Building In A Flood Zone
Building or renovating in a flood area can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Anyone who lived through Queensland’s 2011 flood isn’t likely to forget the destructive brunt they had on homeowners and communities.
Before building or renovating a FloodWise Property Report needs to be explored to find how flooding may affect the property and local area. In the report, you will find the Overland flow and Flood Overlay for the property. Outlining the risk and type of flooding, enabling you to plan and build new habitable floor levels in accordance with Brisbane City Council’s requirements.
According to the Brisbane Council, “Overland flow is excess rainfall runoff from homes, driveways and other surfaces. Overland flow flooding is water that runs across the land after rain, either before it enters a creek or stream, or after rising to the surface naturally from underground.”
The report can come back with a few different results. If the property is flagged with an overland flow path, these zones are not as high risk as a standard flood zone. However, surface water can run across those paths, which is important to consider when designing the house. In rare cases, a hydraulic engineer might be needed, which we can assist you with.
There are four different levels of risk if the property has a flood overlay. The FloodWise Property Reports will give a ‘minimum habitable floor level’ based on the flood risk; which is the level that will be used by the designer as the minimum height of habitable areas in the property for any new dwellings, raise & build under or extensions to houses in Brisbane. However, there are rooms that can be located under the minimum habitable floor level such as a laundry, bathroom and other spaces of a specialised nature occupied neither frequently or for extended periods.
If you’re planning to build or renovate a house in a flood zone we will assist you through the plans and engineering stages to ensure you meet all the Brisbane City Council’s requirements. We will be able to come up with design solutions to overcome these issues.
Our plans include:
- Overland Flow Report
- FloodWise Report
- Predetermined flood heights if available from Council
- A determination if a hydraulic engineer would be required
- Character and Zoning Overlays
- Council Stormwater infrastructure on or adjacent to the site
- Council Sewerage infrastructure on or adjacent to the site
We have experience in developing house plans in and around Brisbane. We have dealt with zoning issues such as Demolition Control Precincts, Local Area Plans, Overland flow, and flooding issues. Therefore, we can point our clients in the right direction and offer ideas to reduce costs and associated construction fees. Contact us today to get your project underway or submit a form to receive a fee proposal.