Buying a home in a Calgary Flood Area

[taco.vidal]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

Thanks all for the detailed replies! I appreciate the insight and queries I should be asking myself.

One thing barley discussed in the replies is the AB Gov't Spring-bank dry dam, which is "approved" from a provincial level, however, the Federal government is still reviewing the plan. Who the heck knows if it will go through, and survive the next election as a great deal of Albertan's are against tax dollars going to this type of project.

Based on the notes online, it appears that this dam would prevent another 2013 event. If this goes through... thoughts on living in a Roxboro, Rideau Park, Elbow Park, Elboya nearly Stanley park, etc (i.e. the hardest hit areas)?



http://aep.alberta.ca/water/programs...bank-road.aspx

Cant answer your question, but unless your living river front, why put up with the risk without getting the everyday benefit of having the water in front of you? I love those neighborhoods but I would try to find something higher up without the flood risk.

[OldDutch]

My basement flooded in 2013 along with my street. Funny thing is not a single person has moved, and in fact some new infills recently sold for record prices.

Sunnyside flooded inthe 1940s then not until 2013. I won't lie in many ways it was awful. In a lot of ways it was the best thing to happen to me. Really realized how great the people here are. It just doesn't exist everywhere in Calgary.

Yes there is always a fear each spring, however I did mitigation. Plus there has been some mitigation with Ghost dam. Given my location several blocks in from the river we are not prone unless the same level of flooding hits again or worse. Maybe that is next year maybe not for 100 years.

Anyways, people had a chance to move and no one did. I believe there is a reason. Yes many lost a lot in 2013, and you would think many would high tail it out. People on my street just know they have it good, and we are willing to take risk to live in the best place in Calgary. We all feel that way.

Anyways, do your homework as Octo said. Then decide what is right. Me personally despite the loss I really feel we have gained way more living here. I know my neighbors have my back and we'll be there again for each other if it goes down again. You can't really give that up.

[Misterpants]

Yeah make sure you think of all the possible threats before you buy. We lived in Discovery Ridge during the floods and when we bought, we thought we were totally in the clear. House was a long way from the Elbow, had raised furnace, a sump in perfect working order and it survived the 2005 floods with nary a drop of water in the basement. The thing I didn't think of (stupidly) was that during the 3 days everyone was evacuated, they shut off power meaning the sump pumps were off. The groundwater table raised to within an inch of the top of the sump. Luckily a bunch of the neighbours on our cul-de-sac were pumping to the storm so I think that maybe kept us from flooding.

[temple5]

Why wouldnt people build a house without a basement. Is there a law requiring basements for SFH in Calgary?

[NuclearFart]

The strangest thing: When you ask their listing realtor about it, none of the Elbow park/Roxboro homes for sale after 2013 were flooded, it was all merely sewage backup.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by temple5

Why wouldnt people build a house without a basement. Is there a law requiring basements for SFH in Calgary?

Not sure if there is a law on the books, or just the laws of physics. One of the big things about living in Canada is needing the water supply to be below the frost line. Same with the sewer drain.

[temple5]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Not sure if there is a law on the books, or just the laws of physics. One of the big things about living in Canada is needing the water supply to be below the frost line. Same with the sewer drain.

Couldnt you then just have say a 10x10ft basement to take care of the water. I guess the homes I have been to in the US with no basements and just a cement pad arent winter climate homes.

I am trying to think of ways if mitigating flood issues for homes.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by temple5

Why wouldnt people build a house without a basement. Is there a law requiring basements for SFH in Calgary?

There are plenty of "walk out basements" in Calgary which are technically not basements. My in laws have a house that has only two levels, the main and upstairs with a tiny crawl space underneath the house via a floor hatch.

You could build a house on stilts I believe. You would just have the group hookups come up a pillar under the home. Although they would need to be insulated and encased I believe. I know some in our community were looking at jacking their houses up in 2013, but didn't go anywhere.

[ken0042]

Every one of those walkout basements have the services going underground at least 6 feet below the ground. Typically the front of the house has an entry on the main floor that is close to ground level, and the back of the house is the walkout part. So with the services going out the front, they are far enough below grade.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by NuclearFart

The strangest thing: When you ask their listing realtor about it, none of the Elbow park/Roxboro homes for sale after 2013 were flooded, it was all merely sewage backup.

hahah, have them sign to it. I live near there, and there was absolutely overland flooding.

[NuclearFart]

Oh I know, I saw some of those flooded houses with my own eyes in 2013. I guess the only official documentation is the insurance claims though, which covered alot more if it was listed only as sewage back up....?

[cam_wmh]

Ah gotcha, makes sense.