What is property flood resilience (PFR)?

By the Drystead team

Checked 23 Oct 2026

Flood plan and protection planner

Worked example

For a house with an upstairs in England, 2 external doors, 1 patio or french doors, 4 air bricks low on the outside walls, where the official checker says medium risk:

  • Things to consider: sign up for free flood warnings; think about a property flood resilience survey; flood barriers or flood doors for external doors (2); barriers for patio or french doors (1); air brick covers or self-closing air bricks (4); non-return valves on drains and waste pipes; seal gaps in walls and around frames; raise sockets and wiring at your next refurb.
  • A printable flood plan with the numbers to call, where to turn off the gas, electricity and water, and what to move upstairs.
  • No prices: measure your doors and air bricks first, then get quotes.

Source: Environment Agency, checked 23 Oct 2026; GOV.UK, checked 23 Oct 2026; CIRIA, checked 23 Oct 2026

Property flood resilience, or PFR, means changes to a building that help keep floodwater out, or that limit the damage if it gets in. Flood Re describes PFR measures as practical adaptations that help reduce water entering a property or minimise damage if it does.

There are two halves to it, and most homes at real risk need some of each.

Keeping water out

These measures, sometimes called resistance, aim to stop water getting into the house or slow it down. GOV.UK and the Environment Agency list:

Our guides on flood barriers for doors and air brick covers go into each one.

Recovering faster

These measures, sometimes called recoverability, accept that water may get in and make the clean-up quicker and cheaper. GOV.UK's examples include laying tiles instead of carpets and moving electrical sockets higher up the wall. They're usually easiest to do when you're repairing or refurbishing anyway.

The code of practice

CIRIA's Code of practice for property flood resilience (C790) sets out how a PFR project should run, from survey to handover. CIRIA also publishes a free fact sheet for households, Making your property more flood resilient (C790c).

Choosing products

Natural Resources Wales advises choosing BSI Kitemark certified flood protection products, and SEPA says to look for the Kitemark or equivalent accreditation. For products fitted to a building, such as boards, flood doors and air bricks, the British Standard is BS 851188-1.

The National Flood Forum runs Blue Pages, a directory of flood products and services. It doesn't endorse what's listed, and NRW points out that not everything on it is Kitemark certified.

Where to start

  1. Check your risk on the official map for your nation, and sign up for warnings. Our guide to checking your flood risk covers each nation.
  2. Make a flood plan. It's free, and the planner on this page builds one for you.
  3. Get a survey before you buy anything expensive. NRW suggests a chartered surveyor, and SEPA strongly recommends an independent survey by a suitably trained professional.
  4. Then get quotes for the measures the survey recommends. See what PFR costs.

FAQs

Is PFR the same as flood-proofing?

Not quite. Nothing can promise to keep every flood out, which is why PFR pairs keeping water out with making recovery faster. We avoid the word "flood-proof" for that reason.

Where can I read more?

CIRIA's fact sheet for households, Making your property more flood resilient (C790c), is free to download from CIRIA's PFR page.

Sources