My situation:

When Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina, I had just announced my biggest project to date: renovating my dear deceased Uncle’s old ceramic studio, located on family land in Penland, NC. The land and building are finally legally mine, but this lifelong dream (and all my plans for my future) are on indefinite pause.

The building is 45 years old and needs a lot of work in order to be a safe, dry, climate-controlled fiber arts studio with plumbing and parking. Before the flooding and mudslides, I thought my work was cut out for me; now I can’t even access the building because of road damage. And all the renovation work remains to be started, and cannot begin until the road is repaired. Insurance does not cover damages to private roads or landslides. My neighbors do not need or want the road repaired. I am still waiting on a decision from FEMA.

Rebuilding needs:

  • Funds for a geotechnical engineering firm to create a repair plan for collapsed roadside (pending neighbors’ permission), plus actual labor & materials

  • Plumber experienced with spring water systems ($500 so far, much more to go, the property is ripe with springs)

  • Demolition & debris hauling (once road is fixed, no estimates yet)

  • Professional arborists to take down dead & leaning trees (collecting quotes)

    More in-depth explanations:

  • ROAD WORK. Since Helene struck, I cannot even get a vehicle to the studio building. My neighbors own the road and are refusing repairs unless I pay for them, and must be under the supervision/plan on an experienced geotechnical engineering firm. Without vehicle access, I am walking in on foot to do any work, which makes it much more difficult to bring helpers and tools in. This is order #1.

  • Basement water situation overhaul (needs new springwater containment system, installation of French drains & grading, foundation leaks sealed, new water barrier applied to exterior blocks, possibly more!)

  • New roof. Current roof is 45 years old and has no overhang, nor gutters.

  • New steps up to the front door (current ones are soft and rotting)

  • Demolition of old kilns and their gas piping

  • Demolition of old cabin foundations

  • Drywall tear out, insulation replacement (building has original everything, from the early 80s, visible water damage)

  • Window & door replacements for improved cooling/heat efficiency

  • Mini-splits installed for drying/cooling/heating

Donate to Jessica Kaufman's big studio renovation project
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The only road in... impassable
A friend lends his time to helping mitigate the spring situation
And still, she flows... straight into the ground, soaking the basement.
Steeper than it looks!
An almost 90 degree landslide just below the parking area :(
Trees on the right that will need to come down.

Maybe you know a contractor, roofer, demolition team, or handyperson? A geotechnical engineer? Could they lend me their time or expertise in Western NC? The building is in Mitchell County, near Penland School of Crafts.