Is your house in a flood zone which needs design and approvals advice?
If your property sits within a flood overlay, any renovation, extension or house raise will likely need a Development Approval before work can start. Flood overlays apply across South East Queensland and affect more homes than most people realise. If you’re not sure whether your property is affected, there’s a good chance it is worth checking before you spend anything on design.
Why flood zone homes are different
The overlay changes what council will and won’t approve
Flood overlays exist to manage risk, and councils across South East Queensland take them seriously. Brisbane City Council, Ipswich City Council, Logan City Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council all apply flood overlay codes that dictate things like minimum floor levels, fill and earthworks restrictions, how a structure sits on the land and what materials can be used in flood-affected areas.
These requirements don’t just affect new builds. Renovations, extensions and house raises on existing homes in flood zones are all subject to assessment. If your plans don’t address the overlay requirements from the start, council will send them back. That means redesigns, delays and money spent twice.
The other thing worth knowing is that flood overlays can apply even if your home has never flooded. The overlay is based on modelled flood data, not flood history. A property can be in a defined flood area without ever having taken on water, and council will still apply the same requirements.
How we help homeowners in a flood zone
Our designers work alongside our planning partners from the start. Your concept plans are built around your council’s flood overlay requirements rather than retrofitted to them later. We coordinate design, surveys, planning advice and certifier introductions so you’re not managing multiple parties on your own.
If you’re not sure whether your property is in a flood zone, we can check that for you before anything else. If it is, we’ll tell you what that means for your project and what the most practical path forward looks like.
- Concept plans designed around flood overlay requirements from the start
- Site and detail surveys coordinated on your behalf
- Town planning advice and DA support through our planning partners
- Introductions to trusted private certifiers to finalise approvals
Everything in one package
01 – Professional concept plans Tailored to your site and designed with your council’s flood overlay requirements in mind. Builder-ready.
02 – Site and detail surveys We coordinate all pre-design surveys including site visits, fieldwork and initial reports.
03 – Town planning advice and DA support Our planning partners navigate flood overlays, planning codes and DA lodgement across South East Queensland councils.
04 – Certifier introductions Trusted private certifiers introduced at the right time to finalise your approvals quickly.
Brisbane suburbs commonly affected by flood overlays
Flood overlays are highly property-specific and don’t follow suburb boundaries, so this list is a guide rather than a definitive check. Individual lots within these areas can be in or out of the overlay. The only way to know for certain is to check your property address against your council’s flood mapping, or get in touch and we’ll do it for you.
Rocklea, Oxley, Corinda, Graceville, Chelmer, Sherwood, Yeronga, Annerley, Fairfield, Moorooka, Yeerongpilly, Tennyson, Jindalee, Sumner, Riverhills, Fig Tree Pocket, Kenmore, Pullenvale, St Lucia, Toowong, Auchenflower, Milton, South Brisbane, West End, Highgate Hill, Norman Park, Camp Hill, Coorparoo, Hawthorne, Bulimba, Balmoral, Hamilton, Newstead, Bowen Hills, Windsor and Albion.
Not sure if your property is in a flood zone?
Get in touch and we’ll check your property and let you know what planning is likely to be required before you spend anything.
