Practical ways to make your home flood resilient

If your home needs repairs after a flood, there are practical steps you can take now to reduce damage next time.

Repairing your home after a flood can be overwhelming but it’s also a chance to build back stronger.

By making practical changes during repairs, you can reduce the impact of future floods on your home and help your family get back home sooner.

This approach is called flood resilience.

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Start here: actions that make a difference

An effective strategy is called wetproofing. This means using materials and building techniques that can handle water exposure with less damage and easier clean-up.

Here are some practical examples:

Raise your electrical switchboard, power points, and appliances as high as practical to minimise inundation
Use removable skirting boards and wall-hung cabinetry made from water-resistant materials
Replace flooring, wall linings, and stair treads with flood-resilient materials
Swap out loose insulation for rigid insulation boards
Replace cavity sliding doors with swing or wall-mounted sliding doors
Install a freestanding bathtub
Use solid timber doors instead of hollow-core ones.

These changes can make a difference in how your home weathers the next storm.

For more ideas and information, read the flood resilient home repairs fact sheet (PDF 126.33KB).

Planning your repairs: what to keep in mind

Take photos of the damage—this helps with planning and insurance
Hire qualified tradespeople—especially for electrical and plumbing work
Keep receipts for all materials and work—this helps track costs and supports warranty claims

Flood-resilient materials

Here are some examples of resilient materials:

Compacted laminate
Concrete
Fibre cement sheeting
Hardwood
Marine-grade plywood
Rigid insulation board
Solid timber doors
Steel
Tiles with epoxy grout
Waterproof vinyl plank
Wood plastic composite

For a full list and more ideas, check out the Flood Resilient Design Guide.

Raising your home

In some cases, raising your home to or above your local council’s Flood Planning Level can be a suitable option. This involves strengthening the home’s footings, posts, and slabs to withstand the flow of floodwaters.

It’s a bigger project, but it may be suitable depending on your location and flood risk, as well as the type of home.

Do you need council approval?

Minor repairs using flood-resilient materials generally don’t need development approval.
Major works, like raising your home, do require approval.

Contact your local council and check the NSW Department of Planning and Environment website for the latest guidelines to check the relevant requirements in your local area.

Need more help?

You’re not alone. Reach out to your local council, community recovery services, or visit the Flood Resilient Design Guide for more detailed support.

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