Hurricane Matthew was the first category 5 hurricane since Felix in 2007 and it caused catastrophic damage in the South Eastern United States in September 2016. For home in low-lying areas, flooding exacted a terrible toll. In North Carolina, damage is expected to exceed $1.5 billion. So it was good news when Summerlin Builders received a letter from one of it's clients, the Martin's about how well their home survived the storm.
The Martin Home was built in Princeton, NC and they said that when the storm struck Johnston County, they had pounding, driving rain and wind in excess of 80 mph for about 10 hours. The Martin's reported 10 inches of rain that day. Mickey Martin said, "You could hear the wind howling and see the rain hammering the house but our little home never budged. It did not shake, rattle or sway at all. I walked from room to room checking every window and exterior door opening making sure water was not coming into our house. I can say that we remained completely dry."
"After the storm we went out to inspect the property. We did not have one loose or missing shingle or piece of siding," Martin said. "What a relief!"
When the home was built, the Martin's said that Summerlin Builders had built us a solid, well-built little house. What they didn't know was just how “well built” it was until they weathered a hurricane! Martin said: "Once again, thank you Randy for a great well-constructed house. We love it and know it will last us for our lifetimes. What a comfort that knowledge is to us."
Summerlin Builders builds their homes higher off the ground than many contractors. While this adds slightly to the cost, it has significant advantages to the home owner. It enables easy access, better ventilation, reduces the risk of rot and termite damage, and provides more space for equipment, such as hot water heaters, HVAC, etc. It also reduces the risk of flooding during extreme weather events such as Hurricane Matthew. The company also keeps up with building sciences and have been certified quality engineers for more than a decade and a half, allowing for homes to be built more safely.
