P3 Flood Resilient Guide

GOLD COAST
FLOOD
RESILIENT
DESIGN
GUIDELINE
ontents
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge and pay respects to the
Traditional Owners of the Gold Coast and all
their descendants both past and present.
Prepared by City of Gold Coast in conjunction with JDA.
Disclaimer
While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Gold Coast (City) and James Davidson Architect (JDA)
make no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness, suitability for any particular purpose.
City and JDA disclaim all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses,
damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate
or incomplete in any way for any reason. Photographic images and illustrations indicated as being for information only and are
intended to represent general urban design principles and design.
April 2023
For the most current information, please refer to www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au
Cover image: Mermaid multi house, Partners Hill with Hogg and Lamb.
Part 1 – Introduction 2
1.1 Aim of this guide 2
1.2 How to use this guide 4
1.3 Embracing Gold Coast’s water lifestyle 6
1.4 Learning to live with flood 7
Part 2 – Understanding flood risk 8

2.1 Risk assessment 8
2.2 Flood risk awareness 8
2.3 Neighbourhood flood resilience 11
Part 3 – Flood resilient dwellings 12

3.1 What is flood resilient building design? 12
3.2 Existing detached dwelling 18
3.3 New detached dwelling 20
3.4 Dual occupancy front-back configuration 22
3.5 Dual occupancy side-by-side configuration 24
3.6 Flood resilient design checklist 26
3.7 Flood resilient materials matrix 28
Appendix A – resources 32
G OL D C OA S T F LO OD R ES IL IE NT D ES I GN G UI D ELI N E
1
PART 1 – INTRODUCTION
1.1
Aims of this guide
The Flood Resilient Design Guideline provides information If you are building a new home or want to renovate or
on how homeowners can renovate their homes or build extend your home in an area that floods, you should
new homes using flood resilient design to lessen ongoing request a Flood search report from the City to obtain flood
costs, concern and inconvenience associated with information relating to your property.
flooding. Flood resilience allows homeowners to prepare
Advice provided within this guide is for existing and new
for, live through and recover from flood events.
detached dwellings and dual occupancies.
Rebuilding after a flood event is a costly exercise.
By changing the way we build in flood areas, using a
resilient approach, some of these costs can be avoided or
minimised in the future.
PAGE PAGE
18 20
Existing detached dwelling New detached dwelling
Renovation and additions to existing New build of free-standing dwelling.
free-standing dwellings.
2
PAGE PAGE
22 24
Dual occupancy front-back Dual occupancy side-by-side
Duplexes with one dwelling behind Duplexes with two side by side dwellings.
another dwelling.
3
1.2
How to use this guide
Within the Gold Coast, land mapped on the City Plan Flood overlay map requires certain outcomes to ensure development
mitigates exposure to flood risks. For flood risk information, please refer to the Flood risk awareness map on
goldcoast.qld.gov.au/Planning-building/Buying-researching-property/Mapping-search/Flood-level-search/Flood-maps
This guide is intended to help homeowners building or renovating their home in an identified flood risk area to make informed
decisions through:
• assessing level of flood risk
• improving knowledge of resilience protection measures
• reducing property and community risks through application of resilience protection measures suited to each circumstance.
1. Facts and knowledge of flood 2. Assess your level of flood risk 3. Reducing risks through
resilient design
See Part 1 - Introduction See Part 2 - Understanding flood risk See Part 3 - Flood resilient design
More than half of the City’s land is Identify flood risk areas via the Flood resilient design measures can
affected by flood risk. City Plan’s mapping. be applied to building new homes or
retrofitting existing homes.
Increase awareness of flood risk on Development within mapped flood risk This section outlines the concept of
the Gold Coast. areas will need to be in accordance with flood resilient design, building design
the City Plan Flood overlay code. checklist and material matrix.
cityplan.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/eplan
New buildings
If you are building a house in an identified flood area, please refer to the diagram below.
What type of dwelling do you want to build?
Detached dwelling Dual occupancy front–back Dual occupancy side by side
Refer to example on page 20 Refer to example o

n page 22 Refer to example o
n page 24
Build habitable rooms Finished Floor Level 300mm above the defined flood level to improve resilience against flood.
Non-habitable rooms and garages may be located at ground level where they reflect an acceptable flood risk for their
purpose as referred to in the City Plan and the QRA guidelines.
4
Renovations and additions

If you are renovating your house including building of new floor area in an identified flood area, please refer to diagram below.
Evaluate the resilience of

