Michael Prince had just started renovations at his Gunnedah property when major flooding struck last week.
The new home owner is now ripping up the now same flooring which he laid brand new barely a week earlier.
“I was putting in a new kitchen,” Mr Prince said.
Also ruined are his fridge, dryer and lawn mower – all which copped the brunt of rising floodwater.
Worse still, Mr Prince cancelled his insurance policy just three months ago after rising premiums forced him to take his chances.
Mr Prince is employed in the disability section but was out of town when the flood hit last week. As he is new to the area, he said he was unaware how bad last week’s flood situation was.
He purchased the Warrabungle Street property in 2023 after being priced out of the Sydney housing market.
“I couldn’t find anything for under $700,000,” he said.
Originally he was looking for vacant land in the area until he came across this property in Gunnedah.
Mr Prince said the house was built in the 1930s and assumed it had weathered its share of floods.
“I knew it wouldn’t be perfect when I bought it,” he said.
As he carried armfuls of flood-ruined house materials to the skip bin on Monday, Mr Prince said one saving grace was the relative straight-forward, albeit messy, clean up from the flood mud.
Mr Prince did not return to town until last weekend – several days after the floodwater had receded. But as the house was secured, the floodwater remained trapped, making it easier for the emergency service volunteers who helped with the wash out.
“Because it was wet mud, it was easy to clean out,” he said.
