Building it back better
“IT’S ABOUT GETTING SOMETHING THAT’S A BIT MORE RESILIENT OR A PRODUCT YOU CAN JUST HOSE DOWN.”
IN A perfect world, every house in Queensland would be built to withstand severe storms and cyclones with reinforced roofs, safety glass and secure garages and carports.
Although some progress has been made in recent years, there is still a long way to go.
Under the National Construction Code, high standards are required of new buildings, allowing for variations in climate and geographic conditions.
Building height from the ground, materials, bracing and reinforcements must all meet specific requirements and pass mandatory inspections throughout the construction process.
But the same standards are not required of existing properties, unless major renovations are undertaken that warrant a new building approval.
Queensland Master Builders Association manager for housing services Phil Breeze said the inconsistencies did not help to create a safer community.
“Even if you do have a new home built to the current standard, the property is still at risk in a storm from flying debris from older properties that are not built to the same standard,” Mr Breeze said.
“When more people upgrade their dwellings to current requirements there’s a whole lot of knock-on benefits.” He said as a “general rule”, owners who were upgrading ought to upgrade to current requirements.
“There’s legislation that requires you to do that and it’s incumbent on contractors who come to quote on homes,” Mr Breeze said.
“Builders have a lot of knowledge to impart on this subject and consumers should keep in mind that it’s not just about price.
“It’s about getting something that’s a bit more resilient or a product you can just hose down.”
Savings can be made as a result of upgrading the construction standard of a home, with insurers like Suncorp offering discounts on premiums in recognition of the greater resilience.
Suncorp’s head of consumer portfolio Julian Benton said they also offered low interest rate loans to Queenslanders for building works that help to “cyclone-proof” their properties.
“It’s been a focus of ours a while, looking at how we can help people manage the risk, particularly in north Queensland,” Mr Benton said. “The other side of it is through insurance. We offer discounts of up to 20 per cent to customers who improve the resilience of their homes.”
He said it was often the “simple stuff ” that could make a huge difference – not just to people’s own properties but the properties around them and the broader community.
“The range of things that people can do is fairly wide, from clearing potential missiles from the garden to strengthening the roof,” he said.
“That can mean making sure the roof covering is fully intact and the underneath is tied down appropriately.
“A lot of damage comes from blowing in roller doors, so bracing can help, and reinforcements for garden sheds to stop them getting airborne and causing damage.”
Queensland executive director of the Property Council of Australia Chris Mountford said risk factors associated with storms and flooding were taken into consideration in new developments.
“Changes to the building code are reflected if there is something being built in a floodprone area,” Mr Mountford said.
“The materials used, for example, are more resilient and if it’s a large development a lot of site work is done to ensure any risk is mitigated.
“An awful lot of time, energy and effort goes into identifying what those risks are, and making sure the developer responds to those risks.”