on-site flood risk appraisal

kirathakudu

Hi

We have had our offer on a property accepted. The environmental search came back with high flood risk due to a watercourse that runs 7m behind the boundary of the property. Interestingly, the flood risk map identifies only the bottom half of the garden as high risk area and the house itself is shown as low risk. The house sits on naturally elevated ground (a bit more than a 1m) compared to the garden which I think will further mitigate the risk of flooding. No official records of any past flooding in that area. Have been able to get building insurance quotes with no problem (slightly dearer than the current house, but it is also a bigger house) and no issues with mortgage offers. But we are obviously worried since the report puts it in high flood risk category. We are considering getting an on-site flood risk appraisal to reassure ourselves.

Has anyone got any experience with residential on-site flood risk appraisals? How much did it cost, and did it help you with your decision? Can you recommend any providers? (Looking online, there appear to be many firms that do this for large parcels of land towards planning and development of land, but not many who conduct residential on-site flood risk appraisals). Thank you.

Albermarle

There are quite a few threads on a very similar theme.
Try using the search box with the phrase ' flood risk' 

kirathakudu

I did. Couldn't find any with onsite flood risk assessment. Appreciate any help finding the threads

user1977

To be fair, I can't recall any threads where somebody was contemplating getting such an assessment, never mind mentioning particular providers. I guess it's a relatively rare thing - either buyers decide to rely on the desktop info and/or insurance, or have run screaming to the hills.

Hoenir

kirathakudu said:

Interestingly, the flood risk map identifies only the bottom half of the garden as high risk area and the house itself is shown as low risk. 

Why would a flood risk appraisal tell you any different. No one is going to be able to predict when that one in a 1,000 event will happen. Or indeed if might happen twice in ten years. 

kirathakudu

Hoenir said:

kirathakudu said:

Interestingly, the flood risk map identifies only the bottom half of the garden as high risk area and the house itself is shown as low risk. 

Why would a flood risk appraisal tell you any different. No one is going to be able to predict when that one in a 1,000 event will happen. Or indeed if might happen twice in ten years. 

It's more about whether the house will flood if those rare events do happen. On site appraisal apparently allows more accurate modelling of the flood risk taking into account the local land features..

LHW99

kirathakudu said:

Hoenir said:

kirathakudu said:

Interestingly, the flood risk map identifies only the bottom half of the garden as high risk area and the house itself is shown as low risk. 

Why would a flood risk appraisal tell you any different. No one is going to be able to predict when that one in a 1,000 event will happen. Or indeed if might happen twice in ten years. 

It's more about whether the house will flood if those rare events do happen. On site appraisal apparently allows more accurate modelling of the flood risk taking into account the local land features..

That will depend on how good the computer model is, and no one really knows that until it's tested. If you are really worried, there are covers that can be used over air bricks, or air bricks with valves in if you want to change them, and door protections of various types. They will protect against relatively deep flooding, say a foot or so.

If the house is already 1m above the water course, another 30cm or so would mean it would have to be a pretty high event to cause an issue if those sort of things are in place.

Alternatively, have you asked the question of the sellers / the neighbours?