Are your habitable room floor your home and consider
levels 300mm or more above YES implementing the mitigation
the defined flood level? measures suggested by
this guideline.
NO
YES Is your home raised above ground? NO
Raised On ground
Option 1 Option 2 Option 1 Option 2
Raise the existing house so Build an elevated extension Remove part of the existing Remove your existing roof to
that finished floor levels are for raised habitable rooms. roof to build a second storey build a second storey above
at least 300mm above the above for habitable rooms. for habitable rooms.
Renovate the undercroft
defined flood level.
area using flood resilient Renovate the undercroft Renovate the undercroft
area using flood resilient
Consider using the design. Refer to area using flood resilient

undercroft area for storage the example on page 14 design. Refer to design. Refer to the
with high shelving and and the QRA guidelines. the example on page 14 example on page14 and
raised services. and the QRA guidelines. the QRA guidelines.
Note: for any building work, please refer to the City Plan and relevant development codes.
Building Guidance for QLD Homes
Refer to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority’s Building Guidance for QLD Homes for more
detailed construction information suited to your situation.
qra.qld.gov.au/resilient-homes/flood-resilient-building-guidance-queensland-homes
5
1.3
Embracing Gold Coast’s water lifestyle
What is flood resilience? maintaining flood storage. As our city continues to grow
and intensify and conditions change, maintaining our
Floods occur when land is inundated from rivers or flood resilience requires us to adopt new flood mitigation
waterways breaking bank, usually after heavy rain or by tide measures.
levels during cyclonic or east coast low-pressure system
events (e.g. storm tide). Resilience to flooding refers to An important step in maintaining flood resilience is ensuring
the capacity of individuals and communities to adapt to homeowners are able to take steps to prepare and
changing conditions and to prepare for, withstand and withstand flood events that may exceed our past
rapidly recover from a flood event. experiences. This is because flooding and flood behaviour
changes over time.
This guide focuses on building resilience from riverine
flooding and inundation from extreme tidal events, the
extent of which is mapped in the City Plan overlay map.
Development should avoid being located in high flood risk
areas or impede overland flow paths.
Design advice only
Why is flood resilience in the This document does not list out the mandatory
Gold Coast so important? requirements you will need to meet in developing
your property. Landholders are encouraged to
Our city is built on a number of flood plains, and as such
consider these solutions based on their own needs
water is at the heart of our city and lifestyle. Regular
and circumstances and any regulatory constraints.
flood events have shaped our city and influenced our
Private certifiers or the City will advise on the
built environment. Historically, land use and development
mandatory requirements for building and/or land
controls have sought to create flood resilience through
development.
mitigations such as flood free land, raising floor levels and
Flood terminology for the purpose of this guideline

Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) – The likelihood Finished floor level (FFL) – The level of the uppermost
of occurrence of an event of a given size or larger in any surface of a finished floor not including any floor
one year, usually expressed as a percentage. A 1% AEP covering. Examples of a floor covering include carpet
is generally known as a 1 in a 100 year flood. and tiles.
Defined flood level (DFL) – The water surface Habitable room – includes a bedroom, living room,
level of the defined flood event, as declared by lounge room, music room, television room, kitchen,
Council. It includes a range of considerations such dining room, sewing room, study, playroom, family room,
as rainfall and future climate impacts for planning or home theatre and sunroom.
development purposes. The defined flood level for a
Non-habitable rooms – includes a bathroom, laundry,
development must be identified by obtaining a Flood
water closet, pantry, walk-in wardrobe, corridor, hallway,
search report from the City.
lobby and other spaces of a specialised nature occupied
Freeboard – The height above the defined flood neither frequently nor for extended periods.
level that takes account of matters that may cause
flood waters to rise above the defined flood level.
(Source: Building regulation 2021)
6
1.4
Learning to live with flood
The City has approximately 94,000 hectares of mapped low, medium, high and very high flood risk
areas. This means that about 68 per cent of land is affected by flood risk.
This exposes approximately 98,000 buildings and structures used as dwellings, commercial or
industrial purposes or deemed as essential infrastructure to varying levels of flood risk.
There are 10 major river Many of the City’s urbanised The City experiences
catchments in the city. areas are exposed to periodic flooding due to
varying flood risks. rainfall events.
One of the largest flood The city has over 400 km

