I personally would have all electrical accesories and switchgear at or above waist height. As for developers building on flood plains then only a fool would pay the market price. Nothing like making a rod for your own back.

I personally would have all electrical accesories and switchgear at or above waist height. As for developers building on flood plains then only a fool would pay the market price. Nothing like making a rod for your own back.

i have long been a fan of having everything at least hand height (my hand) but I have met with some resistance because folk do not like seeing sockets etc (well quite a few of them don`t), When the "standard" became 12" or 300mm to underside it met with some resistance, when it became 450mm it still met with some resistance  even 300mm did too. For a number of years I did rewires where Occupational Therapists and Social Workers were involved and they loved me for advocating sockert heights and also ganging light switches together thereby making it easier for the old and infirm. It greatly helped with the clients and their friends and relatives because an Elecvtrician and "The Authorities" were singing from that same songsheet.

However I am afraid that whatever the merits of putting what you reasonably can above the floodline you will meet with some resistance however sensible your decisions are. Folk are like that unfortunately.

Yes it would be better if buildings were not allowed in daft places. 

The ordinary person is probably not so aware where floodplanes etc are. They just see a nice house that they want.

I know folk who still want sockets on the skirting board too and those who can not see whats wrong with a consumer unit above the toilet door (or in the loft)

ebee said:

Yes it would be better if buildings were not allowed in daft places. 

How true is that!

But when the Government advise local councils to sell 'prime' flood planes to building developers with the supposed backing of insurance companies then what should a poor girl do?

The new saying for insurance companies: 'we don't have that level of risk appetitie'.

300mm is not really enough in height to avoid possible/probable flood levels. The last flood secured height for socket outlets I was  involved with was 1.2m.