Rebuilding After The Storm
In the course of a few hours, a natural disaster could destroy what took a virtual lifetime to build — your home. The devastation often goes far beyond the broken windows and shorn roofs as impossible to replace treasured items may be turned into debris.
Yet as shallow and cliché as the following sounds, it nonetheless rings true: responding to the devastation is almost like falling off a bike or a horse. The best thing to do is to get back up and, in this case, rebuild. Not only will the reconstruction process help take your mind off what you’ve lost, but it will also give you the opportunity to better prepare your residence for future disturbances.
Of course, rebuilding isn’t as simple as getting back on a horse or bike. Rebuilding can be a painstakingly slow, paperwork-laden process. Yet there are ways you can cut through the clutter, so to speak, to make the transition from devastation to rejuvenation as painless and as efficient as possible. Let’s start with an overview of tips that can set your rebuilding process in motion, while improving the quality of your residence.
WHEN YOU RETURN HOME...
Survey the damage. Smell for gas leaks and look for major structural damage. If the authorities say it’s safe to enter the house, do so — but before you touch anything, take plenty of pictures of the devastation, then contact your insurance company. In fact, it’s best to leave the house “as is” until your insurance rep comes by to give his or her own assessment. After they make their determination as to how best to rebuild the residence, then you can start cleaning up and rebuilding.
If you haven’t done so already, put together a “home disaster kit” that will come in handy when you need to chronicle any kind of damage to your residence. Items such as a disposable camera, waterproof markers, heavy plastic garbage bags, duct tape, tarps, bungee cords, and insurance paperwork should be enclosed in a waterproof container, and then be pulled out to detail the degree of devastation.
Research storm-enhanced building products. This is the perfect time to upgrade the building products in your residence. Invest in more impact-resistant windows, ones which are laminated or temper-resistant, can not only minimize, or even prevent damage in the future, they can also lower your insurance rates.
Don’t skimp on the quality of a new roof, doors, windows and garage doors. These areas are the front line of your home’s defense. They receive the most damage during severe storms. Flying debris from strong winds can not only penetrate flimsier roofs and windows, but the holes they create leave your entire house’s structure vulnerable to high winds and even more flying debris. Quality parts and construction here can mean the difference from repairable damage and the residence’s total collapse.
Choose energy-efficient products that lower heating and cooling costs over the long term. Look for building products that meet ENERGY STAR™ guidelines in your area. Using windows with vinyl frames provides far superior insulation than traditional wood ones. Using double-pane insulated windows that use argon-filled Low E glass will significantly lower your monthly energy bills.
If you live in a coastal region select exterior products that are made to combat the environmental impact of coastal living. You can buy urethane moulding, millwork, door and entrance trim that better resist salt air, humidity, sea spray, termites, warping, and rotting. Not only will these things outlast traditional wood trim, they require minimal upkeep.
Check your local building codes. You’d be surprised to see how dramatically local building codes change over the course of just a year or two. Thus, the windows or roofing materials that were used on your three-year-old home may not meet the latest building codes. Don’t buy anything until you are sure it meets the current requirements.
Choose a contractor very carefully. It may be hard to do, but do your best to ignore the impulse to “get back to normal ASAP” and rebuild on the fly. Get references and written job quotes from each contractor before you select the company you want to do business with. It’s not a matter of striking the best deal or having them engage in a price war for your benefit. You never want to cut costs if doing so forsakes quality.
Be especially wary of “door-to-door” contractors, who “just happened” to be in your neighborhood the day after. More often than not, it’s not a coincidence that he or she is there. The contractor you ultimately choose should be licensed in your state and offer a staggered payment plan for services. That way, you don’t complete payment until the project is done. Double check your building plans with your insurance company to ensure that you’re meeting all requirements of the local codes, as well as any of the insurance company’s demands. And, if at any time during the reconstruction, if you feel you’re being “gouged” by a contractor, report this immediately to state officials.
Have your contractor reinforce the foundations of your residence. Wall framing-to-floor systems should feature anchor bolts or connectors that connect the wall framing to the foundation. This reinforcement strengthens the walls to resist wind uplift forces as well as wind shear forces that try to push the walls over.
If you didn’t have one before, build a “safe room” now. What’s that? It’s a room inside the house (without windows) that has been specially reinforced to withstand natural disaster. It will serve as the “go to” place whenever a storm hits. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published the pamphlet “Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room Inside Your Home”. Find out how you can get a copy by calling FEMA at (888) 565-3896, or visit www.fema.gov
Save all relevant paperwork--and don’t be afraid to ask. The decisions you make regarding the rebuilding of your home will not only serve to comfort you for many years, but it can spell the difference between minor damage after a future storm and total devastation, and maybe the loss of life. So feel free to examine and study all building decisions carefully. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how trivial they may seem to be. Check out all products carefully and inspect warranties. Save receipts, product information and warranties in a secure location for the future.
