My house was flooded

[Eeyore'sthebest]

We have no hope for fema, it would be the insuarnce company that would buy it. We are insured up to 52,500. We only owe 30,000 more. There have been a few houses here in town that have been bought out by fema. There is a town here called Garber or Little Port, can't remember which, that was entirely bought out by fema. It is a ghost town now.

Lisa, I'm confused about the part I bolded. You may only be insured for $52,500 but I'm sure the house is worth more. It really doesn't matter what you owe on your mortgage. My neighbors across the street were elderly and owned their home out right. One entire foundation wall caved in. I could stand on the lawn and see their entire inside of their basement that's how bad it was. Insurance gave them the money to have it fixed. The insurance company doesn't want your home or property. If they buy it then they are responsible for the property taxes. Does that make sense? And if there are expenses over the insured amount then you would be responsible for it and not the insurance company.

I don't want you to get too excited about something that doesn't sound right. Take a deep breath and try to think this through logically. The only home I've ever seen permanently condemned in my area was literally lifted up off the foundation and settled back down at an angle. It was the strangest thing to see. Everything else is only temporarily condemned until the foundation walls are fixed.

 

[douglisa]

Lisa, I'm confused about the part I bolded. You may only be insured for $52,500 but I'm sure the house is worth more. It really doesn't matter what you owe on your mortgage. My neighbors across the street were elderly and owned their home out right. One entire foundation wall caved in. I could stand on the lawn and see their entire inside of their basement that's how bad it was. Insurance gave them the money to have it fixed. The insurance company doesn't want your home or property. If they buy it then they are responsible for the property taxes. Does that make sense? And if there are expenses over the insured amount then you would be responsible for it and not the insurance company.

I don't want you to get too excited about something that doesn't sound right. Take a deep breath and try to think this through logically. The only home I've ever seen permanently condemned in my area was literally lifted up off the foundation and settled back down at an angle. It was the strangest thing to see. Everything else is only temporarily condemned until the foundation walls are fixed.

We got the house for 52,500. We only owe 30,000 more. I understand what you are saying but we were told that this was a possability by our insurance agent. I do not have my mind and heart totally set on it. The more I see the house coming along the less I hate it. I got the second floor **** and span today and it does not feel as disgusting anymore from all the muck that was tracked around. When Service Master comes tomorrow they will take care of the mold and smell in the basement.
We have to wait on the garage becuase we were pretty much told it will be torn down and rebuilt. The better it smells the better I feel about it I guess. I keep going back and forth on my feelings about it. I am thinking that if we get to keep it then we will take a loan out to fix it up and sell it. One thing for sure is I never want to have to go through it all over again.

 

[mum4jenn]

DOn't get in a hurry about FEMA. We were flooded in 1994 and 1996 and it took years of red tape to get it done. I sent emails to everyone from President Clinton, FEMA director, GEMA director and every senator and congressman form Ga. We were finally bought out in 2000.


OOps I had to edit this ...we were flooded in 1994 NOT 1944!!!

 

[douglisa]

DOn't get in a hurry about FEMA. We were flooded in 1944 and 1996 and it took years of red tape to get it done. I sent emails to everyone from President Clinton, FEMA director, GEMA director and every senator and congressman form Ga. We were finally bought out in 2000.

Yeah, I keep hearing things like that. We are only looking toward our insurance now. We applied for FEMA but are not holding our breath. When we bought this we were assured it was only flooded twice. In fact they sent us a note not long ago about rezoning this block and not having it part of the flood zone anymore. Good thing we kept our insurance. Our neighbor was not so lucky. There is a row of houses that have been for sale since we moved in almost 4 yrs ago.
They can not sell them because they get flooded all the time and are forced to stay. Actually there was this beautiful old house, I love old houses, that we almost bought. We are so glad we did not listen to the Realtor. She swore up and down that it did not flood often. It has flooded every time the creek goes up. We may have bought it if it were not for the fact that it was 30,000 more than what we paid for this one. This one needed more work, thats why it was so much less. There are many houses that should just be taken out of the area.