storage areas in the city is the of constructed canals. The
Guragunbah floodplain (or the canal systems provide for
Merrimac-Carrara floodplain). drainage of stormwater and
contribute to flood mitigation.
7
PART 2 – UNDERSTANDING FLOOD RISK
2.1
Risk Assessment
The first step to making a home flood resilient is to understand your level of flood risk for your property.
Flood risk areas have been determined for the city’s mapped flood affected areas and all homeowners and residents should
be proactive in understanding how flood risks apply to their property. Defined flood levels are a minimum level determined
by the City based on analysis of flooding and may be different from finished habitable floor levels. Building a small scale
development such as single detached dwelling house or a dual occupancy requires either a building approval and/or a
development approval. It is recommended that you check the City Plan interactive mapping for development constraints
and obtain a Flood search report from the City. It is also recommended to contact the City’s Planning Enquiries Centre to
determine if a development approval is required. If a development approval is not required, a private building certifier should be
engaged to certify your proposed development. Find all the information you need to know about managing flood on the Gold
Coast at goldcoast.qld.gov.au/managingfloods
2.2
Flood risk awareness
The flood risk awareness map (Figure 1) identifies land which is prone to flood risks, based on how deep and how fast flood
waters could be in different statistical flood scenarios for city planning purposes. All city floodplains are included on the map.
Flood risk is calculated using flood ’likelihood’ (very frequent to extremely rare) and flood hazard (depth and velocity)
information. The map can be found here goldcoast.qld.gov.au/Planning-building/Buying-researching-property/
Mapping-search/Flood-level-search/Flood-maps and shows the following flood risk categories:
MAP KEY CATEGORY DESCRIPTION
Unsafe for people. Vehicles and buildings may be damaged by the movement of flood
Very high risk water during a frequent flood. Flood events are both frequent and usually of the highest
flood hazard.
High risk
water. Flood events are both relatively frequent and usually of a high flood hazard.
Medium risk water during a rare flood event. Flood events can either be rare with high flood hazard or
relatively frequent with lower flood hazard.
Exposed to relatively lower hazards during a frequent or infrequent flood event. High
flood hazards can only occur during a rare and extremely rare flood event, when it is
Low risk
unsafe for people, and vehicles and buildings may be damaged by the movement of
flood water.
Only floods in very rare to extreme flood events (very low likelihood of occurring). The
Maximum regional flood
maximum extent of the floodplain associated with extremely rare events can include flood
event
hazard of any type (low to very high).
City Plan Flood overlay code and map

The City Plan Flood overlay map identifies areas potentially subject to a 1% AEP flooding event. Please refer to the
City Plan interactive mapping in the link below for current mapping information, by selecting the ‘Flood’ overlay
cityplan.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/eplan/#/Property/0
The full floodplain catchment can extend beyond the overlay map areas and could be subject to inundation when local
conditions may affect flooding. Flood resilient design solutions should be considered when undertaking any building and
landscape works and should consider local conditions.
If your property is located within this City Plan Flood overlay map, any material change of use (MCU) or reconfiguring a lot
(ROL) is required to address the relevant provisions of the Flood overlay code.
8
Flood Risk
Very High
High
Medium
Low
aximum regional
M
flood extent
Figure 1: Flood risk awareness map

Source: https://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/Planning-building/Buying-researching-property/Mapping-search/
Flood-level-search/Flood-maps
Note: Flood risk awareness map is periodically updated, please refer to the source link above for the most
up-to-date information.
9
10
2.3
Neighbourhood flood resilience
Management of flood risk is a shared community responsibility. Well designed and maintained flood resilient homes are still at
risk of flood if neighbouring homes are not resilient. A high number of flood resilient homes will achieve greater neighbourhood
benefits in reducing the impact of flood. The below diagram outlines flood resilient considerations within a neighbourhood.
Rain gardens help collect,

slow and filter flood waters
Front and rear setbacks

have the greatest impact as
they create opportunities for
increased garden absorption
area, which can have
cumulative neighbourhood
benefits in reducing the
impact of flood
Minimise impervious surfaces and building Setbacks between properties create a

footprints to create more opportunities to network of swales to slow water flows
absorb and slow flood waters and channel it away from the building
11
PART 3 – FLOOD RESILIENT DWELLINGS
3.1
What is flood resilient building design?
Flood resilient building design aims to actively mitigate the effects of and reduce the damage caused by flooding. This
is achieved through applying flood resilient design, appropriate construction systems and materials that can withstand
substantial and multiple inundations. The purpose of this design guide is to raise awareness of the opportunities to further
enhance your flood resilience when renovating an existing house or building a new house. It outlines additional choices
homeowners can make at the design stage to improve their capacity to prepare and withstand flooding.
Refuge Zone
Utility Zone
Finished Floor Level
Defined
Flood
Level
There are a number of ways to design flood resilient dwellings, as follows:

