Our Story: a Loss we Turned into Success

Who We Are

We are a family who lost everything to a wildfire, but our story didn't end there. We didn't let the disaster define us. We made a decision to rebuild, stronger and more determined than ever.

A Survivor Journey

Only a survivor can understand this. Facing the loss of our house is already a hard thing to deal with. It comes with a rollercoaster of feelings, while rebuilding your life, keeping your family together, and dealing with tough situations: insurance claim, permit, contractor, health... All steps is a story by itself.

Our Journey

After losing our home, we had hope, but then we faced a "crooktractor" who promised to rebuild for us, but left us with more problems than solutions! Out of all the survivors we talked with, 50% faced issues with their contractor.

Lawyers were not helpful in our litigation, they were mostly on contractor side. We went to the Law Library, read the Construction code and took control of the situation. Thanks to disgorgement laws, we won!

Lesson learned! We decided to take control of our destiny. No one was going to make decisions for us anymore. We were determined to rebuild our home, our way.

The Power of Knowledge

We had no prior experience with construction, but we were resourceful. We turned to the internet—watching tutorials, reading articles, and finding free resources online that guided us on every step of the process. We learned about materials, how to manage every stage of construction.

We managed to work with the Resiliency Permit Center and passed all the inspections.

Managing the Process

We were on jobsite during the day until dark and then planning the next steps late into the night. It was a full time job, aside JP's real work and family life!

From finding out how to build a concrete house to dealing with suppliers, orders, and deliveries, we managed everything ourselves. We contacted suppliers, ordered materials, scheduled deliveries, and even coordinated inspections—ensuring that everything went according to plan, and all of that during Covid shortage.

It wasn't easy, but every challenge became a lesson. We went from feeling hopeless to becoming empowered. We turned our hardship into a strength, and our home began to take shape again.

Rebuilding, Step by Step

With hard work, perseverance, and a lot of learning along the way, we finally reached the day when we could move into our newly rebuilt concrete home—a symbol of our strength, our resilience, and our ability to overcome anything life throws our way.

This page is not just about us; it's about YOU. If you're facing a similar challenge, know that you can rebuild. You don't have to rely on others to make decisions for you. If we can do it, so can you. Believe in yourself, keep learning, and never give up.