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Posted on Thu, May 17, 2012 : 5:59 a.m.

Dexter tornado: Two months later, storm is still taking a toll

By Cindy Heflin

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Amid the whirring of power saws and pounding of hammers, Jennifer Copland looked on approvingly Tuesday morning in her front yard as construction workers nailed new siding on her house in the Huron Farms subdivision in Dexter.

Copland’s home, damaged by the tornado that ripped through Dexter on March 15, already has a new roof, and she’s eager for workers to finish the remaining repairs.

Two months after the powerful tornado leveled 13 homes and caused damage at more than 250 others in a matter of minutes, Dexter is still on the mend. For residents, the mending can’t be finished soon enough.

“I think it’s surprised everybody that it’s taken so long,” Copland said.

Just about every home along Noble Drive where Copland lives is in some state of reconstruction. On one lot, nothing remains except a sign marking the address. On another, the floors and foundation are there but nothing else. Tuesday, the sound of rebuilding rang through the air and contractors’ vehicles clogged the roadway.

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Dexter resident Celia Ferris, left, looks at dents on her door during a tornado damage evaluation with Brian Robards, the owner of Custom Homes Inc. on Wednesday afternoon in the Huron Farms neighborhood.

Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Copland’s house was not as severely damaged as many of her neighbors’ homes. Fourteen of the 22 houses on her street were uninhabitable after the storm, she said. But there was damage enough. Besides needing a new roof and new siding, the house had broken windows and damaged carpet. It needed some new drywall and paint. Some of their furniture was ruined “It’s a very long process,” she said.

Copland said she and her family have moved past the initial terror from the tornado, though if another siren goes off, they’ll be quick to head to the basement.

Still, the lingering impacts of the tornado are wearing.

“It’s not having the carpet and your nice chairs and the things that you’re used to,” she said.

Celia Ferris, who lives on Lake Street, knows what Copland is talking about. Dealing with the aftermath of the tornado has been stressful for both her and her husband. Besides working with insurance companies and contractors and making decisions about repairs, they also have to cope with the mess of the reconstruction.

“I think it’s been hard,” she said, holding back tears, “… just living among the noise and lack of privacy.”

The tornado blew out windows and insulation in their attic, Ferris said, and caused shifting and cracking in the house. They got a new roof three days after the storm, she said, but the rest of the repairs are taking much longer.

On Tuesday, workers were tearing off old siding and installing new, and Ferris was to meet with a contractor Wednesday about other work, including new carpet installation and painting and drywall repairs.

Ferris and three of her four children huddled in the basement during the storm. She said she was more shocked than scared as it passed through. She could feel the change in air pressure as the tornado approached.

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As workers rebuild a destroyed house near the entrance to the Huron Farms subdivision, a sign thanks family, friends, neighbors and the Dexter community for their support.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Two months later, her children remain skittish when the skies look threatening. “When it gets dark or windy they think a tornado is coming,” she said.

But she praised Dexter Community Schools for the support and reassurance staff members provided to students in the days after the storm.

“The schools and community have been amazing,” she said. Neighbors and friends have offered assistance and support. “It really just lifted us up.”

Among those doing the lifting in the neighborhood are Erik Cabble and his wife, Julie.

They were lucky that their home was not among those most seriously damaged, though it does need a new roof and siding and had some broken windows. Their good fortune immediately thrust them into the role of care-givers, Erik Cabble said. Their house has served as a comfort station for neighbors and others starting with the night of the tornado.

The Cabbles and their three children rode out the storm under the stairs in their basement. They could hear the windows breaking upstairs. When the noise subsided, Cabble went upstairs. He’s a physician assistant in the Emergency Department at the University of Michigan Medical Center, so he immediately began trying to arrange for someone to cover the shift he was supposed to work that night.

He looked outside and saw his neighbor coming into his driveway carrying her 8-year-old son. “(She) was carrying her son into my house and I didn’t know why, and I looked and saw the roof was off her house. I carried her son into the basement and she went back and got her 6-year-old. “

In the days that followed, the Cabbles sheltered neighbors in their house and even let a Detroit television reporter use their bathroom.

Cabble said he and his wife love their neighborhood and are committed to doing everything they can to be good neighbors.

