Lessons learned from the one home that survived Hurricane Michael

It's the house the entire country was talking about: The one that was still standing after Hurricane Michael when the rest of Mexico Beach was flattened. Four months later, the owner is explaining what he’s doing to make the home even stronger for the next big one.
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[@annabarclay7321]

He built his house to amazing standards, learned from the mistakes he did make, AND evacuated anyway. Very impressive on all counts.

[@johngallo7383]

He built his house to Florida building code standards. Even building his "own" home, it still will be inspected. All "new" homes have to be built like this. We don't enforce this on existing homes. Only if they do alterations that have anything to do with trusses/roof/block/slab. Then we can say something.

[@garylangley4502]

@@johngallo7383 It seems that the windows he used were particularly strong. Are the ones he used code, or are they stronger than what code requires?

[@djdavisiscool]

@@johngallo7383 They even said he built it above code....

[@johngallo7383]

@@garylangley4502 Windows made for South Florida, Miami/Dade. 175 wind zone. As a state inspector, I do not know of anything stronger. Different qualities but same wind zone. Different parts of the state have different wind zones. So maybe for his area and that wich is required he put in the miami/Dade specs? I would have to se them and look at the NOA'S.

[@johngallo7383]

@@djdavisiscool I am sure he built th above code for his area. All parts of Florida have different wind zones. So maybe he put in Miami/Dade windows. Code is minimum. So anything above code is well... above code....

[@savethebees2506]

This house should be the housing code for all homes in hurriane areas.

[@unitgamex2972]

That would be way to expensive Y’all mfs acting like these storms always happen also

[@wazup3333]

@@unitgamex2972 they said they estimate 20% more in cost, that's not much more...

[@unitgamex2972]

@@wazup3333 it is a lot especially in this economy

[@canyouguessmyname15]

@@unitgamex2972 120% cost the first time is still cheaper than 100% twice if you have to rebuild. Not to mention the cleanup and safety aspect for those that ride out the storm.

[@unitgamex2972]

@@canyouguessmyname15 I’m not saying that it’s a bad idea, it is definitely really expensive And you have really high chance of not needing a house like that

[@Jennifer_Laz]

If he hasn't already, this fellow should start a storm preparedness consulting company for home builders. He already has a proven model. Bravo!

[@Cortesevasive]

its murica they dont have standards

[@iloveowls90]

We should though , especially hurricane prone areas

[@FVBmovies]

@@iloveowls90 and C-, you're both should get off the internet. Florida has Hurricane Building Codes. "Florida has by far the most extensive codes and rigid licensing requirements of any state in the country. To be a true licensed contractor, it requires many years of experience and extensive testing. The exam is 19 hours long and is quite thorough. There are 3 licensing types for new home builders: certified residential contractors (which can strictly only build homes) and certified building contractors (can build both commercial and residential homes/businesses) and a certified general contractor can build high rises."

[@PeterLawton]

Jennifer, I love the upgrades the homeowner made, but builders already know about them. It's the buyers who must pay for those upgrades, and that's a tough sell. One the one hand, lax standards save upfront cost but result in more hurricane destruction. On the other hand, extreme standards result in extreme upfront cost, but preserve homes during hurricanes. Neither extreme is the right thing to do (never is, really). Maybe the solution is education of buyers before they commit to building a new home. Maybe a solution is for insurance companies to discount such upgrades according to data (they keep great data on losses), and spell out for the policyholder why they get a discount and see the relative value of each. Maybe the solution is a mix of many such efforts.

[@Bob_Lob_Law]

He will only be able to give them advice that costs some money. And unfortunately, they are not interested in fixing anything if it costs so much as a penny. After all, insurance will cover it, right?

[@Kinsanth_]

For this person the "overkill" of safety held its ground, whilst other houses got wiped out. And to top that off, that person still improves his house to make it even more stable. Thats real dedication and that house is also in the main hitting area of a hurricane. Very very well done indeed on selecting the materials

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

The county now needs to insist that this build is the minimum standard for new builds....yeah right......

[@x808drifter]

@@josephsmith2417 If you decide to live where hurricanes hit almost every single year yeah.

[@moteroargentino7944]

@John Smith Not the minimum but yeah it should be suggested. "You must build the house by this standards for it to be safe in most storms. But you should meet these standards for it to withstand ANY storm."

[@Zfast4y0u]

better he make bunker and lower house into it...

[@Kinsanth_]

@@Zfast4y0u unfortunately way too expensive to be realized by regular houseowners. Huge hydraulics or other contraptions would be needed to succeed with such an idea

[@ShlivingShleafers]

This man is the Tony Stark of hurricane damage prevention, ALWAYS learning from mistakes and optimizing them

[@nercopolis99]

Good analogy, I think I'm gonna go re-watch some compilations of Tony's adaptations!

[@Rollerbear712]

building different

[@ShaiLysk]

Just wait until he discovered bricks! 😂😂😂

[@rainbowsunshinekitty3953]

The key is that he built his own home. No one will do it better.

[@johnjerman3421]

indeed most contractors will tell you - to put only 5 nails in each hurricane strap because that's all you need for "code" inspection to pass - & that right there shows how much they care about "your home" compared to "your check"

[@zachs.4371]

Except you need to actually be an expert yourself lol

[@1nf1d31]

Exactly! When we do things for ourselves and our family's we always do it right and above standard or Code. When I build my first forever home I will do it myself and it will be rated for things that haven't happend yet! Lol Lord willing

[@user-sw2wv1zx1t]

@Zach S. It’s not hard to do research. Research is research. Or else you’ll never know anything. He wasn’t considered an “expert” in society. He learned and used what he learned instead of dumbing down.

