Mine is a rendered brick veneer, brick on slab. Flooded in 2022, a complete strip-out made it necessary for me to move out. -for 2 years.
After much hassle with insurance, costing the rebuild 'like for like', I did not wish to rebuild with the same materials and have to go through the complete strip out again when the next flood hits. The builder assigned to the job was a local, but he was not willing to use materials I required for flood resilience. I spent quite a lot of time with him explaining why and what was needed, he seemed to agree, then refused to do the job , then said he would after-all. By that time, I was not confident that I would be listened to. I eventually settled with a cash payment.
5-6 big skips of building materials and flood damaged contents were taken 'away' - up the highway to an open- cut hole in the ground in QLD.
I secured a local builder, advanced him $20K for materials, agreed on charges weekly for labour and negotiations once materials budget ran out. He and I project managed, using guidelines of JD Architects for resilient retrofit .
With one young apprentices and one recently qualified chippy, they worked diligently, with initiative, problem solving, singing their way through the many varied jobs. The builder subcontracted specialist skills like waterproofing, plumbing and electrics.
The pine frame is painted twice with waterproof paint, wide skirting to allow clean-out, fibro wall linings, screws allow for removal with all panels labelled on back, all power outlets above dado rail, appliances are on steel frames 30cm above floor, bath is freestanding , (not in a mud/bacteria box), tiled used epoxy grout, 21 hollow-core doors were replaced with 7 solid timber doors, bookshelves elevated, kitchen custom made by a retired cabinet maker (cash only) we used Stylex (plastic beads, rice hulls & glues) totally waterproof (not merely resistant), on a steel frame, all cabinets on casters for easy removal to access all walls.
