After a house fire in 2025, lowernine.org assisted the Barber sisters by gutting the rooms effected by fire and smoke damage. In 2026, after the family obtained permits, lowernine.org volunteers and staff began reframing the affected areas, and discovered several areas of the home that had been jeopardized by termite and water damage. This project has turned into a large-scale rebuild.
So far we have reframed several door frames, downstairs and upstairs rooms and bathrooms, and repaired soffits on this double camelback shotgun. A firewall has been built in the attic, and all necessary windows have been installed. Due to improper installation of OSB on the back of the house – which was not properly nailed and has created gaps that have led to water damage – our teams are installing new plywood, synthetic paper, and re-installing vinyl siding to weatherproof the Barber house. Teams and volunteers have also worked on improving plumbing and proper ventilation.
Next steps include replacing the section of the roof damaged in the fire, electrical inspections, sheet rocking, installing flooring, and re-installing fixtures. During this process the homeowners will be able to back move into one side of the house, as we continue to repair the side that impacted by the fire.
