How to build flood resilience in Brisbane
Your guide to preparing Brisbane buildings for flooding events. Resources and advice for residents, trade contractors and builders.
Have you been affected by the recent flooding event?
We recommend that you read our flood recovery and resilience resources. This has information on how residents, businesses and community clubs can get financial assistance, recovery support, clean up advice and information to build back better following the recent extreme weather event
What is flood resilience?
Flooding is a natural process and can occur anywhere. Our location on a floodplain, along with our sub-tropical climate and unique land features, mean that residents may experience flooding in their lifetime. As our climate changes we want to ensure our community remains safe by adapting and preparing for future flood events from all sources including river, creek, overland and coastal flooding.
In many cases it’s not possible to completely avoid flooding. Flood resilience means you can plan, prepare, respond and return to normal life with minimal disruption following flooding.
- Understand your flood risk – In order to prepare a home for floods, you first need to know what type of effect flood will have on the property.
- Build for resilience – Preparing your property to reduce the impact of flooding will allow you to get through a flood event with less damage and expense.
Understand your flood risk

It is important to understand the likelihood of flooding for your property and local area to help you prepare for and reduce the impact of flooding on your home or business. Ensure you have answered the below questions for your property.
Building flood resilience for homeowners

Now that you know how your property could be affected by flood, you can use that knowledge to work out your own flood resilience strategies.
Choosing flood resilient strategies
There are practical and affordable flood resilience techniques to help you prepare for and recover quickly from flooding events.
Some strategies include raising electrical outlets and hot water units, and using flood-resilient materials. Many recommended techniques already used in the Flood Resilient Homes Program can be found on the flood resilient design strategies overview.
Watch this video for simple flood resilient building and design strategies that require less time and investment:
Watch this video for advanced flood resilient building and design strategies if you’re building, renovating or thinking about it:
It is important to understand the risks that may exist in your home and surroundings after a flood so that you can stay safe while these strategies are being put into place. To do this, read the Flood Safety Fact Sheet.
Building flood resilience for trade contractors and builders

When working on a flood-prone property, you can adapt what you are currently doing to introduce the best flood-resilient techniques into your work.
Watch this video to learn techniques that will build flood resilience into your clients’ homes:
You can learn about flood-resilience strategies for different properties in this comprehensive Flood Resilience Building Guide. Alternatively, read the many recommended techniques that are already used in the Flood Resilient Homes Program here: Flood-resilience strategies.