I almost forgot! Ds 17 took ds 7 to look for his bike. It was two houses away set out next to a dumpster. He let him ride it home. I about freaked out! LOL But I kept my cool and reminded them to try not to let ds 7 touch things outside yet. Then ds 7 had a bath asap. Tomorrow I am going to put clorox on it then use the pressure washer on it that we are renting.

 

[mum4jenn]

I went and changed my post ...we were flooded in 1994 and 1996....I see that I wrote 1944.

Oh and we had Flood insurance. Basically if you have flood insurance you will get not get much help from FEMA unless it is to buy you out and you have to have over 50% value of your home in damages. We had to rebuild one wall of our house because of damage and we also had to replace all inside walls, insulation, floors cabinets, etc. We had something like 7 feet of water in our house and it stayed at that level for DAYS and really destroyed everything. We rebuilt in 94 and did most of the work ourselves to keep the cost down. They called our flood a 500 year flood so we banked on that we would never see one like that again. Well we had another flood in 96 so that was when we decided to sell out to FEMA.

We got a FEMA camper to stay in on our property while we did repair work. We did get a voucher for clothing and basic furniture from Red Cross/ Salvation Army. We also got about $120 in food stamps.

 

[douglisa]

I went and changed my post ...we were flooded in 1994 and 1996....I see that I wrote 1944.

Oh and we had Flood insurance. Basically if you have flood insurance you will get not get much help from FEMA unless it is to buy you out and you have to have over 50% value of your home in damages. We had to rebuild one wall of our house because of damage and we also had to replace all inside walls, insulation, floors cabinets, etc. We had something like 7 feet of water in our house and it stayed at that level for DAYS and really destroyed everything. We rebuilt in 94 and did most of the work ourselves to keep the cost down. They called our flood a 500 year flood so we banked on that we would never see one like that again. Well we had another flood in 96 so that was when we decided to sell out to FEMA.

We got a FEMA camper to stay in on our property while we did repair work. We did get a voucher for clothing and basic furniture from Red Cross/ Salvation Army. We also got about $120 in food stamps.

When we bought it the person said it had only been flooded twice. Do you know if it has to be flooded a certain number of times? What is the criteria?
Thanks, it helps having someone that knows this stuff.

 

[MoniqueU]

If it hasnt been mentioned my main concern with flooding and repairing a home would be mold and its long term effects.

 

[mum4jenn]

When we bought it the person said it had only been flooded twice. Do you know if it has to be flooded a certain number of times? What is the criteria?
Thanks, it helps having someone that knows this stuff.

I do remember FEMA took that into consideration but I dont remember if it was actually criteria or not. I think our house had flooded in the early 60s but only a couple of inches of water got in the house and then it fell very fast so not much damage.

It took along time for our house to dry out. All sorts of volunteers came from all over the country to help people with their homes. A group of Mormans came in and had all of our sheetrock torn out and taken to the curb in only a few hours. THey had done this many times before and knew what to do. We borrowed some of those high heat heaters which blew the hot air towards the remaining walls to try and speed up the drying process., We knew everything needed to be dry before we started putting up walls again to prevent mold. We also sprayed the walls with bleach.

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

A buyout is something that takes a lot of time. First, FEMA, the local government, the county government and the State government ALL have to agree that a buyout is appropriate. In all honesty, it doesn't matter if your particular home has flooded 1 time or 100 times...what matters is the agreement of your local government. So, if you really want a buyout, start talking with your mayor and elected officials! Bear in mind that it can take as long as 18 months for a buyout to actually happen.

FEMA and the State and local government will reach an agreement on the value. It is generally based on the assessed value of your home (though it has been increased to market value in some buyouts).

Generally, there are 3 things that will support a buyout. They are 1) if a large number of homes have "substantial damage" which is defined as damages that equal or EXCEED 50% of the value of the home; 2) if the area is frequently flooded; and, 3) if a large % of the affected residents demand it.

