If your residential or commercial building was impacted by the February and March 2022 and/or June and July 2022 floods, you can register to have a building assessment carried out by certified inspectors.
Key information
- Status: Ongoing
- Grant amount: Property assessment cost
- Application opened: 1 June 2022
Program objective
This opt-in program can provide you with a free, detailed assessment report, including a comprehensive scope of repair works and an estimate of repair costs.
After receiving your report, you are in control of what happens next.
The assessment report is only provided to you and is not available to council, insurers or the general public. However, you can provide the report to your insurer or builder to assist with planning repairs or rebuilding.
If you decide that demolishing your building is the best option for you, then the program can also provide this service for free.
Participation in the Flood Property Assessment Program will not affect eligibility for any future buyback, raising or refit.
This program is funded and administered by Department of Regional NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
You are eligible to register for the program if your damaged building is located in 1 of the local government areas impacted by the flood events in February and March 2022 or June and July 2022.
Building types that are eligible
Building types eligible under the Flood Property Assessment Program include:
- residential buildings (where the residence has been affected by flood water)
- farm homesteads and rural buildings
- buildings on commercial properties used for primary business operation including shops and tourism-related businesses, owned by small businesses or primary producers.
Building types that are excluded
Building types that will not be eligible under the program include:
- anything not within the property boundary unless required to safely access the property for demolition works
- trees (except where trees and stumps are identified as flood affected and present an obstacle or safety impact to carry out clean-up of eligible destroyed or damaged building structures on the property)
- landscaping, retaining walls and driveways
- in-ground swimming pools, spas and associated pool deck and pool fencing
- irrigation pumps and equipment
- tennis courts, basketball courts and other private sport facilities
- fences not in the vicinity of destroyed or damaged buildings except where required to safely undertake clean-up works
- rural fences
- septic tanks, unless they present a safety issue. Nature of the works to remove or make safe will be subject to individual on site assessments
- private power poles and bridges
- tyre dumps
- private museums / collections that require storage outside the primary residence
- state or national listed Heritage buildings or properties – until such time that appropriate consideration is given to treatment of any remaining or intact
- buildings where flood damage has already been repaired.
What your application needs to include
You can find more information on the Flood Property Assessment Program.
Prepare your application with this checklist
What you need
- your name and contact number
- the name and contact number for the person who needs assistance (if you're applying on behalf of someone else)
- the address of the impacted property
- the property’s use (home, apartment, business, primary production).
What happens during the building inspection
Your building inspection will be conducted by a certified assessor who will assess the condition of your building and extent of the damage, but also look for other risks such as mould or asbestos.
Nothing will be actioned or decided during this inspection – it is simply the first step in the process.
In some cases, initial inspections may reveal further expertise is needed to make an accurate assessment of your building, such as a structural engineer, which can be arranged with you to occur at a later date.
Can I attend the inspection?
Yes. It's not essential, but we encourage you to attend your building inspection.
The inspection can be a difficult process and you might decide to bring a support person with you.
Where possible, case managers can arrange for a support person to be present during the inspection or connect you with additional support services following your inspection.
How to register
- Check you meet the eligibility criteria.
- Email your interest to Public Works at fpap@pwa.nsw.gov.au
Once you've emailed public works and we've confirmed your eligibility, you’ll be contacted by a Flood Property Assessment Program team member to carry out an initial property assessment.
If you have already received an assessment, you will not be entitled to another one.
After the application is submitted
More information
- Your case manager will contact you to discuss a suitable time to assess your property.
- For more information about the program, visit Flood Property Assessment Program frequently asked questions page.