Flooded again

I am pretty sure that we've talked and/or emailed with all of you who read this blog within the last couple of weeks, but in case you haven't heard, our house flooded again during the Tax Day Floods on April 18.

It was such a different experience this time around.  We woke up with all sorts of reports of flooding streets and areas and school closures all over the TV but uncertainty of what exactly was happening at the house.  We contacted friends in the neighborhood to try to get an assessment of what was going on over there, but nobody could get to the house because all the roads were flooded.  Eventually we got some pictures of the area and were pretty sure the house was flooded, so I called the insurance to make a claim.  I wasn't sure if they would do it since I couldn't give any information, but I wanted to be at the top of the list so I called it in!  In the late afternoon, Pauline and Mikkel were able to park on the street behind the house to walk around and see in the windows.  She called to say there had definitely been water inside but it had retreated from the house by then.  The insurance adjustor called a bit later, and I was able to confirm to him that we indeed flooded and that when the roads were passable we'd get there to let him know the details.

The next morning, we dropped the kids off at Rachel's to play (the schools were closed again) and we went over to asses the situation.  Last year we had 18 inches and this time it was 'only' 6.  The water line ended right at the garage door, so there was no standing water in there except for around the back and sides right at the edges.  The water was far less dirty this time according to friends who were home while it flooded and based on the less disgusting water lines on the walls.  The flooding was definitely different this time and reached different areas and neighborhoods in the city, but unfortunately our neighborhood was one one them.  Other friends who flooded last time also flooded, but others did not.  All the neighbors east of us flooded again but several houses west of us did not, including our 98.5 year old neighbor, which was very good for her.

Since we weren't living at the house yet and the water didn't get into the garage, we didn't have any belongings in there to lose, which was a relief.  But, it means that the remodel of the house came to a halt and we are back to remediation like last time.  All of the drywall and insulation the contractors had put in all has to be taken out.  Lots of the beautiful cabinets have to be torn out to get to the drywall and insulation behind them.

We quickly made the decision that we won't be moving back to the house.  We can't risk it knowing that there is such a high likelihood of flooding again.  At first we weren't going to do any of the remediation because we didn't want to spend time and energy and money when we didn't think anyone would ever want to purchase the house to live there, and we assume we will just be selling for lot value.  But, the mold quickly started growing, we hired our contractors to do it for us.  More money being spent on the house!

We were very lucky that our apartment hadn't been rented out yet, so we cancelled our move-out notice and can stay here for the time being.  We've returned anything for the house that we can, but weren't able to stop the front door.  We had only ordered it on the Friday, so there was NO way it had been built yet, but they wouldn't cancel.  So, we now have a gorgeous, stainless steel set of double front doors being shipped from Europe!  And we just need to sell the land.  We have contacted a developer who was very nice but not interested.  A friend checked with their developer who was dismissive and condescending.  Our contractors checked with people they know and didn't get any takers.  A friend who is a real estate lawyer offered his services free of charge, so if we can sell it on our own without a realtor, we will save some fees.

So that's where things stand for now.  Each day is full of emotions.  Relief we hadn't moved back in yet.  Frustration that we've spent so much money on the remodel that won't all come back to us in insurance money this time.  Fear that it will take forever to sell the house/land.  Sadness that we won't get to live in the house that I love so much.  I was SO excited about all the new changes we'd made.  And was SO looking forward to being able to walk to school again.  But, it's ok.  We are all safe and we didn't lose belongings or have the insane stress of packing and moving.  And we've confirmed that no matter where we live and whether we own the house zoned to the school, the kids get to stay in the school.  And we have the apartment to live in this time without worrying about that part of it.  And we didn't lose any belongings.  Riley seems to have taken it all in stride (ETA: scratch that - after I wrote and posted this yesterday, she told us twice that she wants to move back to the other house in a sad voice), but we are noticing some signs of stress/anxiety in Leighton.  It isn't anything dramatic, just a little extra affection/clinginess and some extra frustrations (especially with his sister!) and being a little less engaged in school and soccer and activities.  Hopefully after school is out in a few weeks, things will settle into a new routine and he can get back to 'normal'.

Here are some photos/videos that were sent to us and found online of our street and the neighborhood:

Chris sent us this video he took from the overpass right over our street:

Dawn took these pictures as she drove over and looked at where our house is.  She was trying to get home to her house and family because they were also flooding, so I was appreciative she took the time to stop to take these for us.

And these were from Pauline and Mikkel when they finally could get to the house and the water had receded a lot.  The first is a the corner a few houses down from us.  And the second is our yard and the road in front.

https://www.facebook.com/KPRC2/videos/1294527957243921/
There is the bayou down the center and then our street is on the right hand/north side. The video is taken from the south to the north, so as it gets to around 14 seconds, you can see how the bayou starts to curve and the house is right there on the other side of the trees.

https://www.facebook.com/HerzogWeather/videos/969882213126764/?pnref=story
This is taken from a bridge over the bayou and our house would be on the left hand side about half way down towards the highway overpass you see straight ahead.

https://www.facebook.com/mark.katz.net/posts/10153588817081033
A drone over the neighborhood.