Concerns over advice given to householders affected by floods

There is concern about advice being given to householders and businesses affected by the flooding over the weekend by Storm Desmond, said Gary Strong FRICS, Director of Practice Standards & Technical Guidance (RICS).

The cost of rebuilding

The average cost of restoring a flood-hit three bedroom house to its former condition could be on average £30,000, with flood proofing costing an additional £15,000.

With repair costs so high, RICS has today warned affected homeowners who are having their properties repaired to consider additional flood defence measures. While potentially costly, the amount of money saved and disruption avoided in the longer term should the worst happen once more makes it a sound investment, especially for those without comprehensive buildings insurance or in high risk areas.

The average £30,000 cost of repairing a typical three bedroom semi-detached property includes the likes of timber floors, plasterboard, kitchen units and cavity wall insulation and, in many cases, will be largely covered by a homeowner’s insurance company.

However, the claims process can potentially take many months and, crucially, those without comprehensive cover could have to foot the entire cost themselves as well as all the hassle of the building works for a period of up to 12 months.

Preventing future floods

However, flood prevention measures – including adding non-return valves to drains, raising power points and laying tiled floors – comes in at around £15,000 average. While clearly a substantial extra cost, those who have fallen victim to the recent floods should seriously consider flood proofing as a means of both protecting their home and ensuring that they don’t have their lives turned upside down to the same extent in the future.

Those who have been affected by flooding and are unsure as to what to do next should consult a chartered building surveyor and download our free flooding guide.

After the floods

Once the flooding is over those who have been affected will, naturally, be going back to their homes, assessing the damage and lodging insurance claims to get their lives back on track. In many cases, costs will be covered by the homeowner’s insurer but there are many out there who do not have comprehensive cover and could end up footing a very large repair bill.

In either case, we recommend that those affected consider extra flood defences. It can take many months to get a home back to its original state and the disruption caused can be catastrophic to many people’s lives. Money now could turn out to be a very wise investment further down the line.