ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Flooding is all too common for people who live in St. Augustine’s Davis Shores neighborhood, where residents say parts of the streets disappear under water whenever there’s a full moon or a bad rainstorm.
Countless homeowners suffered serious flood damage after hurricanes Matthew and Irma, forcing them to either demolish and rebuild or restore their homes.
Tyne Anderson decided to go vertical after getting hit hard during both storms.
“After Irma, we thought it was time to do something,” Anderson said. "We decided to raise it."
The process started in early March and is nearing completion. Anderson said raising the house was the most economical choice for him and his family.
“Insurance gave us about $80,000 and we put that into the house -- new air conditioning, rewiring, new A/C ductwork, new drywall, new flooring, new everything," he said. "Everything was brand new in the house, so we thought it would be a shame to basically waste all of that money to tear it down and rebuild something new. So we went with raising it."
In all, the project has cost about $120,000. The house now stands about 6 feet from the ground, putting it right around 12 feet above sea level.
Other neighbors in Davis Shores have taken a similar route, also raising their homes. Construction is still a common sight throughout the neighborhood, as stacked cinder blocks can be seen on just about every street.
“Some people like us and a few other neighbors are taking it a few steps farther and actually doing something to just ensure that we won’t flood again,” Anderson said. "Or hopefully."