Significant risk of flooding - environment search report

littlesparkles

Oh dear. A few people saying walk away... I would really like to consult an expert about the flood risk. Can anyone suggest what type of expert I should be looking for?

billybraggtastic

Any pre-existing Flood Risk will have been identified during the design process of the proposed development. Taylor Wimpey's Engineer's will have had to design out any pre-existing risks and also increase the Flood Risk to a new threshhold - when I last was involved in this (circa 10yrs ago) designs were to account for a 1 in 200 year event i.e. a rainfall of such significance that we only experience it once every 200 yrs.

I have no doubt that TW will have carried out their responsibilities diligently. I have no doubt that they will install the necessary drains and barriers to protect your home.

Personally, I would be reticent about buying a house where there was a historical risk or was near to a watercourse. I would do as you are and try to determine the risk for myself and make a decision based on my own assessment. If you have the Engineer's Drawings (these would be part of the Building Warrant submission to the Local Authority) you could have them independantly reviewed and explained to you - perhaps TW would allow you to speak directly to their own Engineer to alleviate your concerns (certainly the cheapest option).

Hope this helps
BBT

Peter_Kendrick

littlesparkles wrote: »

Also with regards to insurance: I have already obtained quotes through a variety of comparison sites and was happy with these. However will these quotes change based on the flood report? Is there somewhere that I have to declare this?

These quotes will be for a property which is NOT in a flood risk area.

My daughter's house is currently in a flood risk area on the Environment Agency website even though it has NEVER been flooded. It is in the same risk area as a house less than a few hundred yards from the sea. Her MP has tried to get the maps sorted out but it has made no difference to her trying to get reasonable insurance.

She has been unable to get any online quotes. In all instances you have to tick a box declaring you are in a flood risk area or similar. You end up having to risk for a quote. The only person who gave her a quote was the Nat West bank. Her experience is that she is locked into the bank every year. The price is significantly higher than if she lived nearby but outside the flood risk area. If I were you I would look for a property elsewhere. I wouldn't want the risk of being flooded, pay higher insurance and have trouble selling my house later.

Good luck.

Notmyrealname

littlesparkles wrote: »

Oh dear. A few people saying walk away... I would really like to consult an expert about the flood risk. Can anyone suggest what type of expert I should be looking for?

Environment agency.

If it is on a flood plain though, you'll most likely get flooded. Its as simple as that. Even moreso if you're below sea level.

With the climate changing as it has been doing, only a mad person would buy a house built on a flood plain with a 100% guaranteed will happen risk assessment if for no other reason than the cost of the insurance, assuming you can get some.

When it flooded in Hull on Kingswood, that was right next door to the biggest pumping station in the city. If that couldn't keep the adjacent housing estate dry, what do you think your builders drainage is going to do with a pumping station miles away?

Notmyrealname

billybraggtastic wrote: »

when I last was involved in this (circa 10yrs ago) designs were to account for a 1 in 200 year event i.e. a rainfall of such significance that we only experience it once every 200 yrs.

And in Goole, these 1 in 200 year events have happened 6 times in the last 2 years.

petalfairy

The Taylor Wimpey home we bought was on a site prone to flooding, they had a pumping station, but what if that failed? I don't like homes at risk of flooding, if you weren't told of this risk before, it is really bad!

Morgage_Confused

The point is that you are worried about it and it is showing up as a risk in your "amateur" attempts to explore the problem. When you try to sell the potential purchaser will also come upon these potential problems.

So no expert needed really. Just walk away.

Trollfever

Drains need to be maintained:


http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9846319.Investigation_into_Sussex_flooding/


The A27 @ Chichester floods every time it rains.

littlesparkles

For clarification, the site is most definitely not any sort of flood plain area and is not near one. It is just a small patch identified as at risk of surface water flooding. According to the lawyer and the company who complied the report, there is no consideration given to changes on the site. And this risk does not show up to insurers as it is not identified as a flood risk by the council. The council map shows a usual ground water path near to my plot but I'm guessing changes to the land will affect this.