Finished Floor Level is the first line of defense for flood protection. The intent is to design the FFL above the defined flood
level. Raising services such as air conditioners, hot water units and electrical meter boards above defined flood levels can
enhance resilience to flood events. Defined flood levels can be obtained from the City for flood affected sites identified on the
City Plan Flood overlay map. As required by the Flood overlay code, building floor levels of habitable rooms must be at or
above the combined defined flood level and the minimum applicable freeboard. For residential development, the freeboard can
be found in the City Plan Flood overlay code, 1% AEP.
Utility zone prepares a dwelling for a flood. The lower level of a dwelling, even if above defined flood level, should be
designed with wet-proofing strategies in mind to minimise damage and ease the clean-up after a flood event particularly in
situations where you may experience a flood event greater than 1% AEP. Where possible and for safety, bedrooms should not
be located in this zone.
Refuge zone provides safety during major flood events. The upper level should provide a safe refuge and all requirements
to sustain habitation during a flood, such as shelter, food and water. Where possible, bedrooms should be in this zone, with
provisions for kitchenettes and bathrooms.
Note: City’s policy for shelter in place

and flood emergency management
planning is for residential uses.
12
An example of a typical flood resilient dwelling

The following diagrams outline flood resilient considerations for a typical flood resilient dwelling. In this scenario, the property’s
DFL is 1200mm above natural ground level. The City Plan Flood overlay code specifies that residential development should only
be exposed to no more than a medium level of flood hazard having regard to depth of inundation, velocity of flood waters and
other listed attributes. Please refer to the Flood resilient design checklist at the back of this document for detailed explanation of
design specifications.
Large openings for

GROUND FLOOR LEVEL water to escape
Swales along property When designing pools,

boundaries help divert ensure the edges and
POOL
water away from the house equipment are above the
defined flood level
Ensure all external services

PATIO are raised above the
RUMPUS
defined flood level
Flood resilient design

Kitchen designed with BATH
on ground floor
water-resistant cabinetry, LIBRARY
DINING KITCHEN
with a provision for a SWALE LDY SWALE
second kitchenette on
the upper floor STUDY WORKSHOP
LIVING
Open living and dining

areas without internal Water-resistant floor
walls allow water to flow finishes such as polished
through more easily, concrete or waterproof
making for a faster tiles throughout lower level
recovery after a flood
Non-habitable spaces
CARPORT
and landscape design
Gently slope gardens that slow, channel, and
and lawns away from distribute flood water
house and into swales
or street
Terraced entrance with Reduce impervious surfaces

planters to absorb water in driveway by only laying
tyre tracks (within lot only) or
by use of permeable paving
UPPER FLOOR LEVEL
BEDROOM 1 ENSUITE BEDROOM 2 BATH BEDROOM 3
WIR Habitable spaces well

above all defined flood
levels. Include provisions
Void for raising contents VOID KITCHENETTE
for kitchenettes and
in the event of a flood bathrooms as a safe refuge
during a flood event
13
Habitable spaces well above

all defined flood levels. Include
provisions for kitchenettes and
bathrooms as a safe refuge
during a flood event
Void for raising

contents in the
Pool pump and other event of a flood
services raised above
flood level
Property Boundary
B EDR O O M
KIT
DFL1200mm
600mm
300mm
Single skin walls Large openings Raised floor

to prevent mould for waters above defined
in wall cavities to escape flood level with
freeboard.
14
Wet-proofing
This involves letting the water in and out of the house

as easily as possible to minimise damage during a
flood and/or from future moisture. Selecting water-
resistant materials, eliminating cavities and voids where
mould can grow, and locating essential services at
elevated locations are key flood resilient features.

on ground floor
Non-habitable spaces with

Flood resilient wall permeable screening that allow
linings that do not water to flow through and leave
absorb water the property quickly
Property boundary
Raised storage areas
Terraced entrance with planters
to absorb water and reduce scale
of house (consider those with Permeable gate
disabilities and pram access) and screening
TCHE N C AR PO R T G OL D C OA S T F LO OD R ES IL IE NT D ES I GN G UI D ELI N E
1200mm
600mm
300mm
Storm water tank
15
Flood resilient spaces examples
Raised ground floor
Permeable fences and screens
16
Hardwood stairs Impervious floors and single-skin walls
Common problems from flooding
Mould and rot Lining disintegration G OL D C OA S T F LO OD R ES IL IE NT D ES I GN G UI D ELI N E
Swelling of cabinetry Malfunctioning services
17
3.2
Existing detached dwelling
Renovations and additions
This flood resilient renovation to a typical single-storey detached dwelling extends the existing roof towards the rear to create
a refuge zone at second storey and void. In this scenario, the existing house is a single-storey slab on ground, with an existing
ground floor level below the defined flood level.
Permeable
carport doors Addition of second storey
Large garden above flood level for
absorption areas bedrooms, bathrooms
with deep friable soil and a kitchenette
Raised fence with

permeable screen
underneath
Planted swales allow

water to be diverted
away from dwellings
Permeable driveway
to absorb and slow
the flow of water
Rain gardens
with friable soil
18
Cross section
Low voltage Use stairs with