“We’ve had to up our game a little bit because we’re motivated by what needs to be done. It is inspiring, and it is really neat to be able to help so many people.”

The Cabbles are the only ones on their cul-de-sac still living in their home. The other families, like many in the Dexter area whose homes were severely damaged by the tornado, have had to move out while homes are rebuilt or repaired. Cabble knows it’s going to take a while, but he looks forward to the day when everyone returns.

“Part of what makes us feel safe and secure in our homes are our neighbors and our friends, and they’re not here.”

Comments

BradP

Fri, May 18, 2012 : 3:57 a.m.

Okay, here's a problem. All the ugly siding/roof/door combinations. Orangey-brown roofs, blue and green houses, peachy siding with green shutters. In the words of bill the cat: aaackkk! Dear neighbors, your house may be very cute and lovable to you now that it's sporting your favorite colors, but when you look at the whole street together it looks stupid and makes you seem selfish. Sorry, but it had to be said. I'm seriously ticked off to be living in Edward Scissorhands' pastel neighborhood. Not that these were the nicest houses in Dexter, but the neighborhood did have some class and a put-together look.

Mark

Fri, May 18, 2012 : 5:11 a.m.

Could have been better said. And most of the houses look good. Several are much improved since the tornado. But I do find myself agreeing with you about some of the color choices. Things are off, and the houses don't hang together anymore. How did the funky colors get approval? I know I signed papers saying that color choices had to match the neighborhood when I bought my house. If I weren't willing to abide the bylaws, I could have bought a house somewhere else. I'm not happy about the approval process for the odd colored houses. Was it LandArc or the board?

shepard145

Fri, May 18, 2012 : 1:16 a.m.

There are some excellent comments here! First of all, air barriers like Tyvek were required under the mechanical code when most of these houses were constructed but the Washtenaw County building inspector SCREWED UP!!! They let this production builder get away without it and someone at the county should have been FIRED as a result. Otherwise Huron Farms appears to have been built to code the way almost all production homes are and were an excellent value for the money when originally constructed, which is why you all bought them. The insurance companies did what they do – it seems that depending on who you speak with, people have had both excellent and horrible experience with the insurance companies. Based on what I've heard, two have stood out as consistently excellent – Citizens and USAA, which is for veterans and their families. Others are a mixed bag but the most important factor seems to be whether or not folks have a general contractor who can handle all the work and who knows how to talk to the insurance companies – local or out of town. Those who try to piece out the work or make a big fuss about the contractor regardless of their understanding of the insurance companies seem to have the most trouble getting repairs. Those who need new houses should not be surprised that it takes awhile - if it took 9 months to build their house the first time - this time will not go faster.

Michiganfan

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 4:17 p.m.

We have Citizens Hanover Insurance. They also did not call us, but we called them that evening and they had the emergency tarping folks out by 11 pm., the adjuster was out the next day and gave the go ahead for a new roof and all new siding. The roof and garage door were on within a week, before we even had an estimate from the restoration company. Both our insurance company, adjuster and builder have been great, no problems at all. Our work was done quickly. We went with the insurance adjuster through the insurance company, and not one of the so called "private adjusters" that swarmed like vultures. We also chose a builder the insurance company works with, and a local one, so they are using local businesses for supplies etc. Our builder is also NOT one of the ones who took on too many houses in the neighborhood and now does not have the workforce to keep up. Keep in mind that they decide on repairs to your home based on your individual policy, so just because one house gets all new siding, doesn't mean everyone will. People should not feel victim to their adjuster/insurance company. Work with your builder to advocate for the repairs you feel you need.

ESprout

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 3:48 p.m.

I, too, am a resident of Huron Farms. I was lucky that my house was not severely damaged. I have AAA and, though my agent didn't have the courtesy to call to make sure my family and I were ok (I would assume that any agency would compile a list of customers in the Dexter area and make calls to ensure the wellbeing of their customers...am I asking too much here??) Anyhow, I have AAA and the adjuster they sent out took care of us, giving the go ahead for new shingles (hail damage) and one side of our house to have new siding. They also okayed a power wash and restraining of our deck (lots of insulation stuck in the crevices between the wood planks). My neighbor just across the way also uses AAA and the adjuster that looked as his house was not so easy to work with. He only approved a portion of the roof and was giving the resident a very hard time with everything else. I don't think this scenario has been uncommon throughout the neighborhood. As for the quality of the house, there were corners that were cut. Insulation is terrible (at best), the heat/AC system is (for us) not sufficient (which exacerbates the shoddiness of the insulation), the construction grade quality finishes are (to be expected) not very durable (or stylish), the bathrooms lack sufficient ventilation (not sure if they used the proper bathroom rated drywall either)...the list goes on and on. While the community is wonderful, the structures of the homes, while aesthetically pleasing, are not what I would classify as quality construction. If Mike Holmes from Holmes on Homes came through, he'd probably have a heart attack...

