Tuesday, March 01, 2011

So Much for Settling In

A fierce windstorm (perhaps a tornado) swept through our neighborhood yesterday afternoon while I was at work and Blake was in Florida. Thankfully no one in our area was hurt, although a man in a nearby community was sadly killed.


Here's a photograph of our house from yesterday afternoon:

And here is the view from part of the interior of our second floor:


The corner of our living room; sadly there's water in the walls, ruining our newly painted walls (doesn't pismo/baja dunes look great though?) & part of our crown molding:



We were so thankful that our new neighbors could rush over and get Thatcher from our house; he was hiding under our bed, which he's never done before. Our neighbors also cleaned up some of the water and set out buckets to capture the leaks.

I cleaned up water as soon as I got home as well, but our brand new hardwood floors are buckling and uneven now from the water that must be trapped underneath the floors. Part of the roof, siding, and gutters are destroyed; the upstairs bathroom walls and ceiling have been destroyed along with the storage areas; some windows are cracked or misshapen; and we fear that the foundation may be comprised given the enormous weight of the tree and multiple cracks throughout many walls. Our front stoop is also destroyed along with part of our driveway. We met with a general contractor today, and he said it could be 2-3 months before things are fully repaired. We're in the process of getting quotes.

Thankfully the tree crew finished up today, and a remediation company is coming tomorrow to more fully and securely tarp the house (in case it rains again) and begin the process of drying/removing water. Given the significant damage & odor (wet insulation I guess) and lack of electricity, we're in a hotel for at least a few days. Thatch is enjoying life with the "grandparents."

It's been an incredible 24 hours, and we're exhausted. Thankfully Blake was able to fly home last night, so we can navigate this insurance/rebuilding process together. Please pray that we have a reasonable and fair adjuster. We should meet her on Saturday and hopefully get approval to start putting our new home back together. We're not looking forward to handling this ordeal, especially after the last tiring 6 weeks of remodeling, but God's faithful provision is already so evident. He is good.


p.s. I'm grateful that so many friends, family, and new neighbors are reaching out to help us and that only things were damaged--after all, they can always be replaced.

13 comments:

HappyascanB said...

Oh how sad! I am sooooo very sorry! Praying God continues to bless you and guide you through this process.

Ally said...

B: Thanks so much Bethany :)I know He will.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Ally. :(

My heart sank the moment I saw that first picture. What a sad, frustrating situation to deal with. And after all the work you've just done on the house!

You mentioned mostly the damage to the house itself. Were many of your personal belongings damaged or destroyed?

And yes, that wall color DOES look good... but I'm not so sure about that branch protruding through the ceiling. ;)

L.C.T. said...

Oh how sad. Thinking of you!

Ys said...

Oh no I'm so sorry. I really hope you're able to get it sorted out fast. And I'm really glad Thatcher is okay.

Trish said...

I still can't believe this...so very glad that you and Blake were not in the house...and that Thatcher was ok! The rest can be repaired (although, UGH, no fun!)

Jennifer Kirby said...

Oh no! That is awful in a million ways, but I am so glad you guys weren't home when it happened. Thank goodness for insurance -- good luck with the adjuster. Wow.

TC said...

Yikes. So sorry this is happening to ya'll. But I'm thankful you and Blake and Thatcher are ok. That is always the most important thing.

Pam said...

Oh sheesh Ally! I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened but I've very thankful that you both are okay and Thatcher is okay as well. Poor doggie, I bet he was so scared.

Ally said...

rachel: Thankfully no! In fact, other than some items in a closet that were damp (and may smell funky) none of our personal items were affected.

Everyone else: Thank you so much.

Accidentally Me said...

Whoa?!?!? Holy shnikes, that is quite the tree!!!

Just glad everyone is OK. Must be frustrating to lose all of that work, but at least now you can get a do-over on anything you wanted to change, right? See...there is a bright side to everything!

Anonymous said...

So sorry! I'll keep you in my prayers. My bedroom was destroyed in a fire started by lightning when I was 16, so I know how devastating Mother Nature can be. I got a great new bedroom, new furniture, new clothes, etc. from insurance. Hang in there. This too shall pass.

Tiff said...

Noooooo! So sorry! Give us an update. I have the name of a wonderful contractor if you need another bid.