garden lighting open risers Addition of second storey
above flood level for
bedrooms, bathrooms
and a kitchenette
Maximum height. Refer to the City Plan Large garden
Large louvres absorption areas
for ventilation

on ground floor OUTLINE OF
EXISTING HOUSE
KITCHENETTE
BEDROOM
FFL CARPORT RUMPUS PATIO

DFL
Install high Use water- Create large Permeable patio Raised fence
shelves resistant wall and openings on to absorb and with permeable
floor finishes lower level slow the flow screen
of water underneath
Street elevation
Swales allow water to be Friable topsoil Permeable carport Partially permeable

diverted away from dwellings sloped towards walls and doors fencing over swales
swales and for water to allow water to
Detailed design to be in rain gardens flow through channel through
accordance with approved without build up
drainage plans for the site
19
3.3
New detached dwelling
This flood resilient canal house on a gently sloping site illustrates how you can have a flood resilient house that still sits low
in the streetscape. The ground floor is designed to achieve resilience, with a refuge zone at the second storey above. In this
scenario, the source of flooding comes from the canal.
Addition of second
storey above flood level
for bedrooms, bathrooms Raised fence with
and a kitchenette permeable screen
underneath*
Rain gardens Single-skin walls

with friable soil
Permeable
driveway to
absorb and slow Planted swales allow
flow of water water to be diverted
away from dwellings
*All fences within a waterway setback area are required to be at least 50% permeable. This includes
waterfront fences, side boundary fences and any internal fences including pool fences.
20
Cross section
Addition of second storey

above flood level for
Raised fence with Use water-
bedrooms, bathrooms and
permeable screen Use solid-core resistant wall and Use stairs with a kitchenette
underneath doors floor finishes open risers
Low voltage
garden lighting
Maximum height. Refer to the City Plan
Flood resilient
design on MASTER BED ENSUITE KITCHEN BEDROOM
ground floor
GARAGE LDY RUMPUS

FFL
DFL
Install high Single-skin walls Create a concrete Installed flush

shelves blinding layer to thresholds
prevent scouring
Street elevation
Partially permeable fencing Topsoil sloped

allows water to channel towards swales and
through without build up rain gardens
21
3.4
Dual occupancy front-back configuration
This dual occupancy front-back configuration minimises typical impervious surfaces taken up by driveways by placing both
carports at the front, allowing more space for gardens and lawns to absorb water. Both dwellings have a resilient ground floor
and a second storey for refuge.
Large garden
absorption areas
with deep friable soil Planted swales allow
water to be diverted
away from dwellings
Addition of second
for bedrooms, bathrooms
and a kitchenette
Permeable
driveway to
absorb and slow
flow of water
Permeable Single-skin walls with

carport doors water-resistant framing
22
Cross section
Design Use stairs with Garden beds help
internal voids open risers slow, filter and
collect water
Install high
shelves Addition of second
for bedrooms, bathrooms
and a kitchenette
Maximum height. Refer to the City Plan Flood resilient

design on
ground floor
K’NETTE BEDROOM BATH

GARDEN
CARPORT
LIVING KITCHEN
FFL
DFL
Create large Install flood Permeable patio Use water-

openings on the resilient to absorb and resistant wall and
lower level cabinetry slow the flow floor finishes
of water
Street elevation Use flood resilient Sufficient setbacks

trees and plants between houses allow for
the movement of water
Swales to enable drainage of Terraced plinths allow

low level flood waters away from for a higher ground floor
dwellings. Detailed design to be level while maintaining a
in accordance with approved low streetscape
drainage plans for the site
23
3.5
Dual occupancy side-by-side configuration
New build
This dual occupancy side by side configuration has a central two-storey covered external foyer space to quickly dry after a flood
through ventilation. Both dwellings have a resilient ground floor and a refuge zone at the second storey.
In this scenario, the ground floor level is raised to meet the freeboard level, with its scale reduced through the use of shallow
stairs and landscape features.
Addition of second Single-skin

storey above flood walls with water-
level for bedrooms, resistant framing
bathrooms and
a kitchenette
Planted swales
allow water to
be diverted away Rain gardens
from dwellings with friable soil
Raised fence with

permeable screen
underneath
24
Cross section
Single-skin Raised fence with
Use water-resistant Design walls with water- permeable screen
wall and floor finishes internal voids resistant framing underneath
STREET ELEVATION
Addition of second
storey above flood
PRELIMINA
5
level for bedrooms,
SK-03
bathrooms and a
RY
kitchenette
2
Maximum height. Refer to the City Plan
DRAWING
DRAWING
Habitable wet flood
0
1:200
proofed spaces
Large screens designed with flood
for ventilation resilient strategies on
ground floor
FFL
DFL
Add weep Create a Create large

holes to sub- concrete openings on
floor spaces blinding layer lower level
Street elevation
Sufficient setbacks
between houses allow for
the movement of water
Swales allow for low level flood waters Permeable screen Raised fence with
to be diverted away from dwellings to carport doors permeable screen
Detailed design to be in accordance underneath
with approved drainage plans for the site
25
3.6
Flood resilient design checklist
In the yard
Create a swale
Swales (or bioswales) are a landscape feature and can be used to redirect flood
water away from a dwelling. Planted swales are relatively inexpensive and can be
aesthetically pleasing. The design and location of swales should complement and
support existing stormwater drainage plans for the site.
Note: consult a landscape architect.
Create a rain garden system

