Building in flooded areas

cepheus

I doubt if the Estate Agent will be advertising this picture!



If we have to build on flood plains why don't they build three storey properties with the bottom floor serving as a double garage? Of course you would still need time to evacuate the cars. Perhaps such designs would signify the property is likely to be flooded, not a good selling point.

chris_m

Can't remember where, (it may have been The Netherlands) but there was a rather neat design I saw fairly recently - every house was built on a raft and held in place laterally by vertical piles, so if the water came up the house went up with it and dropped back down when the water level subsided.

Generali

cepheus wrote: »

If we have to build on flood plains why don't they build three storey properties with the bottom floor serving as a double garage? Of course you would still need time to evacuate the cars. Perhaps such designs would signify the property is likely to be flooded, not a good selling point.

That's pretty much how they sell houses in Queensland.

BobQ

cepheus wrote: »

I doubt if the Estate Agent will be advertising this picture!



If we have to build on flood plains why don't they build three storey properties with the bottom floor serving as a double garage? Of course you would still need time to evacuate the cars. Perhaps such designs would signify the property is likely to be flooded, not a good selling point.

Perhaps because people are basically lazy and would resent having to climb an extra flight of stairs?:)

However, you could also envisage building housing estates on plateaus surrounded by moats.. Of course they would have to have raised parking areas too!

zagubov

They ought to move parliament to a flood plain somewhere in the East of England. Would focus their mind on the environment a lot more seriously than now.

CLAPTON

zagubov wrote: »

They ought to move parliament to a flood plain somewhere in the East of England. Would focus their mind on the environment a lot more seriously than now.

Parliament is on a flood plan.

MacMickster

cepheus wrote: »

If we have to build on flood plains why don't they build three storey properties with the bottom floor serving as a double garage? Of course you would still need time to evacuate the cars. Perhaps such designs would signify the property is likely to be flooded, not a good selling point.

In many areas of Spain that are prone to flash flooding the houses are built with an "underbuild" for this very reason. Then of course the Brits come along, buy them and convert the underbuild into 2 extra bedrooms. :doh:

zagubov

CLAPTON wrote: »

Parliament is on a flood plan.

It's on an expensive one and has flood protection. That's not precarious enough. I want it on a cheaper but less protected one. Under a flight path. On a rickety leaky boat we can push out to sea if we want.

The_Angry_Jock

cepheus wrote: »

If we have to build on flood plains why don't they build three storey properties with the bottom floor serving as a double garage? Of course you would still need time to evacuate the cars. Perhaps such designs would signify the property is likely to be flooded, not a good selling point.

And watch as the new owner convert their garages into reception rooms.

chris_m wrote: »

Can't remember where, (it may have been The Netherlands) but there was a rather neat design I saw fairly recently - every house was built on a raft and held in place laterally by vertical piles, so if the water came up the house went up with it and dropped back down when the water level subsided.

That was a recent episode of Grand Designs.

cepheus

BobQ wrote: »

Perhaps because people are basically lazy and would resent having to climb an extra flight of stairs?:)

However, you could also envisage building housing estates on plateaus surrounded by moats.. Of course they would have to have raised parking areas too!

Ah yes!

vivatifosi

Generali wrote: »

That's pretty much how they sell houses in Queensland.

That's how my uncles house is built, it is a low Queenslander as he lives uphill from the main flood risk but water still needs to run underneath. My cousins house is on a high block plinth, also in Qld, but hers is designed for coastal erosion too. Another friend in the Panhandle in Florida has a house on stilts, similar to a Queenslander, for when it floods.

It doesn't matter where you travel, unless a country is dirt poor, people adapt their housing to local weather and topographical issues. Why we can't do the same here, at least for new builds, is beyond me.