Disaster Recovery Project - Laurel, Mississippi

 Laural, Mississippi is in the heart of  "Tornado Alley" and has been hit in 2017, December, 2019 and on Easter, 2020.  Nomads have been invited to assist in the recovery effort here.

There are miles and miles of damage such as trees downed, 

twisted trees and roots everywhere,

and many flattened buildings.

Nomads have been here for several weeks.    We are working on several houses, switching from place to place depending on the weather and the skills needed at each site on a given day.  When we arrived, our first job was at Robert Lee's house.

Cracks from shifting foundations and walls during the storm were throughout the house.  Most had been repaired as is this area,

and in this bathroom, and we will try to paint them to blend with undamaged walls.

This door has damage (not sure what from) but is scheduled to be replaced.

This ceiling needs more skim coating,

as does this bathroom ceiling.

We found another crack so it had to be fixed.

The painting begins here

and here.

The owner says some of these switches are not working properly so we are.researching the cause.

The power company has contributed a lot of energy saving items so we are installing the blanket on the water heater.

The power company also provided caulk to seal all door and window cracks and crevices to reduce energy consumption.

We got new doors for one room so we need to make them fit the old jambs by

copying the old ones.

They were too wide and too long so we're making those adjustments too.

The next job we worked on was at Bertha's House.  

There is damage to the back screen door and steps and to the soffit on the back corner.

The front of Bertha's house has a half enclosed porch  but the floor of it has become detached from the house.

We plan to cut the subfloor of the porch so we can access the joists and determine the cause of the problem.

We want to save this if we can so we are pulling the nails first.

Then we are cutting the plywood into sections

and removing it

only to discover another layer of flooring below it.

We have safely removed all the subfloor in that area and find only 1 joist in the entire 8 foot section which had detached from the house.

Cutting new joists to add under the porch with posts to add to the support.

Adding joists, posts and blocking 

to make the porch floor more secure.

Everything fit back together.

They also asked us to repair the plywood which has deteriorated at the doorway. 

We cut out the damaged plywood,

installed a new piece of plywood and added a 2x6 board cut to the shape of the stone step to support the plywood.

This screen door and steps are to be replaced.

New steps added with posts cemented into the ground.

Then we cut the posts and added supports to the side of the door to support handrails.

This is the finished product.

We also added posts and handrails to the front steps. 

The finished product here.

They got a storm door to replace the screen

and we are trying to make it fit

including a closer

and safety chain,

and now the totally finished doorway.

Due to rain days, we had to find interior work so we went to the Newell's residence where other NOMADS were installing laminate flooring and making other interrior repairs.  This lady's house was completely destroyed by the tornado so she bought a used mobile home with the FEMA money.  Unfortunately, like most of these cases, the "new" unit needs a great deal of  repair work.

The subfloor has been wet and we are trying to determine if the leak has been fixed before we install the rest of the laminate flooring.

We removed all the wet insulation and discovered additional moisture coming in so we are removing more subfloor to see how far the leaking extends.

We determined there is additional leaking which will have to be fixed before we relay the subfloor and laminate.

At the same time, others installed new kitchen cabinets,

then finished laying the laminate across the living room and into the kitchen.

Since it is raining, we are forced to cut laminate inside the house in another previously finished area.

Cabinets are in!

Next is the counter-top,

and fitting the sink opening

and making the cutout.

Looks great guys!

Sometime later, we are satisfied the leaks are done and new subfloor is installed,

and then the laminate and

this floor is finally complete.

Those cabinets have to be sanded

then stained 

with the hope of matching the cabinets on the top of the adjacent wall.

This is a long time consuming process

but it looks really good.  Later someone will add polyurethane. 

This mobile home has been set up on the cement slab left from her home.  These concrete steps were added to give her access but there is nothing in the back.  We have built a deck at the back door and will make room for a deck and ramp in the front.

A neighbor comes over with his tractor to move the steps,

and haul the to the back

and set them in place at the new deck.  Great job.

next we finish cross supports on deck

and both sides

of the steps,

and then add the top rails.

Back out front, planning begins for the new deck

and then the construction of the frame.

Planning for the ramp supports (16 feet long).

After the ramp supports are installed, we begin

adding the deck boards on the deck 

and then the ramp.

We are trying the keep the deck boards even as we go up the ramp.

Then we mark the deck boards

and cut them to the finished length.

This deck board landed with the post protruding in the middle so we are making a pattern for the cut on the actual board.

 

We're trying to get it to fit without breaking it.

It worked and this is the finished ramp and deck. A crew next week will handle the handrails and spindles.

Wrapping up the lumber for the weekend.

Due to rain some and while some continued to work at Newell's residence, others moved on to Jessica's residence.

This mobile home had roof and side damage from flying objects during the tornado and subsequent water and other damage.

We hare asked to add vinyl tile to the hallway and 

living room

and the main bedroom.  We begin in the bedroom by removing staples and excess sheet vinyl  and carpet residue along the walls and at the door openings.

Then the layout begins

There is cut out for registers

and installation is underway.

By mid afternoon we are 2/3 of the way across the room

and by the end of day, the last pieces is laid.

The crew from Newell's house came over and help with taping off doorways for the weekend

and pulling staples in the living room

near the kitchen

and the hallway.

Next week, we return to finish the prep work including cutting off excess sheet vinyl and

removing still more staples.

We begin laying flooring, then must move furniture including taking this TV off the wall support.

We are about half way across the room by lunch time.

One more row.

We enter the last piece and it won't snap in

but we keep at it and now it's done.

Other crews will have to add the transitions and do the other work required and our time here has come to a close.