Rebuilding after a Natural Disaster

If you have been involved in a natural disaster such as a flood, bushfire, cyclone or severe storm, Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) assists Queensland communities to recover from natural disasters by providing technical and general advice on a wide range of rebuilding issues.

QBCC, together with other organisations, has developed a number of fact sheets and publications, a full list of factsheets is available on the Queensland Building and Construction Commission website.

For other information about recovering after a flood including what support is available to you, please visit our Flood Recovery page.

Rebuilding After a Flood 

Home Owners Guide to Rebuilding after a Flood

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission has created a Home Owners Guide to Rebuilding after a Flood which outlines the below recommended steps to repair and restore houses after a flood event:

• Ensure initial safety at your property
• Lodge a claim with your insurance company
• Arrange clearance of flood debris from around the property
• Put measures in place to allow for the drying out process
• In conjunction with your insurer, consider repair and restoration options and processes
• Only use QBCC-licensed contractors for repair and restoration work.

It is important to remember that everyone’s situation is different. This information in the below guide is intended as general advice only for those affected by a flood event.

Home Owners Guide to Rebuilding After a Flood.

Contractor's Guide to Rebuilding After a Flood 

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission has created a Contrator's Guide to Rebuilding after a Flood to help with the aftermath of a flood. It deals with immediate issues, mid-term and long-term reinstatements and restoration.

A house is usually a person’s largest investment. There is often an emotional attachment to the house which needs to be taken into consideration during the restoration and repair process.

Immediate concerns of the home owner are often whether the damage is covered by insurance and whether or not to live in the property in the interim. This guideline relates to the restoration and repair work only.

Key steps to restoring a house after flood damage are as follows:

• All services must be made safe before any remedial work begins and particularly where occupancy is required before finishing work commences
• Flood debris should be cleared away as soon as possible so drying can start
• Plinths (kickers) should be removed from beneath kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow for proper drying
• If necessary plasterboard linings should be partially removed to allow walls to dry out
• Check for moisture content - no finishing work should be done until the moisture content of wall framing has dropped below 16 percent.

For more information, please download the guide below.

Contractor's Guide to Rebuilding After a Flood.