staff training - Provide guidance on using SI/SD features effectively
Contact your Customer Success Manager to discuss your community’s SI/SD tracking needs and ensure your configuration supports compliant, efficient workflows.