Flood Victims Raise The Roof............. And The Rest Of The House
The owner’s rationale is simple: “It is apparent to me that since 2003 the pattern of the River Thames flooding has increased in frequency and in levels. Even at its very earliest, there won’t be a flood relief scheme for a decade and I’m not refurbishing the house just for this to happen again.”
Despite a range of preventative measures, the lower floor was flooded inside for the first time in February 2014 and has been uninhabitable ever since. “Being flooded has an immeasurable emotional effect on the whole family so, as an engineer, I’m taking positive action to protect us in future.”
Getting On Top Of The Problem
After researching various options like waterproofing, building barriers or dams and consulting with the Environment Agency (EA) the decision was taken that the whole 5 bedroom house could be lifted out of future harm’s way.
Ironically, as part of any such project, the development is subject to a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) which only confirmed the home owner’s determination to proceed. The Environment Agency recommends that the proposed finished floor levels of properties should be above the 1 in 100 year with an allowance of 300mm for climate change flood level.
The Big Lift
The 8 week project of raising the house will be commissioned by a team of builders, a specialist heavy duty jacking system company and a construction engineer. Steel beams will be inserted under the ground floor into openings cut into the walls and several 25 ton hydraulic jacks connected to a central computer will monitor the lift with accuracy of several millimetres among them.
Once the weight of the house and the upwards force of the jacks has been equalised, the walls will be cut around the base and the lift will begin. When the entire structure has reached the desired level, the gap will be built in with blocks and bricks and the house will be lowered to rest at its new safe level.
Got A Camera?
TV broadcasters, photographers, or even students with an interest in the spectacle of a floating 5 bedroom home are invited to capture a time-lapse photo project of the raising. Please contact ThamesAwash below.
A Point Solution To A Much Wider Problem
ThamesAwash says that this is another, albeit extreme, way in which people’s lives and finances are adversely affected by the absence of an effective flood prevention scheme in Thames Valley. Many hundred home owners who were affected don’t have the means or resources to embark on such an ambitious project but are facing similar levels of financial, emotional and logistical turmoil and fear that all their reparations remain vulnerable to future weather events.
ThamesAwash
Flood pressure group ThamesAwash, which already represents nearly 3,000 people, is campaigning for a resolution to the £120m funding gap and an acceleration of the RTS, a series of channels and improvements from Datchet to Teddington, designed to reduce the risk of future River Thames flooding. It has been on the drawing board awaiting funding since 2003.
General press enquiries: press@thamesawash.com
Twitter: @ThamesAwash
www.ThamesAwash.com
Chris Bertram Chairman 07436 542200 chris@thamesawash.com
Gillie Bolton Press/Media 07779 662251 gillie@thamesawash.com