Similarly to swales, rain gardens collect water and are vegetated with water plants
and help slow, filter and collect flood water.
Increase garden absorption area with deep friable topsoil/mulch

Increasing the garden areas of your property with flood resilient planting help filter
and slow flood waters. Shaping lawn areas so they have a minimum fall of 1:50
towards gardens and swales help with directing water away from the dwelling.
Deep friable top soils are recommended for a greater collection of water and
healthy growth of plants and collection.
Replace solid fences and screening with permeable fences

Reduce flood damage to fences by ensuring the fence is water permeable and
made of a resilient material. If privacy or noise is a concern, fences should be
permeable up to a height that allows water to flow through with ease, and then
solid above that point. Some suggested screening materials include: aluminium,
composite timber, hardwood timber, and recycled plastic palings.
Increase pervious surface areas

Use pervious paving materials and/or remove any unnecessary hard surfaces to
allow ground to absorb water. Ensure materials used do not clog or reduce the
capacity of existing stormwater infrastructure.
Note: consult a Registered Professional Engineer Queensland (RPEQ) structural
engineer if there are expansive soils and/or if close to dwelling.
Relocate or replace garden structures that block natural flow paths

Strategically place garden structures to help in maintaining existing flow paths
to reduce adverse impacts on neighbouring properties. Make garden structures
permeable so that they do not block the natural flow of water and restrict the use of
retaining walls that could act as barriers.
Note: consult a landscape architect for recommendations.
26
Power and plumbing
Elevate external services such as air conditioning units, hot water

units, and electrical meter boards
Ensure air conditioner condensers, hot water units, electrical meter
boards and all other services are installed and raised to keep utilities
functioning and minimise repairs caused by flood.
Anchor external structures, such as rainwater tanks and sheds

Floods have the ability to uplift structures such as rainwwater tanks and
sweep them downstream toward other properties potentially causing
serious damage. Fixing them onto concrete slabs keeps them in place
during heavy floods.
Install separate circuits on the lower and upper levels

Installing separate circuits to each storey allows electricity to run on the
upper level if the lower level circuit cuts off.
Elevate powerpoints
Ensure the power-points, data points and all other electrical services
are installed and raised to prevent power outages and faults and allow
provision for safety cut-off switches.
Elevate appliances
Stand-alone appliances such as washing machines and dryers can be
easily removed and raised onto water resistant benches or wall brackets
to keep them from getting damaged during a flood. G OL D C OA S T F LO OD R ES IL IE NT D ES I GN G UI D ELI N E
Elevate pool pumps and/or power systems

Pool pumps are often very costly to repair, and flooding of the electrical
components can be the cause of their breakdown and can also affect
other electrical equipment on a property. It is highly recommended to
raise pool pumps above the defined flood level. At a minimum, just raise
power systems above the defined flood level.
Use low voltage garden lighting

Using low voltage garden lighting and minimising any 240 volt cabling
within garden areas will help mitigate any serious electrical issues.
27
The house
Use single-skin walls rather than cavity walls

Walls with cavities such as brick veneer and typical plasterboard stud walls
are prone to trapping water within the wall linings, damaging the framing
and forming mould. When replacing or building new walls, single-skin are
highly recommended. Refer to the QRA’s ‘Flood Resilient Building Guidance
for Queensland Homes’ for a full list of single skin wall-types and how to
best retro-fit existing cavity walls.
Replace loose-fill insulation with rigid insulation

Loose-fill insulation such as batts found in wall cavities absorb a great deal
of moisture and must be replaced after a flood to avoid mould.
Replace loose-fill insulation with rigid or closed-cell such as extruded
polystyrene insulation as it is water-resistant and helps to fill the gap in a
typical cavity wall.
Use water resistant wall and floor finishes

Treating the wall finishes of levels that are likely to be flooded is highly
recommended. This means using fibre cement walls instead of plasterboard,
water-resistant wall and floor finishes such as tiles or polished concrete
instead of carpet. If a timber floor is desired, ensure it is a hardwood floor.
Refer to the flood resilient materials table and water-proofing details in the
QRA ‘Flood Resilient Building Guidance for Queensland Homes’.
Use water resistant framing