In all honesty, with flooding confined to your basement, I'd sincerely doubt that you have greater than 50% damage. I'll also tell you that out-buildings (garages, shed, etc) do NOT count in that 50% damage figure. Basement only flooding (even with damage to your foundation) would likely only be 30% (assuming that your furnace and electrical panel were in the basement). If you have any bedrooms in the basement, bear in mind they may or may not be counted (generally, the criteria is if the basement bedroom met local code requirements such as 2 methods of egress).

I understand that you just want this to be over quickly. Unfortunately, it won't be and for that I am sorry. I know you just want to move on with your life and have all the decisions made NOW. Understand that moving quickly (on your part) may harm you financially.

When you clean things up, take photos to document damages. Keep all your receipts for cleaning. Write down everything inside your home that you lost. WAIT until your local building inspector inspects your home before you move back in. DON'T turn on your electricity until you know your panel (and wiring) isn't damaged. In short, remember that recovery is NOT a sprint...it's a marathon.

I'm sorry if this note discourages you. That's not my intent. I just want you to understand things and be cautious for your family.

 

[kimmikayb]

A buyout is something that takes a lot of time. First, FEMA, the local government, the county government and the State government ALL have to agree that a buyout is appropriate. In all honesty, it doesn't matter if your particular home has flooded 1 time or 100 times...what matters is the agreement of your local government. So, if you really want a buyout, start talking with your mayor and elected officials! Bear in mind that it can take as long as 18 months for a buyout to actually happen.

FEMA and the State and local government will reach an agreement on the value. It is generally based on the assessed value of your home (though it has been increased to market value in some buyouts).

Generally, there are 3 things that will support a buyout. They are 1) if a large number of homes have "substantial damage" which is defined as damages that equal or EXCEED 50% of the value of the home; 2) if the area is frequently flooded; and, 3) if a large % of the affected residents demand it.

In all honesty, with flooding confined to your basement, I'd sincerely doubt that you have greater than 50% damage. I'll also tell you that out-buildings (garages, shed, etc) do NOT count in that 50% damage figure. Basement only flooding (even with damage to your foundation) would likely only be 30% (assuming that your furnace and electrical panel were in the basement). If you have any bedrooms in the basement, bear in mind they may or may not be counted (generally, the criteria is if the basement bedroom met local code requirements such as 2 methods of egress).

I understand that you just want this to be over quickly. Unfortunately, it won't be and for that I am sorry. I know you just want to move on with your life and have all the decisions made NOW. Understand that moving quickly (on your part) may harm you financially.

When you clean things up, take photos to document damages. Keep all your receipts for cleaning. Write down everything inside your home that you lost. WAIT until your local building inspector inspects your home before you move back in. DON'T turn on your electricity until you know your panel (and wiring) isn't damaged. In short, remember that recovery is NOT a sprint...it's a marathon.

I'm sorry if this note discourages you. That's not my intent. I just want you to understand things and be cautious for your family.

What a great post, very informative!

Excuse my ignorance....how bad was Dyersville flooded? Will it qualify with FEMA's qualifications?

 

[douglisa]

I do remember FEMA took that into consideration but I dont remember if it was actually criteria or not. I think our house had flooded in the early 60s but only a couple of inches of water got in the house and then it fell very fast so not much damage.

It took along time for our house to dry out. All sorts of volunteers came from all over the country to help people with their homes. A group of Mormans came in and had all of our sheetrock torn out and taken to the curb in only a few hours. THey had done this many times before and knew what to do. We borrowed some of those high heat heaters which blew the hot air towards the remaining walls to try and speed up the drying process., We knew everything needed to be dry before we started putting up walls again to prevent mold. We also sprayed the walls with bleach.

I am sorry you had to go through that, luckily mine is no where near as bad.

