Lisa Piper - Rebuilding from the Mold
Donation protected
Jeff and I moved 10 months ago to what we though was a great solution for our family. We purchased a house big enough to care for my mother (who has alzheimers) and had enough land to grow food for our organic food co-op we own and run (Natural Living Organic Food Co-op and cafe in League City Tx). We purchased an old farm house that was a fixer-upper. We fixed the things we knew about (electrical, AC, new gas lines, etc). We all began not feeling well then my youngest started showing signs of brain inflammation and neurological problems and everything changed.
We have found ourselves at a breaking point. We're not good at asking for help because We are usually the ones helping others. In the past 2months we have had to put down our 10yo dog, Accumulated over $6,000 in medical bills for my kiddo due to toxic mold at house (no insurance), accumulated over $3,000 in dental bills for the same kiddo (no insurance) had mom in and out of the hospital several days, had our 14yo cat paralyze herself with no bowel control, Got hit with Large unexpected taxe bill at our small community business in the thousands, got news that my aunt who has been battling leukemia went into the hospital for treatment, contracted Covid and just passed and discovered our new house has 4 different types of black toxic mold in over 65% of the house or more(that insurance dose not cover), MANY plumbing leaks and needs a new roof (which insurance will not cover). Our family has been displaced in 4 different places for over a month-and-a-half now while trying to begin detoxing from black mold and somehow supporting Jeff while he tears apart the entire kitchen (80% of it anyway)and trying to clean everything up. If we paid for everything to be remediated through a service plus paid for the new roof, all the plumbing leaks and remodeling the house to put it all back together we would be out about $100,000. So we are doing what we can ourselves.
So we humbly ask for help. We are hoping to raise enough money to get a portion of this covered. We do have plans to try and pursue litigation and insurance however we have already been turned down several times by insurance and not sure how far we can get with litigation b/c we feel this alot of this is from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and the previous owners didn't remediate correctly.
We are raising funds for the following needs: (all numbers are approximate and mostly just for materials as we are doing everything that we can do ourselves and as budget minded as possible while finding mold-proof/water-proof materials)
1. Professional help for some of the remediation (Jeff has done alot but we need more equipment from a professional original quote was $25,000 for all of it-(approx $8,000)
2. Hiring a real estate lawyer (?$5,000)
3. New Roof (approx $10,000)
4. Plumbing that we can not fix- possible busted sewer pipe under the house (approx $4,000)
5. mold re-inspection to make sure the house is safe ($500)
6. New flooring materials upstairs to replace moldy carpet ($4000)
7. New flooring materials for downstairs ($6,000)
8. Mold-proof Insulation and sheet rock material for 5 rooms including ceilings (approx $4,000)
9. Kitchen cabinets and countertops (approx $20,000)
10. 2 Bathroom vanities and tub walling/or tile (approximately $2,000)
11. Filter replacements for air scrubbers, air purifiers, HEPA filters, sanders and other specific tools (approx 1,000)
12. Paint and tools ($500)
13. Termite treatment ($1,000)
14. Replacement items (we have to throw-away over half our belongings- clothing, bedding, beds/mattresses, some furniture, books, etc) (approx $8,000)
15. medical bills for youngest ($9,000)
16. Displacement expenses - hotels, air b n b etc for living elsewhere during remediation (approx $6500)
Here are other donations we would love to accept:
1. pallets for woodworking in some of the rooms
2. Help tossing most of our belongings (must wear respirator and not have health issues due to mold)
3, Help scrubbing and remediating our antique furniture and other household belongings we are keeping (must wear respirator and not have health issues due to mold)
4. Design ideas for putting back together kitchen on a dime
5. Prayers...lots of prayers <3
We don't know how to express our gratitude for any and all help!
We have helped so many people in our community through our business at the co-op over the years (tens of thousands of dollars in food and medicine during Harvey, Sante-fe shooting, pandemic, individuals in need). Now we find ourselves in need and learning how to be on the receiving end for the first time.
Thank you so much for your support!
Lisa, Jeff, Piper, Eb, Lynn and animals
We have found ourselves at a breaking point. We're not good at asking for help because We are usually the ones helping others. In the past 2months we have had to put down our 10yo dog, Accumulated over $6,000 in medical bills for my kiddo due to toxic mold at house (no insurance), accumulated over $3,000 in dental bills for the same kiddo (no insurance) had mom in and out of the hospital several days, had our 14yo cat paralyze herself with no bowel control, Got hit with Large unexpected taxe bill at our small community business in the thousands, got news that my aunt who has been battling leukemia went into the hospital for treatment, contracted Covid and just passed and discovered our new house has 4 different types of black toxic mold in over 65% of the house or more(that insurance dose not cover), MANY plumbing leaks and needs a new roof (which insurance will not cover). Our family has been displaced in 4 different places for over a month-and-a-half now while trying to begin detoxing from black mold and somehow supporting Jeff while he tears apart the entire kitchen (80% of it anyway)and trying to clean everything up. If we paid for everything to be remediated through a service plus paid for the new roof, all the plumbing leaks and remodeling the house to put it all back together we would be out about $100,000. So we are doing what we can ourselves.
So we humbly ask for help. We are hoping to raise enough money to get a portion of this covered. We do have plans to try and pursue litigation and insurance however we have already been turned down several times by insurance and not sure how far we can get with litigation b/c we feel this alot of this is from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and the previous owners didn't remediate correctly.
We are raising funds for the following needs: (all numbers are approximate and mostly just for materials as we are doing everything that we can do ourselves and as budget minded as possible while finding mold-proof/water-proof materials)
1. Professional help for some of the remediation (Jeff has done alot but we need more equipment from a professional original quote was $25,000 for all of it-(approx $8,000)
2. Hiring a real estate lawyer (?$5,000)
3. New Roof (approx $10,000)
4. Plumbing that we can not fix- possible busted sewer pipe under the house (approx $4,000)
5. mold re-inspection to make sure the house is safe ($500)
6. New flooring materials upstairs to replace moldy carpet ($4000)
7. New flooring materials for downstairs ($6,000)
8. Mold-proof Insulation and sheet rock material for 5 rooms including ceilings (approx $4,000)
9. Kitchen cabinets and countertops (approx $20,000)
10. 2 Bathroom vanities and tub walling/or tile (approximately $2,000)
11. Filter replacements for air scrubbers, air purifiers, HEPA filters, sanders and other specific tools (approx 1,000)
12. Paint and tools ($500)
13. Termite treatment ($1,000)
14. Replacement items (we have to throw-away over half our belongings- clothing, bedding, beds/mattresses, some furniture, books, etc) (approx $8,000)
15. medical bills for youngest ($9,000)
16. Displacement expenses - hotels, air b n b etc for living elsewhere during remediation (approx $6500)
Here are other donations we would love to accept:
1. pallets for woodworking in some of the rooms
2. Help tossing most of our belongings (must wear respirator and not have health issues due to mold)
3, Help scrubbing and remediating our antique furniture and other household belongings we are keeping (must wear respirator and not have health issues due to mold)
4. Design ideas for putting back together kitchen on a dime
5. Prayers...lots of prayers <3
We don't know how to express our gratitude for any and all help!
We have helped so many people in our community through our business at the co-op over the years (tens of thousands of dollars in food and medicine during Harvey, Sante-fe shooting, pandemic, individuals in need). Now we find ourselves in need and learning how to be on the receiving end for the first time.
Thank you so much for your support!
Lisa, Jeff, Piper, Eb, Lynn and animals
Organizer
Lisa Piper
Organizer
Bacliff, TX