In the aftermath of a hurricane, it is quickly apparent that the storm makes no differentiation based on age, style, size, or any other characteristic of a house – if the building is in the storm’s path, it won’t escape damage. Such was the case in September 2024 in Asheville, NC, a town set amid the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Asheville was an unlikely spot for a hurricane, until Helene. This Category 4 hurricane initially slammed into the Florida Gulf Coast, killing 36 people, but it then headed inland. The storm’s outer bands hit North Carolina’s western Appalachian region, causing catastrophic flash floods, mudslides, and falling trees. By storm’s end, more than 200 lives were lost and thousands of homes destroyed—bungalows, cottages, ranch houses, modular houses, and more.
In TOH TV’s Season 47, the team helps five families rebuild in three different neighborhoods around Asheville. Grateful that they have survived the terror of the storm and its aftermath, each family has remained committed to their homes—three 1920s-1930s bungalows, one 1960s ranch house, and one 2006 two-story modular house. Here’s what to expect as the Carolina Comeback projects get underway.
Homes in Beacon Village
TOH TV’s primary focus will be Beacon Village, a neighborhood in Swannanoa, NC, a town 10 miles east of Asheville and one of the hardest-hit areas. Beacon Village is made up of 1920s and 1930s bungalows that were originally company-owned cottages for workers at Beacon Manufacturing Company, a noted maker of colorful patterned blankets. Houses in this area were completely flooded by the Swannanoa River as it overflowed due to the floodwaters coming down from the mountains. This Old House is following three Beacon Village houses being restored by builders Chris Cronin and Nick Swann.
Allie and Jim’s House
As the storm raged, Allie and Jim grabbed thick foam exercise mats to use as makeshift floating devices and ventured outside, clinging to the posts of their front porch as the floodwaters lifted them up to their roof. A neighbor rescued them by kayak from the roof about 30 minutes later, along with their dog, Piper, who was nestled safely in Jim’s backpack. Their house was submerged to the rafters when 12 feet of water overran the banks of the Swannanoa River. Fortunately, the structural timbers of their house remained intact, and the rebuilding work will involve taking the house down to the studs and starting from there.
Catherine and Jeremy’s House
Catherine and Jeremy, with their young son, had chosen to leave their house in the wee hours before the worst of the storm arrived and were staying with friends nearby. When they tried to check on the house after the sun came up, they could see from a distance that the house was submerged to the gutters. The house will be taken down to the studs and restored.
Miah’s House
A house filled with memories is what Miah recalls of her Beacon Village cottage, which has been in her family since the 1930s. She was working at the local 911 dispatch center during the height of the storm and returned to her house to find signs of flooding, along with bright orange paint on her door where emergency teams had marked that no one was in the house. Her home will be taken to the studs and restored.
Two More Homes Around the City
Matt and Melinda’s House
Located in a heavily wooded area on the north end of Asheville, Matt and Melinda’s house suffered excessive tree damage. Matt, Melinda, and their two young children had sheltered in the basement as long as possible while cyclonic winds uprooted trees. At one point during the storm, Matt ventured upstairs and saw daylight peeking through his roof and parts of trees inside the house. Neighbors were able to help the family get safely away. Restoration work by builder Hunter Ward will involve a new roof, new interior framing, mechanicals, and more.
Paula’s House
While numerous houses on her street in a neighborhood east of Asheville floated away before her eyes, Paula’s house remained in place. But as the floodwaters filled her first floor, she and several neighbors headed to a detached garage a little higher uphill behind Paula’s house to wait out the storm. The waters in her house stopped just below the first-floor ceiling. Her house will be repaired by builder James Dose.
Even when faced with the daunting task of restoring their Asheville houses to livable conditions, these homeowners are steadfastly devoted to their homes and neighborhoods. Allie, one of the Beacon Village homeowners, echoes the sentiments of many when she recalls that it wasn’t until she and Jim had reached safety at a neighbor’s house before she burst into tears realizing, “We made it out of the flood alive.” A new perspective of gratitude had taken over. And now the work begins.
