Saving Our Octagon Home: A Mother’s Fight for a Safe Foundation
Our Story: Saving Our Octagon Home — A Mother’s Fight for a Safe Foundation
In 2019, I used my hard-earned inheritance to buy a unique,
octagon-shaped house at a blind auction, hoping to build a secure,
permanent sanctuary for myself and my 36-year-old daughter, who
battles advanced schizophrenia. Because we couldn't walk inside before
buying, we were heartbroken to discover the home had been severely
neglected and required a total, hazardous gut-job.
For years, I put my own blood, sweat, and tears into rebuilding
this house with my own two hands. But life has thrown us severe
storms. A fraudulent contractor stole my savings and left the house
entirely without gutters. Soon after, my own medical issues
progressed, leaving me physically unable to do heavy home renovation
work anymore. My days are now fully dedicated to being a full-time
caregiver for my daughter, navigating the incredibly challenging
cycles of her illness.
Today, our home is facing a structural crisis. We live in a marsh
community, and without gutters to direct the water, the torrential
rains since 2019 have caused the ground to shift. My house is actively
sliding. I can sit on my bed and feel the foundation shaking. I want
nothing more than to see this home safe, stable, and completely
finished for my daughter and me. We desperately need our community to
help us lift this weight.
Our Urgent Structural Rescue Plan
Because our home is built on a concrete slab over marshy ground,
water management is everything. To stop the house from sliding and
stabilize our foundation, this campaign will fund a two-phase
emergency engineering rescue:
- Complete Gutter Installation: We will install high-capacity, seamless gutters and downspouts around our unique octagon roofline. This will finally stop water from cascading directly off the roof and liquefying the marshy soil around our concrete slab.
- A Full Perimetric Retaining Wall: We need a heavy-duty retaining wall built all the way around the property to hold back the shifting earth and permanently stop the soil from sliding out from under the home.
I have already signed up and applied for the Coos County
Habitat for Humanity Critical Home Repairproject. However,
these vital community programs face massive, long backlogs and
waitlists. Because our foundation is actively shaking and shifting
right now, we simply cannot afford to wait in the dark. This
Crowdfundr is our emergency lifeline to address the water erosion and
secure an independent structural assessment before it is too late.
Why Crowdfunding? Where the Funds Go
I am crowdfunding because I simply cannot do this alone after being
financially wiped out by the first contractor and managing my own
medical limitations. Every dollar raised goes directly into fixing
this infrastructure:
- Materials (50%): Seamless aluminum gutters, hidden hangers, drainage pipes, and heavy-duty retaining wall blocks.
- Professional Labor (45%): Hiring a trusted, vetted local contractor to do the installation correctly this time, as I am physically unable to perform the work.
- Platform Fees (5%): Covering Crowdfundr's standard processing and platform maintenance costs.
If we are blessed enough to raise funds beyond our initial goal,
every single extra cent will go directly into the interior flooring
and bathroom restoration that was stalled by this crisis.
You Are the Heroes of Our Comeback
I have fought as hard as I can on my own, but I have reached the
limit of what my body and my wallet can do. By backing this campaign,
you are doing so much more than fixing a house. You are providing a
safe, unshakeable sanctuary for a mother who is running out of time,
and a daughter who needs a permanent place of stability.
- You are the heroes who can turn this house from a source of fear into a solid fortress. Every piece of gutter hung and every block laid will be a physical reminder that there is far more goodness and community support out there than there is dishonesty. Thank you for standing with us, helping us anchor our home, and building a secure foundation together!
