Australian Flood Recovery Advice

Like all Australians, we are shocked at the devastation again being wrought by the catastrophic floods throughout Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales.

Archicentre extends its deepest sympathies to all those affected by the floods and hopes that the following information is helpful. The extent and size of these floods will have an impact on thousands of Australians who will face the daunting task of making decisions about their homes and for many this will not be for the first time. 

The aftermath of a flood event is a traumatic time with resources stretched and emotions strained, making it vital that people plan their approach to cleaning up carefully to avoid costly mistakes and further financial challenges. The priority for most people is to get back into their property, to clean it up and to start repairing the damage as soon as possible.

Whilst generous offers of assistance will fuel initial enthusiasm, lasting mistakes can be made if this process isn’t clearly understood.

It is a mistake, for example, to assume that once the debris has been cleared away repair work can start immediately.

The real purpose of a clean-up is to fully expose the building so its condition can be carefully checked and so it can begin to dry out. The clean-up process, then, is a sequence of events that must begin with certification by a licensed electrical contractor that power can be safely reconnected to the building.

Once this is done, debris removal can commence. Archicentre has a range of Flood Fact Sheets (available below) that outline some of the things that need to be considered during the clean-up process, particularly in relation to safety, drying and building integrity.

Floodwater will have a significant effect on building materials like particleboard, fibreboard, plasterboard and fibrous materials like insulation and carpets. Keep in mind that very little of your internal fit out is likely to be salvageable.

When the bulk of the debris has been removed, an assessment by an independent structural engineer is critical to establish the extent to which the structure or the foundations of the building have been affected. If the structure of the building is sound, repair can be considered, but if the building is deemed to be unsound there is little point in progressing with the clean up until further decisions are made.

Until independent written advice has been provided by a registered structural engineer, NO decisions should be made regarding repair.

A structural engineer is the ONLY person qualified to provide you with this advice.

After a structural engineer has inspected your property, you may want to contact Archicentre for advice on the next steps of the recovery. If you would like to talk to an Archicentre building expert about a particular matter please call Archicentre on 1300 134 513.