When building framed walls, it is not recommended to use softwoods such
as pine as it is prone to rot and mould after inundation and can decay
quickly. It is recommended to build with higher performance water-resistant
wall framing materials such as hardwoods or steel.
Create a concrete blinding layer on the undercroft of the house

A concrete blinding layer is a thin layer of concrete which can be added
to the undercroft space of a house to allow for easy clean out after a flood
event. This seals the underlying material and prevents dirt and mud from
interfering with the structure of the house.
Add weep holes and air vents in sub-floor spaces for drying out
Installing additional air vents will allow sub-floor areas and garages to
quickly dry out after a flood. Weep holes are similarly useful for both
allowing more water to escape whilst also acting as vents to dry out
spaces. It is important to clean out any blocked weep holes.
Design without cavities or voids under stairs

To enable an easy post-flood clean-out, stairs should be designed to limit
inaccessible areas such as cavities or voids below them. Stairs with open risers
(not closed in) made with water resistant materials will quickly dry out after a
flood. Bolt-fixed removable treads made of water resistant materials are also
an option if removable treads are desired. Alternatively, stairs up to the defined
flood level can be made from solid concrete with no cavity underneath.
28
Install water-resistant cabinetry

Cabinetry is often the most expensive element in a household to replace
after a flood event. This can be avoided by raising cabinetry off the floor,
using flood resilient cabinetry materials, and designing removable cabinets.
Refer to the flood resilient materials table and water-proofing details in the
QRA ‘Flood Resilient Building Guidance for Queensland Homes’.
Add raised and water-resistant shelves for storage during

a flood event
Use stainless steel or other water-resistant shelving to place belongings
above the flood level in preparation of a flood event. Alternatively, install
high shelves to relocate belongings above the defined flood level.
Use solid core doors instead of hollow core doors

Avoid the use of hollow core doors to mitigate damage and limit mould
growth after a flood event. As an alternative, use timber, aluminium or
glass doors.
Install flush thresholds in doorways, external pavements and

garden edges
Small steps and sills are often the cause of a small layer of water
remaining inside of a house, complicating the clean up process after
a flood event. Limit the thresholds which obstruct the drainage and
discharge of flood waters from the interior and install flush thresholds
recessed into a concrete floor.
Install corrosion resistant door and window hardware

Install corrosion resistant door and window hardware so these do not
need to be repaired or replaced following a flood event.
Design internal voids and elevated storage spaces

Internal voids and elevated storage spaces above the defined flood level
can be used to relocate house contents out of the way of waters before a
flood. Spaces such as a mezzanine or roof space intended for such use
need to be designed for appropriate imposed loads.
Create large openings on the ground floor

Having only few small openings on a ground floor makes it difficult for
water entering a house to escape, trapping water inside and taking
longer to dry after a flood event. By having large openings, water
can flow out quickly, reducing pressure on walls and providing more
ventilation to dry out after a flood.
29
3.7
Flood resilient materials matrix
Identify which of the following non flood resilient materials (shown in the middle column) are present in your home and where
possible, replace with flood resilient materials (shown in the right hand column).
NON FLOOD RESILIENT FLOOD RESILIENT

BUILDING ELEMENT
MATERIALS MATERIALS
External ground cover - Concrete - Grass

(Increase permeable surfaces) - Mulch, deep friable soil
- Permeable concrete
- Permeable paving
- Gravel, stones
Fencing - Pine and other softwoods - Hardwood timber fencing

(Create openings for water to flow - Composite timber fencing
through and construct from resilient - PVC fencing
materials)
- Metal fencing
Wall construction - Wall with cavities - Single skin stud walls

(Where possible, replace cavity walls - Single skin brick walls
with single skin walls) - Solid block walls
- Off-form concrete walls
Wall framing - Pine - Hardwood

(Where possible, replace - Steel
non resilient materials with
flood resilient materials)
Internal wall linings - Plasterboard - FC (fibre cement sheeting)

(Where possible, replace - Panelling made from pine or - Villaboard
non resilient materials with other softwoods - Tiles
- MDF (medium-density fibreboard) - Hardwood panelling
- Metal
- Polycarbonate/translucent
sheeting
- Marine grade/moisture-resistant
plywood
Internal flooring - Carpet - Polished concrete

(Where possible, replace - Floating timber floors - Tiles
non resilient materials with - Vinyl on a non resilient substrate - Hardwood flooring on a flood
- Cork resilient substrate
- Rubber/vinyl/marmoleum on a
flood resilient substrate
30
NON FLOOD RESILIENT FLOOD RESILIENT