[@anothergenericgamer_]

You need to know what you’re doing

[@kwerk]

We were there directly after the hurricane; my husband and I are part of a disaster response team. It was devastating... I remember seeing that house wondering how it survived. Thank you for sharing.

[@haukepowers8491]

Karen...thanks for your service to the community !!

[@ThePartarar]

@@haukepowers8491 likewise, as a former tb resident

[@prima808]

I wonder how it fared against Ian?

[@flycrack7686]

its not a cheap american cardboard house and this house was properly build, thats the reason

[@ColinRichardson]

I am sorry for your name, goes to show not every Karen is a Karen.

[@Paul-ou1rx]

His home sustained the type of damage you might see if a teenager's parents were out of town. He deserves a discount on his homeowner's insurance.

[@carlmorgan8452]

Insurance is going to be ☝

[@Suisfonia]

Actually I'm pretty sure his insurance is higher than most other homes in the area due to the modifications made to his home.

[@economicdevelopmentplannin8715]

Guaranteed he doesn't have a mortgage and is self insured

[@haggai3.477]

@@economicdevelopmentplannin8715 EDUCATED GUESS.

[@haukepowers8491]

Florida insurance companies do not give discounts....all they care about is how the house is built...if you live in "hurricane alley" there are NO discounts..not even on auto insurance...been down there...$$$$$ for basic auto insurance...$165 for bare-bone State Farm auto insurance...Florida requires all drivers to have extra hospitalization insurance...$$$$

[@dawsonfradin9071]

This is a true quaity house with a smart home owner. So many of those buildings on the boast sell for millions of dollars, but they are poorly constructed and rarely ever come close to the standards needed to properly with stand the dangers of being there. The developers care about the profit margin, build cheap and sell big. Huge respect to this man.

[@Snugggg]

mmmmm mmmm thats good capitalism 🤤

[@timevans8223]

What about the idiots that buy them? You can't sell wooden houses in the UK. Nobody wants them. They know they are buying something that won't last. Brick or stone all the way

[@TheOmegakix]

Me, Europeean watchin this; "Hahah wooden houses"

[@grondhero]

That man is living the good life. Not only is his house one of two in the neighborhood to survive the hurricane, his college team, *Tennessee* is undefeated.

[@RoroYaKnow]

Not the same year lol

[@grondhero]

@@RoroYaKnow Ha ha ha ha! I didn't even notice that. Internet has no time frame. 😅

[@Spazza42]

Shame the whole neighbourhood was levelled though, his house might be standing but it’s value is gone….

[@Chris-mo9gt]

@@Spazza42 I wonder what happens to the value of a house when every home around it is built brand new. Which is what’s gonna happen.

[@Spazza42]

@@Chris-mo9gt Yeah, because America has a trend of fixing levelled neighbourhoods after horrendous storms doesn’t it? They did well after Hurricane Katrina….

[@ryannorton1278]

Everything in Okinawa is made from reinforced concrete. Survives multiple typhoons and earthquakes regularly. I think it’s time areas impacted by hurricanes regularly do the same. Save a lot of time, money, and heartbreak

[@Dreadlk]

I don't know why mainland USA does not use concrete but I suspect its because the ground is so soft and you would have to sink lots of Pylons to prevent it from slowly sinking. It may be to expensive for home use.

[@AlphaMachina]

@@Dreadlk This is exactly the reason. I live in Southeast Louisiana, and even 300 miles from the coast, because basically the entire southern portion of the state is /at/ sea level, our roads sink into the ground, massive potholes, buildings have to be built to specific codes. Right on the coast like that, it could be done, but it'd cost a fortune to keep it from sinking. I always thought similarly about kitchens and bathrooms. In Japan and other parts of the world, bathrooms are made to be completely waterproof. But here in the US, people spend millions a year renovating their bathrooms because of how poorly built they are leading to water damage. The entire bathroom should be sealed up like it's all one big shower. But everything costs more in the US than it does anywhere else, even if it is of subpar quality.

[@ToIsleOfView]

@@Dreadlk The use of poured concrete is becoming more prevalent. The ICF construction method is catching on.

[@LoriL010]

@@ToIsleOfView I'm going to use ICF for a closet for a tornado safe room. Too expensive to do the whole house, for me anyway.

[@MostlyInteresting]

The houses put in in the 50-60's are poured concrete for the most part. That was right after a couple of massive hurricanes hit. The roofs were flat and the structure was large wood beams. Every door and window had a steel awning cover that could be dropped over it in a few min. I know I lived in one years back. All the newer stuff is just thrown together with a wink and nod to the inspectors.

[@johngallo7383]

As a Building Inspector in Florida, windows are part of what I inspect. I am very hard on contractors to do it the right way. They may hate me sometimes but I do not care. My boss told me, if your name is not written on the inside of a porta potty, then your not doing your job right. I don't care how well you built your home... If ONE window gets taken out, the WHOLE house is compromised!

[@NOZZASLOADEDED]

Do you know what they meant in this video when they said there was no "vinyl" used?

