Frank Albrecht and his wife Joan have lived in Metairie for the length of their 33-year marriage. They raised their daughter Garretty in Metairie and have friends and family who live there as well. Their first date was actually to a Saints game. Hurricane Katrina could not scare them away from the home they love so dear.
In 1995, the Albrechts bought their home, located at 2000 Frankel Ave., in order to expand their living area from 1,100 to 1,800-square feet. They bought a fixer-upper and have been making renovations along the way to make their home even more comfortable than the extra space allowed.
After Hurricane Katrina, there wasn’t a question of whether they would stay or go. They loved their home, and they were looking for a way to stay. The Albrechts applied for the Road Home Program, and they were granted $30,000 to help pay for their home elevation.
“We didn’t spend our money right away,” Frank said. “We knew $30,000 wasn’t enough to elevate the house, so we waited a little while, and the state came through with a program that would pay for the entire thing. That’s when my wife started doing research on companies that could perform the work.”
Frank said he and Joan met with several salesmen, but Coastal Shoring was the obvious choice in the end. Coastal Shoring provided the Albrechts with addresses of other homes for which the company had performed home elevation, and Frank and Joan were impressed with the work. They checked references and spoke with their neighbors, who also were satisfied with Coastal.
“To me, in retail, it’s all about what happens after the sale,” says Frank, who has worked in retail for 33 years. “We watched several houses being elevated on David Drive. We were just watching. When others came in, they gave me their quotes and were after the sale. Coastal made me feel like that’s where I wanted to be. They even came out after five o’clock one evening when I got off work to meet with me.”
At Coastal Shoring, representatives meet with customers and explain the process. Coastal has grant specialists who walk homeowners through the paperwork in order to get funding as quickly as possible.
“That’s what sold me,” Frank said. “It was their professionalism and their attitude about doing it. They stayed in touch with me the whole time. They helped us with our paperwork and let us know where we were in the process.”
Frank said that the home elevation crew also was professional and worked hard. “I wanted to see it happening. In about six hours, the entire lift was done. The care they took, and the time they took to do it – they paid attention to detail. The sinkage in this area is tremendous, and we knew there would be some stress in the middle of the house. They made sure the house was level inside and out. Every time they went up, they came inside to make sure everything was right.”
Frank said the company impresses the importance of professionalism upon everyone from management to the lift crew. He said each individual really wanted to make sure the elevation was successful.
“The project manager was here the day of the lift,” he said, “and he was really cool. He walked me through everything. It was like getting the textbook before the class started.”
Since the lift, Frank said his neighbors are shocked with the change. He said the house looks so much different and that people are actually stopping to take pictures of his house. He guessed it’s to do their own research on home elevation.
“They just bettered everything,” he said. “I see a lot of jobs that have big porches and decks, and you can do that extra stuff, but you have to pay for it. We just wanted to have what was included, and that’s what Coastal helped us with. They put sod in the yard and fixed the sidewalks that were damaged from the equipment. They wanted to return it to the way it was, but they actually bettered the house in the process.”
The Albrechts’ house has a history of flooding. It flooded in May 1995, and it was only inches from flooding during Hurricane Katrina. This home elevation has alleviated the fear that their home may flood again.
“I feel so much safer,” Frank said. “Three and a half feet can make a whole lot of difference. This lowered our flood insurance, and we have safety and security. Most of our flooding happens with spring and summer rainstorms. My wife says now we live in a treehouse, and we don’t worry about flooding anymore.”
Frank said the choice was easy. He wanted a company that had been around a while and that had experience. “These grant chasers are trying to get these jobs,” he said. “I had always seen Coastal, and we knew from the beginning we were going to go with Coastal.”
A fine work-in-progress this house is. The Albrechts have a master plan that over time will include new siding, flooring and decorations. They are turning their residence on Frankel Avenue into their dream-come-true, and now they don’t have to worry that a flood may come and wash away their hard work.