Step 1

1. How to talk to your insurance company with regard to floor levels, and what questions you need to ask them Simple answer; They are interested in reducing their liability through the least cost to them, this does not involve raising floor levels unless they are legally required to do so.

2. Step 1 • Identify the calculated average ground level for YOUR property from the CCC website http://www.ccc.govt.nz/homeliving/buildingplanning/floorlevels/index.aspx • Compare this with the calculated height for flooding levels to identify if your property is at risk of flooding. • The calculated height for a 1 in 50 year flood in Southshore is approx 11.41m above Christchurch City Datum and 11.46 for a 1 in 200 year event. • North of Bridge St the 1 in 50 year flood height is estimated lower between 10.7 and 11m respectively.

3. Sources for following information • CCC Planner Patrick Schofield, Nathan O’Connell • Insurance – Rene Walker, IAG. John McSweeney, Southern Response. David Ash, Tower. John Bechel?, Lumley. • Malcolm Macmillan, Department of Building and Housing. • Hugo Kristinsson, TC3 Residents group, SBRA.

4. What stage of the process are you at? Assessment/ Apportionment Building Work If Project Managed you will have signed to permit them to act as your agent. (owners rights) Insist upon building consent where necessary Invite insurance to assess EQC work to ensure eligibility for future insurance Do not sign off work without absolute satisfaction that floors are level. Negotiation • Completed by EQC or Insurers depending on if over cap. • Geotech investigation required on TC3 if foundations damaged. • Under Cap can mean over $100k damage but split between claims. • If you believe you have significant foundation damage, undercap could mean that EQC has UNDER estimated the damage. • An independent structural report may identify additional damage which may push you over cap. • What is the motivation of your insurer or project managers? • Advice from CCC to privately hire engineer and or QS. • Potential of $100K’s vs cost of lawyer at $1k’s • Have a support person at meetings if not a legal representation or a builder/engineer • Advice from CCC planning dept – check that insurance will be continued if raised to 1-50 or 1-200 year event

5. Who is managing your claim? EQC Private Insurer You will negotiate with appointed Project Managers Comment from insurers; if your property repeatedly floods they will refuse flood liability, raise excess or completely refuse insurance Have a higher repair/replacement standard than EQC Advice from Insurers for homeowners in FMA; Go with Insurance Managed Repairs, check building consent requirements and consider the risks of opting out/cash settlement. • You will negotiate solution with Fletchers • Your claim is under cap or in over $100k and has been apportioned between several events. • Consider an Engineers report to ensure that the assessment is correct that your foundations are not structurally damaged • Get the insurance company to undersign the repairs and confirm they will insure in the future is one of the better strategies.

6. What Land Zone is your property on? TC2 TC3 If you believe that the damage to your foundations have been UNDER VALUED you may be eligible for RED CROSS support to commission an engineers report on your land. Each TC3 site needs to have its own geotechnical investigation. Engineers will use this information to design specific foundations for your home. In this area deep piles are not practical. Early indications are that lightweight house, wooden floor on piles sitting on lightweight Firth Slab is possible solution. • This land is estimated as being more resilient to future earthquakes and does not require specific earthquake strengthened foundations. • You are still at risk of flooding (check your ground height) • You can use standard timber-piled foundations for houses, with lightweight cladding and roofing and suspended timber floors or enhanced concrete foundations.

7. What sort of damage do you have? Minor Major Cracking in ring foundation >5mm Lateral stretch > 20mm Pile tilt > 15mm per 1metre height Sunk >50mm and Slope > 1 in 200 between any two points >2m apart BUT measure from council for consent req is percentage damage opposite. • Repairing Minor damage does not require building consent and therefore does not trigger a legal requirement to raise floors • Cracks in concrete can be sealed with resin, Piles can be straightened. • Floors can be jacked and packed to a maximum of 100mm • Definitions of damage can be found in the Dept of Building and Housing guide at http://www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Building/Guidance-information • 20% damage to Piles • 49% damage to slabs • Minor repairs will not result in a Hazard Assessment undertaken on property.

8. What type of foundation do you have? Timber Frame and Piles Brick/Block on Concrete Slab House cannot be lifted, if major repair to foundations will result in complete house rebuild at new FFL. Minor repair will stay at existing level. Timber Frame on Concrete Slab • Minor repair - House can be lifted/jacked. Concrete slab repaired, cracks sealed. • It maybe suggested to you that damage to your foundations was pre-existing. • Concrete slab could be releveled but will not be raised. • Major repair would involve the demolition of slab, removal and new foundation to 50 year FFL. • Minor repair - House can be lifted/jacked and piles straightened, ring foundation jacked and packed up to 100mm. • If major repair on foundations new FFL could be upto 1m higher than current. • Raising ground level around property =1.8m width is necessary to avoid Hazard notice. Same for all foundation options

9. Existing Use Rights Existing Use Rights Applied Not Applied A rebuild will require resource consent and will therefore be required to be raised to full CCC FFL – 11.8m • FFL must be raised to 1 in 50 year FFL • Upto 25m2 can be added to footprint of building. • Building can be moved or re-aligned on the section.

10. What is the solution suggested for your home? Repair Rebuild New house will be raised. A rebuild will require building consent in the least even if the Existing Use Rights are utilised. If through raising the house new non-compliance is created, resource consent will be required and the higher FFL will be necessary. A hazard assessment will be completed on property. 1.8m around house must be raised to avoid hazard notice see opposite. • Possible that repairs will be made without raising the level of the property. • Could be a new raised foundation with existing house lifted and replaced. • Damage indicated in the DBH guidelines does not necessarily trigger the need for consent. • http://www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Building/Guidance-information • Owners decision or the owners agents to apply for building consent. • Council set the amount of damage necessary to require consent – > 20% damage to piles or >49% damage to slab. • If consented - 1.8m around house must be raised through piles or land remediation to avoid hazard notice

11. Advice from MBIE (formerly Dept. Building and Housing)

12. Summary • Check your ground level • Check the amount of damage to foundations • Insist upon building consent • Familiarise yourself with Hazard Risk and the additional design necessary to avoid Hazard notice on Property. • Consider a second opinion if; • Foundations are deemed repairable • You are told the repairs do not require building consent