[@johngallo7383]

@@NOZZASLOADEDED They must have used "since they said no vinyl siding " a wood sheathing with 2 layers of 15lb waterproofing and then T1-11 or Hardi plank. Maybe some tyvek house wrap. There are so many products out there that it is hard to tell unless you inspect the build as it progresses. Now vinyl will peel off if there is a weak spot and then allow your sheathing to be exposed to water. I would have to see it fully to know why they said that. Vinyl is fine to use in Florida residential Code so. Each product has to get a NOA = Notice of Acceptance. It's engineering for that product. They are not listed in the Florida building code. But they have to be approved by the state. Each product .

[@DonTruman]

I would have presumed the sheer force of the wind would break through windows, but sounds like they can survive as long as they are installed properly, correct? But seems some form of hard covering for storms would be better, given that flying debris can certainly break glass, as happened to this man's house.

[@johngallo7383]

@@DonTruman Yea, Florida has strict codes on opening protectives. Especially Miami/Dade. So even if you live in Tallahassee, you can Install Miami/Dade windows.

[@johngallo7383]

@@DonTruman Yea so they work on Positive & Negative pressures. They are also 2 ply from what I have seen and read on them with a gel in the middle of the 2 ply. So if one window takes the hit, the other with the gel holds it together. But it has to have Code standard or NOA bucking and depth and edge distance to keep that window in its proper place. A Window is nothing without its anchors.

[@sushibar777]

Another good idea is to have shutters that slide out to cover the exterior of all windows, especially large windows. Houses in Japan have these, and they are quite used to getting typhoons. The sliding covers need to lock firmly together, but they protect windows from flying debris.

[@colty7764]

Thats probably the most cost effective way to protect the roof from blowing off. Also remember garage doors need to be very secure.

[@johngallo7383]

I am a Building Inspector in Florida and I tell people all the time that get new "Hurricane Windows put in" Keep your Shutters! There design Pressure rating on shutters is 2x that of what a hurricane window has.

[@SgtJoeSmith]

yeah thats what i was gonna say. plus lexan or polycarbonate outer covering or bullet proof glass.

[@daversj]

Building with wood in these areas is not the best choice. As proven by his build you can have good results will all the steel reinforcements, but this method is super dependent on perfect engineering and implementation. Concrete construction seems more practical, is less prone to corrosion and insects and is serviceable after flooding events. This method is economical and is done in much less wealthy countries that see similar weather. I have been in the building trades for thirty years and stick building in these areas shouldn’t be allowed.

[@waawaaweewaa2045]

Another good idea is to not build your home in areas that are prone to destruction from hurricanes.

[@kinngrimm]

There was recently a similar story about a whole residential area which was built explicitly to survive the worst stroms and it survived without a scratch including their solar energy grid which made them also independent from the state energy grid which was interrupted during that last hurricane. So yeah if you want to build in areas prone to hurricanes you better spend that extra money and/or have to pay up in terms of inssurance if the inssurance companies would even service you still.

[@leflob938]

Do u have a link to that story?

[@TeeJayParkour]

@@leflob938 it was here in Florida for the recent hurricane, but it wasnt nearly as bad as the original commenter made it sound, they were like 50 miles away from fort myers, only got 80mph wind speeds or something like that.

[@darwinjina]

wasn't the main design that it had all electric lines / utilities underground? (Which is the main reason why they didn't lose utilities)

[@TwilightHusky115]

​@@leflob938the community is called Babcock Ranch. I don't have a link but I'm sure you can find it with that info.

[@Rhaspun]

This reminds me of a homeowner in the Monterey area of California. The city required that wood shake shingles be used for roofing. Buy the homeowner insisted on a clay tile roof. He finally got his clay roof tile installed. After a big fire had happened and the only home left standing in that area was this one house with the clay roof tiles. After that the city made adjustments in building codes.

[@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki]

That was probably in the sixties. Today, shakes can be fire proofed, clay tiles in California are endemic to the state style (welcome to El Camino Real) and in the Monterey "area" there are lots of windy canyons, gulches, and small valleys that housing never should have been built into any way. Not sure who might have jurisdiction to Code outside of the City of Monterey and/or Clint Eastwood.

[@Rhaspun]

@@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki It was a big fire. It happened sometime during the 90s.

[@SunnyCarnivore]

This man needs to put out a video of everything he did and what he has kearn since so others can follow. I am sure it was very expensive but it saved him so much money from not having to build another house. Very smart man.

[@LigerSupremacy]

Bolt down the walls (2x6 minimum) to the concrete foundation, hurricane ties on all of the trusses, add wood blocking to walls and trusses, Use proper sheathing material, seal the house with sheathing tape, use spray foam insulation, use hurricane resistant windows, use storm shutters on exterior openings, minimize use of loose material and equipment externally, bolt down all equipment and minimize air leaks.

[@currincook6422]

@@LigerSupremacy I appreciate you mentioning spray foam as its versatility is endless and strength is unmatched!

[@jackcoke2426]

I remember seeing an article about this house after the storm. Back then, they reported that it took about $40K US for the structural upgrades when that house was built. I don't think this house had/has a garage; garage doors are a major weak point in the house structure. Like a window, if either is compromised, and opens in any way, allowing air to flow into the house, you then have an overpressurization event, which often leads to the loss of all or a good portion of the roof.