A2Hallie

Fri, May 18, 2012 : 7:15 a.m.

Per any insurance policy, it is the INSURED' responsibility to notify their insurance company of new claim. Though a courtesy call from your agent would be at the height of customer service, it rarely happens. I also have AAA and as a former insurance agent, I can say AAA's service has been average at best. Heck, my agent hasn't called me once in 4-5 years at policy renewal time to suggest changes or whether I need more insurance. My claim rep for this loss has been okay, she's said she'd call the next day with answers to my questions numerous times yet doesn't and doesn't even open emails for over a week. Whatever, time to go shopping.

JC

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 2:22 p.m.

Yes, some of the houses were not built as well as they could or should have been, but there were several builders involved at various times and places, and there are other houses that had extra reinforcements that fared better than they should have in an EF-3 tornado. There is no generalization. Most did not have Tyvek because it was not code when the homes were built. I think that became code in 2001(?). But by the end of this summer the vast majority of the homes will have Tyvek, new siding, new roofs, repeated inspections and will end up stronger than many homes outside the subdivision.

mkm17

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 2:15 p.m.

This story is a good reminder that building codes are in place for a reason. Many of my neighbors (Livingston County) proudly announce that they were able to rewire their home or install a deck or roof without "anybody noticing". We're among those who don't enjoy paying the local building inspector what seems like an awful lot of money, but we tag along during each inspection and make sure everything is done right.

Michiganfan

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 2:11 p.m.

We have lived in this subdivision for 14 years, we were one of the first homes built, and I can tell you that it did not go up in a matter of months. The only deficiency in some of the earlier built homes is the lack of Tyvek house wrap under the siding. Our home sustained significant damage, not because it was quickly built, but because this was an F3 tornado, which causes roof and walls to be torn off of well constructed houses and trees to be uprooted (http://www.tornadoproject.com/fscale/fscale.htm) This is exactly what happened. The large tree damage on Dexter-Pinckney road is a case in point. If the damage in our subdivision was because of poor construction, then its doubtful the tree damage on D-P road would have been that significant. Please stop perpetuating this rumor, it's hurtful to the residents who are already going through a lot of stress to get their homes repaired and back to their normal lives.

SB

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 11:12 a.m.

My home was one of the hardest hit. When we bought the house 5 years ago it easily passed all inspections. The only comments our contractors made about the house's per-tornado condition is that it was missing Tyvek and that it was built to code for the time it was built but codes have changed so we need some upgrades. I'm afraid there's not a better story from us. A tornado caused the damage. Plain and simple.

slug

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 10:58 a.m.

Here's a story to pursue: There are 100's of people in Dexter who have had to make claims with their insurance companies at the same time. Let's find out which companies are handling this situation and the relationships with their clients well. I hear horror stories and I hear accolades. We see commercials with cute geckos and promises of great deals and service - how well do they do where it counts, being there during a disaster. You couldn't ask for a better control study.

RB

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 2:51 p.m.

I would point out that almost any information coming out of this might be taken with a grain of salt, as I've heard both great and horrific stories about the same insurance companies (and contractors for that matter). That said, we have Citizen's and they have been terrific.

Pierian Spring

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 12:19 p.m.

Cindy Strang with State Farm in Dexter is an angel. Before the storm, Cindy made sure we had the right policy for our house. After the storm, she brought my daughter a gift to make sure she was doing OK. I cannot think of the words to express my appreciation for Cindy and State Farm.

sarden

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 12:19 p.m.