I have been accused of lying to get attention by some jerk on another post.
They are saying that it is not as bad in my area as I am making it out to be. Saying I am looking for handouts. I want to say, for the record, that I have never indicated that we have anywhere near the damage Iowa City or Cedar Rapids has. Do any of you think I have portrayed it that way? Have I not said all throught this little diary of mine that others had it worse? I guess I am angry because I am feeling a bit attacked. What people do not undersatnd is that even though my damage was no where near the destruction of other places it is still traumatic to me. How can anyone say to you that you do not have the right to your feelings because others have it worse? How does one make that correlation? Our city has many of the streets that were uprooted already cleaned of the old concrete and are in the process of fixing them. People who's houses that were flooded have worked very hard to make them better. Our clean up was fast because it was not as bad as some other comunities.

 

[douglisa]

What a great post, very informative!

Excuse my ignorance....how bad was Dyersville flooded? Will it qualify with FEMA's qualifications?

I was contacted yesterday by the city and they said they are working with FEMA trying to get interviews and such. There is a flood plain here that gets flooded quite a bit because the creek bends around the area. Normally it settles right in the utmost curve in the bend and usually only those homes are affected. We live up a bit higher just where the creek starts the bend. Because it was a flash flood and the waters were moving so fast we got alot of the water coming fast at us. If it were a gradual flooding I do not think it would have done the structural damage it did. Water is very powerful when it is running fast.

 

[RUDisney]

I have been accused of lying to get attention by some jerk on another post.
They are saying that it is not as bad in my area as I am making it out to be. Saying I am looking for handouts. I want to say, for the record, that I have never indicated that we have anywhere near the damage Iowa City or Cedar Rapids has.

Don't pay attention to that type of jerk. You've not asked for anything and you've said that you turned down those who asked. You've told people to give to the American Red Cross, if they are so inclined, to help those who have it worse off than you.

If anything, you've been trying to stand on your own feet, hesitant to ask even for federal help until you found that it was necessary, even if just for the records keeping.

It's always easier to kick someone when they're down, especially on a message board where you are anonymous.

As for FEMA working quickly to buy you out due to repair costs and/or the high risk of reflooding, I'll tell you that there is a part of Scranton that floods whenever it rains hard. If we have a rain that lasts for several days, it goes beyond some water in the basements into real flooding. These people are forever throwing away their possessions because they've been ruined by flood waters.

So, finally there are some flood walls that were constructed on the river... up river from them, so they got flooded more. Then some flood walls went up near them, so I'm sure someone down river is flooding more or for the first time.

There's been talk about buying these people out for over 10 years and yet, the govt and insurance keeps paying to repair their homes. They can't sell because no on will buy there knowing what occurs on a frequent basis.

So, wait this out. Do what you need to get back to normal and then sit back and wait to see what the govt/insurance wants to do.

You should also take a look at your insurance. If you bought the house for $X and insured it for $X, you need to look to make sure that you could still replace your home for that amount. Chances are, you need to insure it for $X plus the cost of inflation. It's something you should look at every few years to make sure that you are protected. You want your homeowners insurance to be for the replacement cost of the house and not just for the amount you paid for it.

 

[3littlepigs]

I can’t find where anyone has called you a liar. I think what people might be saying on the other thread that you keep bumping is that if you are in a moldy house that hasn’t been cleaned and you have health issues, you might not want to be sitting inside on the computer. Maybe your breaks should be taken outside to get some fresh, clean air.

As far as the only wanting handouts, I can see where people might raise their eyebrows and wonder where your intentions are about the assistance. The Red Cross offers shelter, food, water, and clothing, and you seemed upset that they didn’t have any cash to give you. If your basic needs are met there really is no need for cash.

I posted what I thought was helpful cleaning information yesterday, then the next thing I know you’re hoping that you’re house is condemned. I’m sorry my post came off as sounding harsh. I just couldn’t figure out how homeless would be better than a house that needed some work especially if money is already tight and you have ties to the community that you’re in. When I re-read this thread this morning I saw that you were already talking of condemning it in the very first post so I guess I overreacted when you said it yesterday.