[@gbsailing9436]

If you wished to learn lessons: then seek data from the James Cook University in QLD Australia, which did extensive studies after Cyclone "Tracy" in 'Darwin' in Australia's Norther Territory in 1994. Tracy devastated Darwin. Since then the findings of JCU's studies were made public and consequently, building codes were updated according to the studies recommendations. They have not lost a home in Northern Australia since. Go figure...🤔

[@Matlockization]

Amen.

[@littleone7404]

Simpson hurricane clips should be endorsing that gentleman And what a beautifully built home he has

[@bladeswelove]

I bet they will. Perfect marketing opportunity!

[@Matlockization]

Bring out a commercial saying this is what Simpson hurricane clips did for this home owner.

[@BillionairesArentYourFriends]

Hurricane prone areas usually have strict measures, but we all know contractors aren't hiring people that comply to those measures if you catch my drift. They cut corners and people don't realize they're living in a house built incorrectly because they know where to cut to hide. I learned this the hard way trying to build an apartment behind my house from an old garage. They tried literally constantly to cut corners. Had to get multiple different contractors for different things...it was a nightmare. They didn't install hurricane straps! All I can say is this...a society of complacency is killing us all. Better hope the people that build your house chose right and did a lot of research, you know, like building developers definitely do. They totally don't pick the cheapest ones that are definitely not cheap for absolutely no sketchy reasons, I promise. God speed, everyone.

[@ErichSlush]

Imagine living in hurricane valley for about 200 years, and learning about these tricks now. Makes me giddy with excitement about what we will learn in the next 200 years! Brick construction? Deary me, whatever will they think of next.

[@hyacinthdibley2420]

...and this is why when people tell me "it's built to code" I think to myself "Yeah, code created by people who have no foresight for/of the unthinkable". I'm very happy for this man and his home. His wisdom paid off.

[@vicgamesvt9682]

💯 the building code mandated resistance to 120mph wind gusts and the hurricane was 150mph, if the code was sufficient there would be more than two houses standing.

[@redmatrix]

Yeah, code is the * MINIMUM * recommended things to do. The better thing to say (if true) is that "It's built better than code."

[@gbsailing9436]

If you wished to learn lessons: then seek data from the James Cook University in QLD Australia, which did extensive studies after Cyclone "Tracy" in 'Darwin' in Australia's Norther Territory in 1994. Tracy devastated Darwin. Since then the findings of JCU's studies were made public and consequently, building codes were updated according to the studies recommendations. They have not lost a home in Northern Australia since. Go figure...🤔

[@shadowbanned5164]

@@redmatrix 100% correct you cant really have building codes for the worst possible situation its always better to overbuild something off your own decisions rather than be forced to do it.

[@nvelsen1975]

Codes written by politicians taking big bribes from the contractors' lobby to keep everything minimalistic and their profits high.

[@carsonhoover5767]

Not to mention the fact the house was on stilts. Reduced the flooding risk.

[@johnnyshockley6133]

I restored a house on Litchfield Island in South Carolina after Hugo; Double layer exterior plywood construction saved the house from that storm. House was built in 1963; a testimony to its solid construction. We did exactly the same additions to the structure as noted in this article. We started at the concrete columns and hot dipped galvanized steel plates, and hurricane straps were added to every single joint between floor to wall, wall to joist, and rafter ridge line. Custom tongue and groove hinged bolt in place shutters made for all windows. One of the most solid structures i ever encountered in my 50 yrs of Business

[@ivicamajmunskikreten9714]

gotta love how everyone is feeling so smart about their "hurricane measures", while here on Mediterranean houses have withstood worse winds for centuries.

[@ziardrassool6677]

Great work sir. Nicely executed. I feel proud of also using these hurricane clips.

[@seemssafe2995]

I mean its usually code to use them.. even in wisconsin

[@andreamaclachlan980]

I've believed for a long time that homes should be built suitable for local conditions. We live in Western Australia, and houses are shocking. If even a little bit of thought and understanding was put into house design, things would be soooo different. In summertime, buildings become furnaces, air conditioning is maxed out and often still ineffective, power goes out due to neglected infrastructure and massive power load and so on. Wintertime we freeze. If only....

[@joselase6894]

This is America as well. They only provide services which places the costs squarely on consumers as well.

[@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki]

We have aggressive Code enforcement in Canada now just about everywhere, but I can see in Australia the same problem we have in minus 55 below: plant the foundation half into the ground for summer!!! (In Canada's case, trapper, homestead, and native cabins were have into the permafrost to keep the heat in and the cold out. Or vice versa.

[@ellasmommy9278]

While watching the horror of hurricane Michael, I remember that house just standing there defiantly. Later while watching some tornado videos, I remember thinking well I bet that house on Mexico Beach wouldn't blow away in a tornado. Looking at the areas down in Fort Myers I thought of that house again and wondered if anybody else thought to build a house as strongly as he did. They really need to fix the building code all along the Gulf Coast.