I live in Huron farms and use Michigan Insurance Company for my policy. From my agent to the adjustor, they have been wonderful to work with. As they do not advertise, it seems that they spend the money in the right way - on their customers. I've heard some pretty horrific stories from neighbors on their insurance companies - many of which we see their ads all over. A strange thing that is happening is that some things are covered on houses, but not on others while both having the same insurance company. It will be a while before all this gets worked out. A better story may be the costs that some of the contractors are charging the insurance companies for the work being performed.

thinker

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 11:58 a.m.

I also would love to hear which insurance companies have really come through in this situation. Could any survivors comment here?

dexterreader

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 10:58 a.m.

I, too, wondered about the initial construction quality. This sub went up in a matter of months. One can't help but wonder if that has something to do with the extent of the damage.

gmo99

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 10:55 a.m.

There are rarely any stories or pictures of the homes along Dexter-Pinckney and Carriage Hills. These older homes were hit very hard and the work is slow. There are massive trees still being removed along with stumps and debris. Some of the houses look like there has not been any work done. Imagine loosing 50 to over 100 trees along with your house and property damage. Many of these homes are still not lived in, some are down to the foundations. Everyone is tired of the constant pounding, debris, and lack of privacy. The contractors have told us that it will be a long, long recovery. Some days it gets us down, some days a new roof, siding, fence, and deck makes us smile. Now if we can just get some trees.....

A2Hallie

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 10:39 p.m.

Thank you gmo99. I was going to write that myself. I live in the village on 2nd St & Hudson. No photos no coverage. The apartment i rent is in a tri-level home with 4 apts. total. 3 apts. were deemed unlivable. I guess the newer subdivision is where all the action is. I am in my ninth week of living at hotels. The damage sustained is no where near that of a house that has been leveled. But, it's taken almost 4 weeks to get some generic Berber carpet in! It can't be that special! Thank God i had renter's insurance. My additional living expenses coverage has ended. Serv-Pro construction says my place will be finished by end of this week. It better be. I just want to go home. In the meantime, my landlord gave me notice that he won't continue my month-to-month tenancy. He has no moral compass.

sh

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 6:24 p.m.

I've been wondering the same. I drive down Dexter-Pinckney Rd daily and still cannot believe the damage.

Tesla

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 5:25 p.m.

Thank you for saying this. I was going to say it myself. Why all the stories about Huron Farms???????????????? What about Carriage Hills?????????? It was as devastated as this little subdivision was. Probably more so. I have been following all the stories on A2.com about the storm and aftermath and believe I have seen Carriage Hills even mentioned Twice if that.

Bob Dively

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.

I recently drove down Dexter-Pinckney for the first time since the storm and was shocked by the extent of the damage there, probably because I've not seen a single photo or read more than a couple of sentences about the area.

smokeblwr

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 10:23 a.m.

I have heard second hand that insurance adjusters have noted deficiencies in many of these houses' construction. Is that true? The extent of the damage seems pretty amazing and I'm wondering if there could be more to the story after hearing stories of homes twisting on their foundation.

Michiganfan

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 2:19 p.m.

Laura, I live in this sub, and built our house 14 years ago. Yes, there was house wrap missing, but it it simply not true that frames were held down with two nails. This was an F3 tornado that took out 100 year old trees. Many homes still have walls in tact, so I think they would likely be completely gone in this case. It seems that some insurance adjusters and some builders are trying to pad their estimates to make more money by saying that our houses were poorly built so they can add more work onto their bid. Trust me, we were swarmed with many shady people after the tornado.

63Townie

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 2:18 p.m.

The tornado was EF3 when it hit the Huron Farms sub. Estimated winds at 135-140. The damage is in line with the wind speed, no "smoking gun".

Laura Jones

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 12:47 p.m.

Oh - I also heard from a builder some of the frames were only held down with one or two nails - another "how do you miss that one" question for the inspectors.

Laura Jones

Thu, May 17, 2012 : 12:45 p.m.

Yes, it seems to be true. There were many without any house wrap underneath. Some have water damage without exterior damage due to that lack of wrap. Wonder how its possible that that was skipped in the building inspections since it's a requirement to pass inspection. The builder is bankrupt, but I wonder about the inspector - who was it - what documents support the inspections. It's very hard to miss the lack of house wrap in an inspection and around here inspectors had been known for being very picky about it, since there is no well to tell after the house is sided.

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