Ralph Harrell

Outside of house

 

Rollins, NC As Hurricane Matthew raged outside, Ralph Harrell stared at the ditch surrounding his yard. “That was scary,” he says. “Watching the ditch fill up with water. Watching the yard fill up. Waiting for it to come into the house.” Harrell did not breathe easy until the flooding ceased — six inches from his front step.

Yet Harrell’s home still suffered water damage. The duct work, insulation and HVAC under the house were destroyed. Loosened shingles on the roof let in rain that ruined his ceilings and floors. A carpenter by trade, Harrell was able to complete small projects to make the home livable, but he did not have the financial means to make significant repairs.

“My mother told me to apply to ReBuild NC,” Harrell says. “I’m glad I did. My case manager was so good at her job. She explained everything well and stayed in contact with me throughout the process.” His case manager is also the one who told Harrell that he was approved for repairs.

ReBuild NC assigned a contractor and covered the costs for Harrell and his family to stay at a motel while construction was underway. “I’m thankful for that,” he says. “There was a lot of sheetrock dust and electrical work, so it wasn’t safe for my three-year-old. And my wife works the night shift, so she needed to sleep during the day.”

In one month, the crew put in new floors, replaced the ceilings and remodeled Harrell’s two bathrooms. They fixed broken shingles and the flashing around the chimney and painted the whole house. They also gave Harrell peace of mind. “My contractor said to call him if I had any questions,” he says. “They did everything needed to keep the ball rolling. ReBuild NC really came through.” 

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