[@joeb134]

The damage in Fort Myers wasn't caused by wind as much as storm surge. More homes should be built to that standard on the Gulf coast but I dont think that would really help in fort Myers

[@janetpattison8474]

The great debate as insurance companies shirk responsibility to pay up, was it wind or water? With 150 mph winds it’s obvious, it’s both for ppl with flooding. Re. Hurricane Hits, FL east coast is at a higher risk, like Andrew and Homestead, but absolutely YES! Implement Stricter building codes! As a new FL homeowner I had an expensive rubber membrane roof installed on my low pitch house, (like neighbors had), which my city codes dept ok’d. So you’d think the job was ok, right? WRONG! The job was a disaster, with ALL the trim rotting out, and the membrane pulling away from ALL the edges within 3 years. Apparently, Neither I, the roofers, or The city “experts” had a clue how it should have been done. The roofer, who lied about everything, had went out of business by then. So, don’t rely on anyone when getting work done, become the expert yourself. Talk to past customers, see their work, ck references, & ck the country or state construction board, read online reviews, & the BBB & more. My roofer, I found out afterwards had several lawsuits pending. (I have land on one of the barrier islands that was hit. Fortunately, no house tho.)

[@Distress.]

We do have a lot stronger building codes but there's a lot of old construction. Even in places you'd think would've been wiped out already. Recently visited keylargo and I'd still say half the houses are pre Andrew

[@VanillaMacaron551]

@@janetpattison8474 sorry that happened to you. What a complete pain. I agree with learning about stuff yourself.

[@Distress.]

@@adambeers06 who are you talking to?

[@BlindMango]

I always think of this house every now and then - the picture of his house standing in the middle of a bunch of demolished houses is incredible

[@Willowy13]

Construction companies should be fighting to hire this dude.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@ba-it3xz]

My left ear really enjoyed the dialog from the studio

[@stargazerlily7016]

This is a life lesson too! Build your life on the strong foundation, and it’ll weather the storm.

[@jackieveal]

Amen to that 🙏

[@oscarwindham6016]

As a licensed state of Florida building contractor, I have to say, that is impressive.

[@moos5221]

A licensed state of Florida building contractor who is impressed that a house was built to withstand a hurricane in an area likely to get hit by multiple hurricanes within the lifespan of a house has probably been doing his job wrong all his life.

[@oscarwindham6016]

@@moos5221 Actually, no! I have been inactive for some decades now but as any carpenter/contractor will tell you, once you really learn the art of construction, you never forget. Then there is the advancement in construction technique and materials that help a lot that are improving yearly which all in all adds up to your stupid insult being totally unfounded.

[@moos5221]

@@oscarwindham6016 lmao. you want to tell me that using any kinds of reinforcement to make a home more durable are new techniques and materials? you've got to be kidding me, in your time no one ever thought about making homes more durable to withstand the regularly occuring forces of nature?

[@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki]

@@moos5221 I'm in Canada where we've been TRYING to send you 2x6's and 2x8's for decades and I see this pile of sticks from tornado/hurricane damage and wonder WTF these southern states are THIMKING allowing ..........then I realize it's "freedom fry" logic and cost cutting, with almost zero oversight. Meanwhile, the "Softwood Lumber Agreement" is constantly GAMED by (usually Republican Senators) protecting mills running 100 year old equipment that CANADA sold them when we moved to lazer cutting, and advanced patents on efficient production. (Buddy has several of those patents and deals with mills all down the west coast, BC and Alberta, and Quebec).

[@jeanghiena4489]

@@oscarwindham6016 How did you reinforce your houses when you were in activity ?

[@clydewatkins7712]

Amazing, this should be the blueprint for every house built in hurricane areas, 👍💯

[@010WhatMy]

It would be very expensive

[@johngallo7383]

State of Florida Building code requires ALL new builds to use Simpson straps on all the trusses to block. If your looking to do a wind mitigation on a older home, then part of that is adding Simpson straps to all trusses to block. Does not matter if your in a 170 mph zone "Palm beach county" or up there where it is 120. But it will not matter if the windows are not protected.

[@macbook802]

Yeah right hurricane clips are too expensive. Ratchet straps are 4 for 20 bucks at the home depot, just ratchet strap everything down

[@clydewatkins7712]

@@macbook802 I was amazed that the house was still there, I am from Oklahoma we just have tornadoes, I have never experienced a hurricane and hope I don’t

[@brayerkh]

@@010WhatMy Better than having to build and pay for a new house every time a strong hurricane comes through.

[@rugoshath]

I want this guy to build MY house. Obviously smarter than 95% of professional builders out there.

[@bigred8933]

That’s amazing every house should be built this way and even stronger but well done sir

[@edgardorubio9000]

I built my house on Puerto Rico 22 yrs ago. is all logs. I used more than 5000 screws and hundreds of metal hurricane clips like this guy did. the house went thru hurricane Maria in 2017 and sustained wind of 200 mph. nothing happened to the house. the whole house kept standing like nothing was happening. for the windows I placed galvanized panels with screws. when I built the house ,before I place the interiol walls, I used metal cables and cross all the wood frame and hooked all the cables to the foundatio, I bolted all !, the work I did paid off after all!. but the house did not suffer anything at all not because my ingenuity but because the Almighty.

[@MaximMusa-m3k]

Jesus Almighty loves you! But maybe you should choose concrete and bricks to rebuild your house.

[@michaelmichael1716]

As a builder I’ve been putting Hurricane clips, tiedown straps for 25 years it just makes common sense wish they would make it a code.

[@davidhickenbottom6574]

I was on Jacksonville Beach 4 years ago watching the construction of a new home very cool all the reinforcement they where doing. It's not a matter of if but of when.

[@rhidlor8577]

what a gorgeous house

[@JohnClowes724]

this man is a genius. using practical advice and listening to others, this man did what everyone should have done. congrats!

