REBUILDING AFTER DISASTER

Waldorf, Maryland

Cost of Renovation: $150,000 (Estimated)

Before: An F-4 tornado struck this Victorian home, built around 1893, detaching the eastern- and western-facing walls from the structure. Columns from the porches were blown off, resulting in partial collapse of the porch roofs. Both chimneys were toppled, and all metal roofs were peeled away by 240-mph winds. But as you can see from the spray-painted words on the building, the owners were determined to rebuild.

Waldorf, Maryland

Cost of Renovation: $150,000 (Estimated)

After: The major challenge was to make historically correct repairs without exceeding the payout by the owners' insurance policy. So the owners used a cheap but clever leverage method to reattach the separated walls to the building. The reuse and repair of broken shutters and porch columns helped keep the project within budget, too. Old glass, wood siding and bricks were salvaged from other local historic buildings that had been torn down. Working closely with the contractor, the owners were able to move back into their home within six months.

Contractor: S.D. Lohr, Waldorf, Md.

Hanford, California

Cost of Restoration: $300,000

Before:An attic fire caused by a gas leak at the meter almost destroyed this home. Much of the roof framing, drywall, plumbing and electrical wiring had to be replaced, with the garage suffering the most damage.

Hanford, California

Cost of Restoration: $300,000

After:This project won a recent Chrysalis Award for Best Residential Insurance Restoration. The owners used the event as an opportunity to make some changes that they couldn't justify otherwise. They wanted a Craftsman-style exterior with a welcoming covered entry. For the facelift, a theme of gentle arches flowed through the project, beginning with the arched entry then into the gabled vents and the windows in the front door and garage door. The arched inlays in the lighting and the curbing around the oak tree also added a touch of the Craftsman style to the home. Cultured stone covered the fireplace chimney and also was used to create stone pillars at the entry.

Contractor: Bentley Design & Remodeling. Hanford, Cal.

Atlanta, Georgia

Cost of Restoration: $250,000 (estimated)

Before:When tornadoes ripped through the northern suburbs of Atlanta in 2004, this home suffered significant structural damage. The owners were relocated into an apartment, and subsequent rain damage during the next few months made the damage worse.

Atlanta, Georgia

Cost of Restoration: $250,000 (estimated)

After:This project also won a Chrysalis Award for Best Residential Insurance Restoration. Cleanup and construction started in October 2004, with a completion deadline of ten months when the apartment lease paid by the insurer would expire. The clean contemporary look of the original house was maintained. Light fills the house through custom plate-glass windows, skylights in the new hallway and accent lighting. Interior and exterior columns and beams were wrapped in oak and mahogany trim for a warm glow. The house was not only repaired, but renovated in a way that it stands out from other more traditional houses common in the area.

Contractor: Houseworks Construction, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.

Manlius, New York

Cost of Restoration: $47,000 (Estimated)

Before:This house was hit hard by a storm that blew through this small town three years ago. The owner thought that restoring the house would be a simpler task then demolishing it and constructing a new one.

Manlius, New York

Cost of Restoration: $47,000 (Estimated)

After:Replacement of this storm-damaged front porch needed to comply with historical preservation standards. A specialty wood product company provided lumber to reproduce the detailed railing. Indeed, the porch was restored to look exactly as it did in pictures taken of the house in the 1800s.

Contractor: Ronald L. Dimon Construction Co., Inc. Manlius, N.Y.

Augusta, Georgia

Cost of Restoration: $235,000 (estimated)

Before:This home was gutted by an electrical fire -- luckily while the family was at work or school.

Augusta, Georgia

Cost of Restoration: $235,000 (estimated)

After:This home project won a few regional awards. In addition to repairing the fire damage, the contractor added an extra bath and additional closet space.

Contractor: Bowles Construction Co., Inc., Augusta, Ga.

Gretna, Louisiana

Cost of Restoration: $50,000 (so far)

Before:This is one of the thousands of houses in Louisiana damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Fortunately, the damage was completely covered by the homeowners' insurance policy.

Gretna, Louisiana

Cost of Restoration: $50,000 (so far)

In Progress:The restoration of this two-story brick house is ongoing. All downstairs wood floors are scheduled for sanding and refinishing. All new carpet will be installed upstairs. The homeowner plans to add new fencing with a privacy gate and new landscaping, including irrigation. The homeowner also wants to replace two composite windows looking onto the backyard from the great room with two solid wood/single-lighted French door units.

Contractor: Pontchartrain Contracting Services, Inc. (PCS, Inc.). Metairie and Gretna, La.