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First a Word About My House... This necessitated the house, located in Plant City's Historic District, needing to be virtually demolished and rebuilt. In February 2008 we moved out of the house and into the apartment east of Plant City where we have been living since waiting for this work to be completed. we were expecting to move back into our house by July of that year.
As it turns out, we did not pursue a construction loan with Citi as their terms were unfair. This postponed continued construction from April to July 2008. We then worked with Farm Credit of Central Florida to secure a construction loan. They were and still are a sterling company who has stood by us throughout this prolonged ordeal.
In October 2008 we entered into a loan agreement with Farm Credit and our first contractor. He said he would need to get architectural drawings done in order to obtain a building permit from the City of Plant City. The drawings took over two months, pushing the hoped for construction back an additional six months. After the City approved the drawings and as the New Year emerged, the first contractor became less and less responsive, promising to start work, but never doing so. Another ominous situation was occurring at this time - - the U.S. economy was beginning a horrific melt down the likes of which had not been seen since the Great Depression.
I pored over the language of the loan agreement and discovered that if we could not have the construction completed by October 1, 2009, that the lender could foreclose on us. As foreclosure was totally unacceptable, I sent the first contractor three Certified Mail letters warning him of this deadline, and that if he did not or would respond, that he would be terminated so that another contractor could resume the work.
By the beginning of April 2009 our first contractor was officially terminated and his whereabouts to this day are unknown. We then had the daunting task of having to secure a new contractor who would resume the work within the monetary limit set in the loan agreement. Throughout all of April and May we sent invitation to bid forms to six contractors. All but two of the six showed initial interest but were never heard from again. we thought by Memorial Day weekend that we had secured a contractor, but at the last second he bailed without explanation.
Now we were set back 10 additional months from when we initially anticipated living in our reconstructed home. One bidder was left, the economy was in a shambles, the lender was getting nervous and October 1st was looming ever closer. After agonizing months of delay, worry and financial loss, it seemed that all hope was lost and that foreclosure was eminent. We pulled a "Hail Mary" with the final bidder and by July had a new contractor on board.
I can not brag enough about our new contractor and his crew. Demolition of the house started in August 2009. The only thing left of our house were the piers and footers, floors, sill beams, interior studs and roof - - everything else, all exterior walls and siding, all interior lath and plaster walls, all 33 original windows, all gone! In a week's time no less!
Actual construction finally started on September 9, 2009. Work by the first contractor, the installation of piers, footers and sill beams, had last been done 18 months earlier. In that time since September 9th, the rate and quality of work has been amazing - - all new exterior studs, exterior plywood, exterior Tyvek wrap, exterior Hardieboard siding, installation of 23 new windows. reconstruction of the front porch and construction of a new rear deck have all occurred as of this writing of October 20, 2009.
Whew! What a ride the past two years have been. We're projected to move back in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, 15 months later than originally anticipated, 22 months after having moved out of our house and over 24 months after learning of the severity of the house's condition - - but we are certainly giving thanks and view this as the best Christmas gift date once we are finally back home!
Happy 500th Issue Nolan! The Nils M. Schweizer Fellows-Modern Sarasota Tour: Part One
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