[@knightforestry]

Our home was 2 roads over, it survived also

[@cassandraavan6120]

What was the pilling length pls

[@hikerJohn]

@Johnny Rep Does not have notifications turned on maybe

[@kartiersupremewhite330]

Smart Man! He learned from his mistakes and fine tuned it to perfection.

[@helenrendon1081]

I agree don't underestimate a hurricane

[@MaximMusa-m3k]

But didn't use solid concrete and bricks.

[@shredd1190]

Alot of people should take this gentleman's advice

[@marvinmartin4692]

As a carpenter, you can make homes literally hurricane proof! Build them round! Flat walls just catch more wind! Or dome homes! I guarantee they will survive!

[@hoosiernative9668]

All this man did was use common sense and logic. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.

[@rebeccamccoy2346]

Smart man. If you’re going to live on the beach you cannot skip these protective measures. Many of the rebuilds can learn from this.

[@andreashauschild7757]

For the windows I would suggest guided window roll shutters such as in use in many German homes. (roulaten, rollaten). These come in various strength, but they are great. If properly mounted there is no way for wind to get in, and they do protect against impact damage much better then any window.

[@JustinCrediblename]

the pentagon has some thick ballistic windows. I call your statement into question.

[@brq838]

it’s called rollladen.

[@futbolera427]

They use those metal rolled down shutter on some store fronts in major cities and I saw them on houses in mexico.

[@BrokenCurtain]

They're called "Rollladen" (singular, plural: "Rollläden"). "Rouladen" are rolled up slices of meat. Don't try to protect your windows with slices of meat, people.

[@sandreawhite7534]

My mother lost everything in this storm. Shes living within us now and is almost 94.

[@JohnSmith-td7hd]

We need to create higher standards so that houses can't be built that would get destroyed in the increasingly destructive weather that's coming.

[@jaijason8150]

All new construction requires hurricane clips and very strict building codes in these areas. He did a great job with his house. Hurricanes are categorized by that max sustained wind but it's not just a steady wind. It produces micro twisters and gusts. I seen it before where one house in a street is fine but the next is gone. .

[@williamrose7184]

Has for years but not as many as he did not.

[@FLMegan]

Except all were gone but his bruh

[@williamrose7184]

Because he went above and beyond the standard requirement and he didn’t use just standard hurricane straps. He told you in the video he spent $3000 on straps. No that’s not the standard joist hanging straps he spent three grand extra on hurricane straps.

[@jaijason8150]

@@williamrose7184 those houses did not get destroyed by wind. They got destroyed by storm surge. I'd be more interested in his first floor column structure than hurricane clips. Lol

[@darthkek1953]

And the worst part of this is an engineer would say it's "over-engineered" not the other houses were under-engineered.

[@chewar7537]

Very smart man. He had the good sense to evacuate. And he built his house very well, glad it withstood that hurricane.

[@ToIsleOfView]

Poured Concrete is way stronger and less expensive. Round shapes are better than square shapes. Flat slabs wash away. Everything above ground has to be fastened to inground bedrock with steel. Extra Strong Windows that are protected from breaking are often overlooked. Wet sheetrock will not hold nails so we must keep it dry.

[@kaykay7434]

Brick is actually stronger. I wish they used brick

[@andrewd5135]

This is free advertisement for that company.

[@moos5221]

Imagine building a house that can withstand the force of a hurricane in an area that is very likely to get hit by hurricanes. Seems like an intelligent lifeform exists afterall in the USA, who would have expected that?

[@thinlineofsanity1035]

Not having vinyl should be common sense!!! When your on the ocean front, or even within a block or 2 of it, and your area gets hit regularly by hurricanes you shouldn't have vinyl siding! Those sheets rip off so easily in strong wind, and become f'n missiles in a hurricane! Each sheet flying around could be the de*th of somebody. I agree with other commenters.... The city should take his housing plans, and make his house the staple of what should be built. Obviously its the best, so that should be regulated code for building. The supplies may make initial building a little more pricey, but in the end your saving wayyy more because your not having to fix or rebuild with each hurricane.

[@rand49er]

That overview of the house and surrounding devastation is proof positive. As someone else said, this should be code to building in Florida.

[@daviddoink872]

There are buildings all over the Caribean that are hundreds of years old that have survived many hurricanes.

[@Mr91495osh]

My house in Perrine which I had built but rebuilt after I moved in survived Hurricane Andrew. Every other house in my neighborhood was completely destroyed.

[@richarda996]

In South Louisiana from our last hurricane , the damage that I had was from storm debris. Shutters over the windows help. I also had extra tie downs and anchors. The winds were 140 mph sustained with higher gusts. My star plate system wood shed cemented in the ground lost some 40 years old panels. Others around in the neighborhood were not so lucky.

[@MaximMusa-m3k]

South Louisiana? I think you should use concrete and bricks. Both are hurricane resistant.

