Flood Proof Kitchen reveal and Q & A - with removable & flood proof cabinetry

**It is a requirement that you sign an authority to be filmed at this event.  In order for as many people as possible to benefit from the information shared at this event we will be videoing and publishing the proceedings.  Please DO NOT book a ticket if you have qualms being filmed.**

 The flood resilient rebuild of this Mullumbimby home is almost complete. The paint on the custom skirting boards will likely still be damp but we don't want to wait any longer to demonstrate what has been done to prevent predicable future trauma and loss from major flooding.

Standard kitchen design involves non-flood resilient cabinetry being placed on the kitchen floor with the bench top sitting directly on top.  When flooded, the cabinets swell with absorbed water and in order to remove them the bench top must be removed (and anything resting on top of it).   Attempts to remove the bench top so it can be reused frequently fail.  Even if successful, the problem is the wait for trades to fix all the damaged parts of a flooded home.  Resilient homes mean damage and loss is lessened and much of the work that must be done to get the home back to normal can be done by the home owner. 

These strictly limited tickets will provide you with a good viewing position and ability to ask questions of Laurent from Legacy of the Antipodes (previously Mullum Joinery).  He will explain the kitchen design including the materials used and demonstrate how it will be managed before, during and after a major flood event  The physical viewing space is limited and that is why the ticket numbers are too. 

The house is open to the public with Sasha on site explaining other elements of the rebuild from 3.30 - 6pm so please encourage others who might miss out on these limited Kitchen Q & A tickets to come along anyway as they can still see the kitchen (before 4 and after 5pm), hear about the other elements of the house and speak with Sasha about future opportunities.

This kitchen design has three core flood resilient elements:

1. It is built with flood resilient materials that are guaranteed to withstand flooding - the cabinet carcasses are made with stylex and the doors tricoya.

2. The bench top is not sitting on top of the cabinetry but on a stainless steel frame.

This design is INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL as it means that regardless of whether you install flood resilient cabinetry you still separate the fate of the cupboards from the bench top.  This is imperative if your home is likely to flood under the standard bench top height and you cant raise your home.  Kitchens require multiple trades to build and rebuild them.  Waiting in line for trades is why most insured residents are still not able to live in their normally fully functional homes.

3. The cabinets are completely removable.  As this house is a brick veneer it has the added complication that the cavity behind the kitchen where flood waters can enter the cavity through the weep holes in the bricks must be accessed and cleaned out.  Being able to remove the cabinets and the wall panels behind them allows the cavity to be cleaned out and the pine frame dried before the walls are returned.

Throughout the house you will see evidence of the removable skirting boards, dado rails and doors.  Even the wardrobes will have washable fabric covering instead of hollow core sliding doors to minimise future loss.   Home owner and retrofit specialist Sasha Mainsbridge will be providing information about other elements of the houses flood resilient rebuild from 3.30 -  6pm (on Wed 21st Dec).

Mullum Cares is raising funds during December with dollar matching being offered by Jack Johnson's Ohana Charitable Foundation.  If you've ever felt Mullum Cares work worthy of supporting and you can afford to contribute a donation now is the best time. Thanks for your support!  We don't just help people post disasters, we work to reduce to reduce future disasters and their impact at the same time.  

A link to our fundraising donation page will be included in your ticket confirmation email or you can find information here on our website mullumcares.com.au.

Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.