BUILDING ELEMENT
MATERIALS MATERIALS
Internal floor substrate - MDF - FC (fibre cement sheeting)

(Where possible, replace - Particle board (yellow tongue
non resilient materials with sheet flooring)
- Low grade, non-marine plywood
Insulation - Wool and fibre cement batts - XPS (rigid) insulation

(Eliminate wall cavities by replacing - Other spray products - Closed cell flexible
loose fill insulation sheet insulation
with rigid insulation)
- Sprayed polyeurethane foam
Doors and windows - Hollow core doors - Solid core doors (wet proofing)
(Replace cavity doors) - Flood doors (dry proofing)
Cabinetry frame - Particle board - Compact laminate

(Where possible, replace - MDF panels - Acrylic solid surface
non resilient materials with - Marine grade ply
- Composite timber panels
- Stainless steel frame (open)
Cabinetry benchtops - Laminate - Acrylic solid surface

(Where possible, replace - Particle board - Marine grade ply
non resilient materials with - MDF - Stone
flood resilient materials) - Composite stone
- Stainless steel
Grout - Cementitious grout - Semi-epoxy grout

(When retiling, use a flood - Epoxy grout
resilient grout) - Polymer resin grout
31
APPENDIX A – RESOURCES
QFES – Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

qfes.qld.gov.au/
qfes.qld.gov.au/contact-us/find-us
132 500
Disaster Management
disaster.qld.gov.au
City of Gold Coast

goldcoast.qld.gov.au
1300 GOLDCOAST (1300 466 326)
City – Planning Enquiries Centre

goldcoast.qld.gov.au/Planning-building/Planning-building-enquiries
07 5582 8708
City – Emergencies, disasters and outages

goldcoast.qld.gov.au/Services/Emergencies-disasters-outages
Queensland Reconstruction Authority’s Flood Building

Guidance for Queensland Homes
qra.qld.gov.au/resilient-homes/flood-resilient-building-guidance-
queensland-homes
Emergency
000
For life threatening, critical
or serious situations only
32
33
For more information about the guidelines or the Office of Architecture and
Heritage, visit cityofgoldcoast.com.au/urbandesign
23-EPE-00310

P3 Flood Resilient Guide

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

P3 Flood Resilient Guide

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GOLD COAST

Prepared by City of Gold Coast in conjunction with JDA.

For the most current information, please refer to www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au

Part 2 – Understanding flood risk 8

Part 3 – Flood resilient dwellings 12

What type of dwelling do you want to build?

Detached dwelling Dual occupancy front–back Dual occupancy side by side

Refer to example on page 20 Refer to example o

Renovations and additions

Evaluate the resilience of

YES Is your home raised above ground? NO

Option 1 Option 2 Option 1 Option 2

Consider using the design. Refer to area using flood resilient

Building Guidance for QLD Homes

Flood terminology for the purpose of this guideline

One of the largest flood The city has over 400 km

MAP KEY CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

City Plan Flood overlay code and map

Figure 1: Flood risk awareness map

Rain gardens help collect,

Front and rear setbacks

Minimise impervious surfaces and building Setbacks between properties create a

Finished Floor Level

There are a number of ways to design flood resilient dwellings, as follows:

Note: City’s policy for shelter in place

An example of a typical flood resilient dwelling

Large openings for

Swales along property When designing pools,

Ensure all external services

Flood resilient design

Open living and dining

Terraced entrance with Reduce impervious surfaces

BEDROOM 1 ENSUITE BEDROOM 2 BATH BEDROOM 3

WIR Habitable spaces well

Habitable spaces well above

Void for raising

Single skin walls Large openings Raised floor

This involves letting the water in and out of the house

Flood resilient design

Non-habitable spaces with

Storm water tank

Flood resilient spaces examples

Raised ground floor

Permeable fences and screens

Hardwood stairs Impervious floors and single-skin walls

Common problems from flooding

Mould and rot Lining disintegration G OL D C OA S T F LO OD R ES IL IE NT D ES I GN G UI D ELI N E

Swelling of cabinetry Malfunctioning services

Raised fence with

Planted swales allow

Low voltage Use stairs with

Flood resilient design

FFL CARPORT RUMPUS PATIO

Swales allow water to be Friable topsoil Permeable carport Partially permeable

Rain gardens Single-skin walls

Addition of second storey

GARAGE LDY RUMPUS

Install high Single-skin walls Create a concrete Installed flush

Partially permeable fencing Topsoil sloped

Permeable Single-skin walls with

Maximum height. Refer to the City Plan Flood resilient

K’NETTE BEDROOM BATH

Create large Install flood Permeable patio Use water-

Part 2 – Understanding flood risk 8

Part 3 – Flood resilient dwellings 12