[@Badfilms-u6j]

I would like to see his security camera footage of the hurricane

[@EternalDipsy]

That house is just legitimately built different and better

[@bschwand]

when I first arrived in California (I fled that hell long ago after a way too long stint there), I remember I once was driving down a big boulevard in san Jose and spotted some kind of movie decor being built. I told my co-workers about it and they were confused. I pointed it out and they were like "What are you talking about, those are appartment buildings being built". I was sincerely confused and thought they were joking. Those building were built with wood chip pressed wood board, stapled together. The paint job, the fake styrofoam moldings painted over to look like stone, the fake veneer "bricks", the plastic thin shingles, the roof beams (actually boards 2cm thick), everything told me this is a decor meant to last a few weeks of movie making. I come from Switzerland, where houses are built from bricks, cinderblocks, reinforced concrete, a roof of concrete, stone or ceramic tiles weighing several kg each, wood beams 10cm thick and 30cm wide that are supposed to resist more that 1m thick wet snow piling on top. I imagine Florida's construction quality is close to what is done in California. So what is the surprise when the house is blown away ? Admittedly, construction standards and quality have gone down here too, but still a long way from what is considered proper building quality in the USA...

[@jameswest4819]

The home was also right on the beach, so most of the potential projectiles were behind the house. Many homes are destroyed by pieces of neighboring homes being blown into and through its walls, etc.

[@alterego157]

Good point

[@kkon5ti]

With every house built like this, there would not be a projectile. And thinking about hurricanes being cylindrical, so storms with winds in every direction, your conclusion doesnt make sense.

[@kkon5ti]

@@alterego157 not really

[@jameswest4819]

@@kkon5ti You have obviously never been in or near a hurricane. The wind does not blow in every direction. I have seen heavy beams picked up and blown through neighboring homes and nothing happening upwind after the eye passes. You are probably imagining some of the tornadoes that sometimes happen within a hurricane. Hurricanes are large storms and may pass by with the prevailing wind coming toward you from just one side, with no eye for you to experience. Much of the damage that happens within a hurricane occurs when things like roof tiles are turned into projectiles. Best for you to keep your mouth shut when you do not know what you are talking about.

[@waynegilchrist1596]

Here's Hoping that no matter how much you do to prepare your home for the next , "Big One," Always evacuate when the storm's path is eminently headed your way! No home or building is "Hurricane Proof" but at best it's "Storm Resistant"!! I have seen 12" metal I - beams of 3/8" thick twisted like a pretzel and an old 135 year old house nearby only blown off it's foundation. When the time comes, " Be Safe; Evacuate"!

[@TexasOffroadAdventures]

you cant tell if its a big one because the media cries wolf anytime it starts to sprinkle in Florida or Louisiana.

[@waynegilchrist1596]

@@TexasOffroadAdventures this is sadly true. Up until "Camille" in 1969, you could "almost trust the weather services but when it was headed towards the Gulf Coast there were a group of people in Biloxi, Ms. who insisted on staying in the upper floors of a coastal high rise hotel and had a " Hurricane Party"! They were never found! Huge ships where tossed inland miles from shore. In the aftermath and cleanup I saw damage at a truly phenomenal scale you would think it was a sci-fi or fairy tale. Anyway, weather forecasts are better now but when it comes to weather forecasters, they are addicted to the limelight and want to be important and they sensationalize everything.

[@SimpleThingsOne]

please use concrete to build houses with hard-earned money. It's a humble advice.

[@Ligar]

the craziest part about all this is that the audio is only in my left ear

[@menmencrafter178]

One of the first people who understood to built their homes not out of paper

[@gabrieldally6044]

Michael's winds where at 160mph Making it a cat 5

[@pattiannepascual]

I thought cat 5 is 200 mph +

[@gabrieldally6044]

@@pattiannepascual no Cat 1: 75-95 Cat 2: 96-110 Cat 3: 111-125 Cat4: 126-156 Cat 5: 157+

[@mikepxg6406]

I have visited US America many times always amazed at the lack of build quality of the housing over there and every house seems to be beige inside.

[@elmerkilred159]

Simpson Hurricane clip stock has shot through the roof in the past few weeks.

[@joebrook9175]

I live in Florida and work for lumber yard. I deliver material. Some of the material I deliver is actually Simpson Hurricane Hardware and I’ve seen contractors use Hardie for outside siding and trim. Even tho little expensive is all worth it.

[@MaximMusa-m3k]

Why don't you guys build houses from concrete, bricks and cement?

[@janetpattison8474]

I’m surprised I didn’t see hurricane shutters on the house. The big roll down ones. There has been no “next one” in homestead, FL, that was wiped off the map by Andrew, so let’s hope Ft Myers is the same. And all FL building codes need to be improved to save property. So glad he still has his house! If hurricane Ian had hit my area as predicted, my old house could be gone.

[@jeffmorse645]

I'm building a home in NE Florida right now and I told my contractor just a few days ago I wanted storm shutters on it. Ian definitely made me think about a few things to mitigate damage. I may go with a concrete tile roof as well. The building codes were strengthened after Andrew - concrete block construction and roof tie downs. There's just more than can be done.

[@BlueFlash215]

Reminds me of German houses built of stone, sturdy windows, window protection against hail and elements and so much more. I can't even grasp why anyone would like to build cheap and lose everything in a hurricane

[@jeanghiena4489]

Here in Europe, it is a standard, in Germany as well as in France and I guess other european countries...

[@InfoRanker]

I don't live anywhere near the coast and yet I want to buy some simpson hurricane clips after watching this.

[@Pearlangeldream]

He must be a rich contractor himself to own and build a beautiful home. Greetings from an interior designer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We don't have hurricane 🌀 but we have floods.

[@helenrendon1081]

A smart engineer

[@timower5850]

Love the solar panels on the ground!

[@phatwayne]

Man, that's impressive eye to detail and Contruction.

