Published: August 21, 2008 11:07 pm         

Flood reconstruction means many Vigo houses will be getting higher foundations

TERRE HAUTE — Despite a sluggish economy, many area households will be getting a raise in coming weeks.

Between 2 and 4 feet, to be exact.

“Now we’re going to have a really nice crawl space,” laughed Jennifer McCammon, whose house near Thompson Ditch at 4221 S. 11th St. is currently up on blocks and wooden posts.

McCammon’s home was among the thousands ravaged by the June 7th floodwaters, and to comply with area zoning regulations, its foundation will be raised from 489 feet above sea level to 491.

Darren Maher, assistant director of the Vigo County Area Planning Commission, said any homes in at least “Zone C” of the flood plain and sustaining damage greater than 50 percent of the appraised value will be required to raise the foundation.

“Basically, if they do have questions about this situation they should call us,” Maher said of the regulations, noting that many new flood plain maps brought out for public discussion just prior to June 7 are not ready for use yet.

“The information we are using is off of the old maps,” he said, adding that many of the homes flooded were not in high-risk areas of the flood plain.

Elevation requirements vary on a case-by-case basis, he said, anywhere from two to four feet, depending on whether the home is in Zone A, B or C of the flood plain and how much damage occurred.

Estimates on costs for the project vary just as much, he said, noting he’s heard figures anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000.

Across the river in Toad Hop, neighbors Rick Johnson and Dave Dispennett were still at work on their homes Thursday afternoon.

“Getting them up, that’s hard on them,” Johnson said while standing next to the 70-foot-long mobile homes up on jacks and blocks. The strain on walls and ceilings is tough at first, but once solidified they should be set, he said.

Dump trucks were hauling more dirt into the neighborhood as Dispennett pointed to other homes being raised as well.

Like the others, he plans to use dirt up to the new edges of the home, build steps and skirt along the front.

And as earth-shaking as the move might seem, it couldn’t have come quickly enough for McCammon.

“It’s a huge relief,” the mother of two said, noting she and her sons were in an area hotel for a while before moving to a three-bedroom apartment in the Village Quarter while their house is being repaired.

“To me, this is a start. We’ve waited two-and-a-half months to get this started,” she said, explaining that nothing but tearing out drywall, carpet and other demolition could be done until the home was raised.

Dillabaugh Inc. out of Crown Point is doing the construction, and for McCammon, insurance is going to buffer most of the costs.

“It would have been silly not to,” she said, noting that the flood plain ordinance makes it necessary at some point anyway.

“We’re definitely going to have to add some steps,” she joked, adding, “we’ll have a different view of the neighborhood now.”

Dispennett’s and Johnson’s homes were raised without insurance assistance, but both said they didn’t have much choice either.

Maher advised people to check into the project fully before undertaking it.

“Don’t spend the money before you have it,” he said, noting that some people have assumed they would get more aid or insurance money than they received.

But for McCammon, it’s just one more step toward getting back into her own house.

“It’s not home,” she said of her apartment. “But at least it’s bigger than a hotel room.”

She remembers the day the construction launched, as people called her at work to tell her of the lift. But it wasn’t until she and her son pulled up to the house on jacks that it really sunk in, she said.

“My son said, ‘that is awesome’,” she laughed.

Brian Boyce can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.