First week in Baton Rouge, LA

This is a disaster recovery project for the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.  As a result of torrential rains for over 48 hours in 2016, most of Baton Rouge was under water.  This was a 1000 year flood so many were unprepared and not properly insured for the event.  

Our host church is the Francis Asbury UMC which was also flooded with 2 to 3 feet of water and the congregation was unable to afford repairs.  The conference took over the church and installed dorms for volunteer laborers and added RV hookups for NOMADS all to be used as a base for Disaster Recovery efforts.  The congregation is allowed to use the building for church services and meetings.

This is our campground at the rear of the church parking lot where 6 units are parked as a home base.

Our crew changes by week but this week we are pictured in front of the project home.  From left to right are Jodi, Stel, Lisa, Mark, Dave, Rita, Mark, Jo, Gary, Avis and Anne and Max.  We have worked with all but 4 of these folks before so you may recognize one or two.

The team on the previous week had rough constructed this addition and on Monday AM, several meet with the future homeowner (center with overalls) to go over work for the week.  His current home is a FEMA trailer which you can barely see behind my head.

It had rained a lot over the weekend so the crew is creating a "boardwalk" as we begin to bridge the mud,

and sweep off water from sub-floor decking,

and set up tools.

The core of the new structure is an old modular office structure which the homeowner purchased and moved to this location.  Our job is to build and addition on each end for completing the home.  The end we are working on will be a handicapped bath by extending the existing bath and a bedroom and closet.  We are opening the existing wall to add to the existing bath

by tearing out the studs in the old bathroom and 

constructing a header to open the room.

We add studs to this outside wall

and build this inside wall for the bath & closet.

Then we cover the outside with OSB

Blocking is added to stabilize the rafters.

At the same time, part of the crew finishes a handicapped ramp

and porch railings

which are adjusted

and sanded.

After adding the siding

Purlins are cut and added to the rafters to support the roof.

Then tyvex is added to the outside while

blocking is added inside which will support shelving and closet rods later.

Windows are added...

Soffit and Facia supports installed

and we are finally ready to install the roof.

It is Thursday so all hands are involved

to make sure the roof is finished today.

It may rain over the weekend but

the final piece is installed in time.

At the same time, rough wiring is installed...

and insulation added that won't interfere

with wiring inspector due today or tomorrow.

The owner and his wife are thrilled as they take their end of the week tour.

TGIF

 So some of us drove south through New Orleans to see the mouth or end of the Mississippi

Can't drive any further

so we stopped on top of the levy to see the river itself

eat our picnic lunch

and watch ships sail up

and down the river

while this osprey watches for food to be stirred up.

Then we stopped at Fort Jackson

then crossed Lake Pontchartrain

on our way home.  See you next week.