After the devastation of Hurricane Helene, these homeowners wondered if they would ever go home again. With the help of builders, tradespeople, artisans, and volunteers, the five sets of homeowners whose renovations were documented by TOH TV’s Season 47, stepped through their front doors to houses that were better than they’d ever been.
Jim and Allie’s 1920s Bungalow in Shades of Nurturing Green
True to the historic roots of Beacon Village—originally a neighborhood of modest workers’ cottages built by the Beacon Blanket Company—the one-story 1920s bungalow owned by Jim and Allie is once again their welcoming haven. When the flood waters of the Swannanoa River rose to their house’s gutters in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Jim and Allie felt lucky to have survived the storm, but they thought they would never be able to live in the house again.
The 1,500-square foot house is now better than they ever imagined with improvements including an open-plan kitchen/dining area that adds a sense of spaciousness, a beautifully tiled primary bath, and a living room with a wall of built-in bookcases. Throughout, the homeowners’ love of varied shades of green adds a soothing effect. “This was definitely an example of ‘it takes a village,’ when we think of all the people who helped,” says Jim. Adds Allie: “It blows my mind how many people helped us. We are so grateful.”
Miah’s Retro Revival
Living in the 1,400-square-foot bungalow owned by her family since the 1930s, Miah knew her renovation had to evoke cherished memories of her grandparents. With the house gutted after the flooding, she took the opportunity to make improvements such as an expanded primary bath and a new laundry area, but then made sure to layer in plenty of sentiment.
In an antiques shop, she found a Formica-topped dining table just like the one where she ate meals with her grandparents and a vintage red barstool for the kitchen. Throughout the house, shades of turquoise give a retro feel. She is grateful for all the support and help, from organizations that helped remove the chimneys to a local group that found her two cats more than a month after the hurricane. But mainly, she is thankful to be home again. “I didn’t realize how much of the house was a part of who I am,” says Miah. “Now, I am whole again.”
Jeremy and Cat’s Upgraded Bungalow
Although they had never planned to renovate their 1,400-square-foot, 1920s bungalow, Jeremy and Cat found themselves facing a nearly demolished structure following Hurricane Helene. “Basically, only the exterior walls were intact,” says Jeremy. “The HVAC was toast, and the house was totally gutted.” They rebuilt with the help of dozens of volunteers, and a renovation team led by project manager Noah Swaty, of Balsam Builders. Changes to the interior layout provided much-improved family spaces for the couple and their young son, including an open-plan kitchen-living area. The new layout made room for a big kitchen island. “It’s the center of the house and it’s great to be together, whether you’re in the kitchen or the living room,” says Cat.
Matt and Melinda’s New Outlook
After a harrowing night spent in the basement of their 1965 house while the hurricane’s winds uprooted tree after tree on their property, Matt and Melinda questioned whether they would ever want to live in the house again. “Six or seven trees fell on the house,” says Melinda. But after a year of renovation, the family, which includes two young children, is back. Improvements made to the 1,800-square-foot house during the renovation include a newly open plan kitchen-dining-living area, and a raised roof in a second-story area that now serves as Matt’s office.
“The new house is much better designed for two young kids and activities outside,” says Matt. “We had often been reminded by our daughter how much she wished she had a yard, and now we have a ton of outdoor space for activities.” With FEMA removing all the fallen trees after the storm, their property does indeed now have a yard, as well as a mountain view—instead of the wall of trees they formerly saw. Overall, the end result is more than they could have imagined. “It’s very strange to have almost every nitpick and concern I had with the house completely resolved,” says Matt. “I guess rebuilding a large percentage of the house solved a lot of those problems!”
Paula’s Resilient House
When the Swannanoa River flooded, Paula watched 11 houses in her neighborhood float away, but her two-story modular house built in 2001 stayed in place—although water reached the first-floor ceiling. The water damage meant her entire first floor had to be gutted, but a year later, the renovation of her 2,100-square-foot house is complete. “I am so excited to be back in my house,” says Paula, who remains extremely grateful for the support that poured in. “What has surprised me the most during the renovation has been the generosity of total strangers who want to help make our lives better—even though they don’t know us!”
Improvements to the house include a diamond-patterned tile entry floor, new white oak flooring throughout the first level, an expanded window over the kitchen sink, and a new primary bathroom. The renovation team was led by builder William Nicholson. Paula made sure to include touches of the things she loves, such as patterned wallpaper she installed herself in the entry, and a vintage dresser she converted to a bathroom vanity with the help of TOH general contractor Tom Silva. Overall, she is still in awe at what has transpired to complete her renovation. “You hear all the stories of help but until you’re in a situation where you need to ask for it, it doesn’t occur to you just what sort of miracles will arrive.”