Yes, you are entitled to your feelings, no matter how small or large the flood was you own your feelings and nobody can take them away from you.

 

[douglisa]

I can’t find where anyone has called you a liar. I think what people might be saying on the other thread that you keep bumping is that if you are in a moldy house that hasn’t been cleaned and you have health issues, you might not want to be sitting inside on the computer. Maybe your breaks should be taken outside to get some fresh, clean air.

As far as the only wanting handouts, I can see where people might raise their eyebrows and wonder where your intentions are about the assistance. The Red Cross offers shelter, food, water, and clothing, and you seemed upset that they didn’t have any cash to give you. If your basic needs are met there really is no need for cash.

I posted what I thought was helpful cleaning information yesterday, then the next thing I know you’re hoping that you’re house is condemned. I’m sorry my post came off as sounding harsh. I just couldn’t figure out how homeless would be better than a house that needed some work especially if money is already tight and you have ties to the community that you’re in. When I re-read this thread this morning I saw that you were already talking of condemning it in the very first post so I guess I overreacted when you said it yesterday.

Yes, you are entitled to your feelings, no matter how small or large the flood was you own your feelings and nobody can take them away from you.

I was upset I could not get some monetary help from them because we all only had just $20 and two days worth of clothes. We did not have time to grab everything we needed and I had no idea how I was going to get home with half a tank of gas. Dh's check did not come so he could not wire me the money at the time. There were 3 of us eating my parents food and using their utilities, I was hoping to be able to help them out a bit with food cost at the very least cause my boys can eat!

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Lisa,

I don't think you are lying or anything. You are exactly like every other disaster survivor I have ever met. I did disaster work (in a variety) of functions for the usual disaster agencies and you have wanted (and honestly, likely needed) exactly what every disaster survivor wants (and needs) cash.

It's OK and there is nothing to be apologetic for. I'd rather pick out my own clothes and food than have someone else pick them out for me too. That's why all of the agencies (Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc.) all ask for cash.

Unfortunately, because of some of the mistakes made in previous disasters (and because of the economy) I don't think the Iowa floods are receiving the generous donations of cash like 9/11 or Katrina so (at this point) it's only natural that the agencies can't give out cash for emergency needs.

Hang in there and keep posting. You are entitled to feel exactly as you do (and if you didn't I'd be worried!).

 

[douglisa]

Thanks, I must say that we are doing so much better now.
All this waiting is driving me insane! I feel as though I can not leave the house or I may miss a call from the adjuster about the appointment for the structural engineer. Happily that is the last thing we are waiting on now, that and the decision from our adjuster.
Right now service master is here and the place is smelling so much better already!

 

[ginna74]

to you as you deserve it.

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Lisa,

One thing to watch for...the first rain! It is common for children (and adults) to panic when the first rain comes. If it comes in the next month or so, it's possible that the smells from the ground will bring back the flood smells. Even if it doesn't, it's common to fear rain (and/or water) for a bit.

You might want to talk with your son about this when the time presents itself. Let him know it's OK to be scared, but affirm that he is safe.

to you!

 

[douglisa]

Lisa,

One thing to watch for...the first rain! It is common for children (and adults) to panic when the first rain comes. If it comes in the next month or so, it's possible that the smells from the ground will bring back the flood smells. Even if it doesn't, it's common to fear rain (and/or water) for a bit.

You might want to talk with your son about this when the time presents itself. Let him know it's OK to be scared, but affirm that he is safe.

to you!

Thankfully he was at day camp 20 minutes away in a town that was not affected when it hit, also it had not rained much that day. It was very strange. When it hit it was almost time for me to pick him up.
He keeps saying things like "We are going to move, right?"
And "what if it happens again and gets my room?"
We would go to the park almost every day and now it is closed till they can clean it up and repair the roads next to it. He is upset because it "ruined the park forever!" I told him not forever and took him to watch one of the other parks, from the comfort of our minivan, being cleaned. That made him feel better I think.