Floods.

If I had the money, yes I would build a house in Fishlake, but only if it was elevated at least one meter above the worst recorded flood. I would place no electrical installation low down, socket outlets 1.5 meters above floor level as an example.

A UPS and possibly also a generator.

would it be worth having a boat house ?

mapj1:

would it be worth having a boat house ?

Only if you have the right colour boat house, Mike


OMS

I think the question is better served by stating: ...Would I now build a house on any village soakaway or floodplane. One assumes that the housing deveolpers do their homework and look at the natural drainage.

We were actually talking about this earlier. We build houses in this country for profit. but when you look at Holland and ask the same question you may discover that their buildings take account of flood defenses and are not built purely for profit.

Maybe we should change the housing policy in this country so less properties are built on green field sites. that is less housing more community living....


Legh

Some years ago I wired a house in a non standard and flood proof way for a friend.


Consumer unit and meter upstairs.

All downstairs power circuits are terminated at high level  ceeform outlets.

Downstairs lights all on pull cord switches.

Upstairs more or less standard.


Downstairs rooms have 32 amp ceeform outlets at high level. Each room is equipped with extension leads consisting of a 32 amp plug, 6mm flex, and 6 twin 13 amp sockets mounted on a piece of wood.

In case of flood, these may be unplugged and taken upstairs, and are relatively cheap to replace if flood damaged.

The kitchen is upstairs as kitchen appliances are expensive to replace and often too heavy to move when flooding threatens.

Downstairs rooms consist of main living room, guest room, and toilet/shower room. There is a fair amount of expensive IT/AV equipment downstairs but most can be carried upstairs if need be. Bedding is easily saved. The guest room bed and the larger living room furniture would need replacement.


Whilst I don't normally like the semi-permanent use of extension leads, in this particular situation it seems the best solution.

That's if anybody will insure.


Attractive though it may be, I wouldn't want to buy a house by a river.

 

Not an unsurmountable problem. Build on stilts and use bamboo, if its good enough for high rise scafolding, socks and underpants and most of the jungle dwellings of south east asia then it will be sufficient here to provide a ready made housing stock......


Legh

Land that floods is cheaper than land that doesn't (it's why we now realise that much national infrastructure couldn't have been built in a worse location unless it had been selected deliberately)


Based on that premise, the "housebuilders" basically then get away with as little mitigation as possible in their dealings with the local planning authority - a bit of our business does these assessments for a fee for builders to submit - they are basically there to show that building can proceed rather than should it proceed - based on a lot of manipulation of return events for storm data and cut and fill equivalence levels, and very careful positioning of ground floor levels. When the big housebuilders backed by big consultants want to build, then they will just build - compliance with planning is just a snake and mongoose nuisance to be managed and included in the sale cost.


If three years down the road, your house is inundated in a one in a hundred year storm event, then "it's Démerde-toi, Legionnaire   - and hope your insurance is in place and still covers you


Regards


OMS