[@balcorn9211]

If you're going to build a home in a place where natural disasters WILL happen you need to build it to stand up to them. The real story here is why isn't every other home there built to this level?

[@bargdaffy1535]

Lesson 1: Your neighbors are not rich enough to properly protect their property and as such your entire community is in peril.

[@allwomn1]

That's a ridiculous statement, the house was only a year old. It had nothing to do with how much his neighbors could afford.

[@bargdaffy1535]

@@allwomn1 Regardless, the community around the "surviving" house is gone. Which pretty much destroys the value of the house. Well at least his Insurance bill will go down.

[@is-ness]

In Australia there are strict building codes for Such areas so you don’t have to work it out later or damage others properties with your loose stuff.

[@moos5221]

Yeah, but people in Australia are born with brains, so you can't really compare that.

[@Brane_Ded]

The company Simpson fasteners, where absolutely LOOOVING this.

[@80sOutrunFan]

Awesome job Sir!

[@jesseakers7298]

Great, good job. My home in the Philippines just went through the typhoon without one typhoon clip. But my house is all concrete. Even the roof. We boarded up the big windows. That said, three months without power after.

[@ravenbonanza1522]

Greetings Kababayan

[@donnaleeah5075]

That's great news! Congrats. I hope your neighbors follow your example

[@sandilekhumalo9757]

You can hear in voice that people thought he was crazy for the measures he took

[@grandthefttaco2]

crazy that major news companies still can't figure out how to properly format audio

[@deanc.5984]

They keep building wood houses in tornado/hurricane areas!🙄🤣

[@Ravrjei]

something tells me the rebuilds of the houses in that area will working closely with this man, nicely done sir

[@SVW1976]

I can't believe shutters weren't discussed. Seems to me if windows are the biggest vulnerability you might address that as well.

[@screenapple1660]

This is why houses is very very cheap in Flordia.

[@Automedon2]

houses aren't cheap in Florida. What planet do you live on?

[@matt8863]

@@Automedon2 Expensive to buy...But, built cheap.

[@Automedon2]

@@matt8863 you're talking about new construction. The old style concrete block Florida houses are built like tanks

[@matt8863]

@@Automedon2 Agreed...But it took years for Fla. to adopt hurricane rated garage doors and windows...As I'm sure you know...concrete block construction or not, when those fail, the house still loses its roof and more.

[@MaximMusa-m3k]

Houses in Florida must be built of concrete and bricks.

[@XxXDeadlykingdxXxX]

It's always bizzare to me that Americans spend hundreds of thousands for essentially wooden houses. Especially since they got hurricanes In Europe it's all solid bricks and concrete

[@crackerbarrelkid-52]

DAD LEVEL 1,000,000 ACTIVATED!!!!!

[@Shastasnow]

Same issue with fires. If you keep junk on your porch or are too lazy to cut the grass or don’t want to remove a bush against the wall or your house. All that is kindling for fires to spread. Many of the older houses in my neighborhood were burned down to nothing. The houses that survived were newer houses that were built well and had several feet of rocks surrounding the house and no pine trees up against the house. In Colorado, you don’t need to get to fancy with the yard but best to clean up and keep it maintained to fire standards.

[@ahhthenohh]

Lots of the comments are of recent, but this video is from 2019. How did this house turn out or end up after Ian? Our one story house in the Caribbean which I think is called a rambler, was built of concrete after hurricane Hugo and have hurricane shutters for the windows

[@someone6170]

Good pick-up, I was assuming it was the recent hurricane because KZbin had recommended it but it isn't. The house appears to be at 116 S 36th St, Mexico Beach Florida, however google street view hasn't updated recently enough to show what condition it is in after Ian.

[@jackcoke2426]

I live about sixty miles west of Mexico Beach, where this house is located. Our areas got no severe winds from Ian; we didn't even get a drop of rain from Ian. I am very confident that Ian caused no issues for the owner of the house.

[@ahhthenohh]

@@jackcoke2426 too bad, but thanks for answering.

[@AppleFitness888]

Smartest man in the neighbourhood

[@SK-or3rs]

Kudos not only to his building skills and hurricane ties, but also outside benches. Hanging aka new.

[@arctic_void]

I still don't understand why houses don't have shutters in the US. Here in the EU every house does. The houses are also built to a different standard, using bricks, which I would assume does a better job at combating wind. And we don't even get hurricanes.

[@vornamenachname906]

As in European its so crazy that you call that solid 😂 I will never understand why you are not building stable. The thinnest beams in my house are 24*10cm with an distance of 60cm. The large beams are 36*36cm. And beams are just for the roof, the rest is built from enforced concrete, 24cm thick. You can save money inside with plasterboard, but not outside. Please build your houses stable.

[@philippschwartzerdt3431]

Simpson Manufacturing Company will be happy to see this free advertising, dam they should offer this guy the clips, screws and mountings for free in order to officially advertise with his house.

[@codebasher1]

Here in North Queensland, Australia, this last forty five years have seen all houses built to cyclone standards. The only damage even category 5 cyclones do is knock over trees and make a mess of caravan parks. The damage bill here is nothing compared to what must be terrifying figures in the US. If that means smaller Mcmansions for the same cost, replacing some smashed windows is far better than losing your home and everything in it. In 1971 I experienced my home coming apart around me in a category four cyclone. I'm glad people here don't have to endure that as a common experience any more.

[@ampex189]

An example of building for your environment, this is a no brainer!