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Damage?

Your insurance company's Loss Adjuster or a structural engineer are the most appropriate people to identify structural damage to a building (see Who to contact). However damage may become apparent following a flood and you may need to re-contact your insurers. 

A structural assessment of the building can be made by:

• Checking roofs - roofs are a very good indicator of the presence of structural damage. Look at the ridge of the roof and assess whether it has changed - this should be viewed from a distance rather than close up.
• Checking the walls to verify that they are as before - this can normally be done by eye or with a spirit level.
• Looking for bulging or dislodged sections of the building fabric/structure.
• Looking for deep scouring which has led to the foundations being exposed.
• Checking for any new cracks bigger than 5mm (or 1/4 ") above doors or windows.

If any of these features are observed, a building professional must be called in to assess the property.

It is important to make regular checks for damage, at least once a day, as it may take a while for some damage to become apparent.

20 November 2002

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