No one in Greater Houston could have been fully prepared for the catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey – not homeowners, contractors, city officials, insurance adjusters, material vendors, etc. More than 160,000 single-family homes were destroyed or damaged. Our community faced a massive rebuilding effort with many daunting challenges for everyone involved. Resources across the entire system, from insurance claims through onsite construction, were severely strained.
Thoughtful TriFection response
TriFection, like many local remodeling contractors, received an overwhelming number of calls and emails from homeowners in need of assistance. We quickly realized we could not help everyone who contacted us, particularly given we were quite busy prior to Hurricane Harvey. Ownership made a significant investment in hard-to-find drying equipment for the immediate aftermath and selectively added skilled labor to our team. We decided to accept as many flood rebuild projects as we could without over-committing our resources and compromising our top-quality standards.
Trust the process
We educated our clients on the proper procedures for insurance claims, city permitting and rebuilding. We explained the entire process would take several months, perhaps more than a year in some cases. The first important step involved cleaning up the damage, killing mold and allowing the home adequate time to dry. Our clients trusted and followed our advice, but the patience of some was tested as they saw neighbors quickly re-hanging drywall and laying new floors while they were displaced and their home remained a shell. Like the classic fable of the tortoise and the hare, however, slow and steady would win this race. A rush to rebuild would lead only to a second disaster.
Heartwarming happy endings….and more to come
We validated our clients’ trust when they witnessed the heartbreaking tear-outs of neighbors’ hurried rebuilding work or heard stories of shoddy craftsmanship and lack of responsiveness from contractors. For one client in west Houston, we’re only about halfway to completion, and he couldn’t be more pleased with the efforts of the TriFection team. 
Following Harvey, he had four feet of water sitting in his home for two weeks. He has described other houses in his neighborhood as a “war zone,” with construction debris and food trash left all over the place. Meanwhile, the TriFection crews have been extremely respectful of his residence and maintained a consistent focus on cleanliness. We did not start the rebuilding effort until the house had been fully cleaned, dried and passed a certified mold test.
He greatly appreciates the fact that TriFection allowed him to make new material selections at his own pace and pointed out several areas of the home in need of structural improvement while the walls were opened up. Many other contractors do not have the expertise or the best interests of their clients in mind.
As we continue to finish these flood rebuild projects this year, we’ll share the many happy-ending stories with you. We’re very proud of the work our team has performed under difficult circumstances. Restoring a family’s comfortable living environment (knowing it was done the right way) and seeing the look of joy, relief and appreciation on their faces has been our greatest reward.
