Up Front by Emma Hart

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Up Front: Floodland

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  • Hebe, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Serious. The CCC and CDEM have met this morning. Here's the link; make of it what you will:
    http://ccc.govt.nz/thecouncil/newsmedia/mediareleases/2014/201403131.aspx

    Right on cue an epic Ecan fail. During this morning's meeting -- trying to avert a replay of last week's flooding during the forecast torrential rain and gales for this weekend -- Ecan warns it will be checking your chimney. With technology. Fuck is not sweary enough.

    http://www.rebuildchristchurch.co.nz/blog/2014/3/focus-on-older-wood-burners-this-winter

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The MetVUW forecast chart for 1pm Sunday. Shit. Please stay safe, my friends.

    Fuckkity fuck fuck.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Fingers crossed it’s not as bad as predicted, although then it’d be worry wasted, so no winners :(
    I blame the Governors Bay Community Assoc for scheduling the community fete on Sunday 16th. They have a track record for picking bad weather, but never this bad.

    Also: ECan can shove their regulatory powers up their own log-burners. When we get to vote, you get to regulate. Legal power maybe but no moral power. at. all.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    I blame the Governors Bay Community Assoc for scheduling the community fete on Sunday 16th.

    Next time please let me know as soon as the date is set.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    If it wasn't likely to cause hardship to other people, I could find myself hoping for enough rain to flood our house again. We're not planning on going back and I can't help wondering if a few more floods would help council and insurance hurry that along.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,

    Thinking like that is completely understandable Isabel. If the storms last week and this had not happened, there would be no urgency from the council staff, government and insurers to find an acceptable solution.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    This piece is a huge relief for us. John McCrone is finally able to pull all the threads together to make a sensible whole of all the confusing-to-a-non-professional details on quake house repairs, consents, flood zones, consents, strategies, what's permissible, what's not. [For some reason it is in the business section rather than features.]

    It means that 55,000 houses already repaired under "don't worry; we'll sort it" (quote from our PMO when asked about foundation repair and how it could be scoped when no-one had gone under the house to look) are repaired unconsented. My understanding is that consent is needed for 20pc foundation repairs - not 50pc.
    and very possibly unable to pass a building inspection for subsequent sale.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/9856205/Quake-repairs-Can-we-trust-insurers?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    I meant to say "a good proportion of the 55,000 EQR [Fletchers] repairs": that is all those with foundation damage -- of which I don't know the figures -- it is a common form of damage on this side of town,

    Suffice to say: if you're buying in Christchurch, get a thorough building inspection done, especially sub-floor.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Hebe,

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Lilith __,

    That’s an interesting and rather terrifying article.

    John McCrone did a great job putting everyone's point of view.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Moz, in reply to Hebe,

    Suffice to say: if you're buying in Christchurch, get a thorough building inspection done, especially sub-floor.

    Download and watch some "Holmes Inspection" the Canadian TV series. Their foundation problems are normally in-ground basements with frost issues, but the general picture that you have to do a bit of research into what to expect from a home inspector and how the sort of house you're looking at usually fails is there. I'd really like something like that here.

    In Australia the real estate industry gets around that problem by focussing on auction sales and not allowing independent inspections before the auction. Afterwards... well, you already agreed to buy it at that price, and you can't bid "subject to inspection".

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Hill,

    I own a house in the flood zone and don't trust the Council to do anything about their drainage problem that is affecting us rate payers in such a serious way. I hear wind of a meeting for affected parties in the area but have not received any information. Can anyone assist. Cheers. Geoff Hill

    Since Mar 2014 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Geoff Hill,

    Go to one of the natural hazards meetings about the district plan (see CCC website) and ask. What area? Flockton plans seem to be well under way; Heathcote River area zilch that I know of.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    We may need to re-think some parts the city.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Interesting; thanks Rob. So many layers to this.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    We may need to re-think some parts the city.

    The creeks near us (Dudley and others) are already over their banks today, and that's just steady rain, nothing torrential... it won't take much more to go wide.

    Why they don't see this coming is beyond me, the vast alluvial Canterbury Plains were laid down by the ongoing coast building processes (braided rivers ) once you stop that happening in an area (ie a built environment/city) it must compact, and then subtract silt and 'liquefacted' solids in suspension, voila further slumping, before ya know the whole city is in a hole!
    (which explains why archaeology always requires digging...)

    Back in the '90s I laid out a series of secondary school text books on Natural Hazards in New Zealand (for Action Publications) - they clearly listed Canterbury as a very high earthquake risk and laid out the inevitable flood problems - I assume someone up the foodchain put it all in the 'too hard' or 'someone else's problem' basket!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

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