Courtesy of Hunters Point
The first floor, which is the garage, is all solid concrete, all the way to the ceiling. The other floors — the living areas — all have 2×6 framing and metal straps that tie down the house to the foundation. All the seams on the plywood siding have been taped up and sealed. Everything becomes one piece.
The house has foam insulation all the way up to the attic, which increases its strength. All our windows and doors are said to be “hurricane-proof.”
There’s traffic probably 100 yards away, but we don’t hear a thing. That’s how solid it is.
We have a solar-power system. So if the electricity goes out when a hurricane comes, we’ve still got power to run on.
We had our insurance company come through and look at everything when we first moved in. The representative who came didn’t say a whole lot, but I was outside when he finished up. He came out and I said, “What do you think?” And he said, “That’s a well-built house.”
Helene didn’t damage my house, but my sister nearby lost two cars
During Helene, we had a six-foot-high storm surge. It came within maybe two feet of my back patio. We’re up pretty high.
We lost power and the solar power system kicked in. It carried us through the night and the next day. Then, about three quarters into the next day, the power was back to normal.
Courtesy of Hunters Point
I loaded up my Suburban with all my back patio furniture, the cushions and tables. I drove it about 10 miles away to a shopping center in Bradenton that’s higher above sea level, just to make sure that the car wouldn’t get any water in it.
A friend of mine came and drove us back. They’re staying in a hotel in Sarasota because their house was flooded by Helene.
A lot of people would say I’m crazy. My daughter and son are back in Virginia Beach and think I’m crazy for wanting to stay here.
Now, we may have some problems with flooding, but we’re prepared. We got enough food to last for a week. And, like I said, solar power keeps the refrigerator running
I’ve always stayed, even when we had hurricanes in Virginia Beach. I like the idea of having my own bed, my own food. If you go to a hotel, everything’s closed. You can’t get any food.
And I like to be here just in case something does happen. If I had a window break or something, I’d be able to put something over it to close it up.
But my house is great. Being a homebuilder, I’m quite happy with the way it’s built. So I’m not concerned. I’m staying here.
Editor’s note: Gobuty, the founder of Pearl Homes and Hunters Point, told Business Insider, “Building to code keeps you out of jail, but building homes better than code keeps homes — and more importantly, people — truly safe. No matter how buildings are made, though, in the event of emergencies we advise that residents should follow all safety protocols and guidance from their local government officials.