Theresa Rose, North Forty News
It’s not as though Jim and Cindy Roberts haven’t seen it all before. Jim Roberts described a storm in 1993 as “kind of the same thing”, but it doesn’t make it any easier now that it’s happened again. In an interview with Jim Roberts the day after the hailstorm, he says, “We will rebuild,” and he is relieved that no one was injured and all the damage is repairable. Still the damage is extensive enough that they will have to completely replace every roof. Everything made of plastic will have to be recovered. The retail store shows the most damage with the roof full of holes and a tarp over it to keep out the weather. The roof of the adjoining greenhouse will also have to be replaced. The back doesn’t look so bad but upon closer inspection the plastic roofs show tears and pockmarks that allow air to blow through. 22 of the greenhouses will have to be repaired.
Roberts won’t know the extent of the damage until the insurance adjuster pays a visit. The manufacturer of the greenhouses will arrive on Monday to do an inspection and evaluate the damage.
In addition, Jim and Cindy have had the house under construction, adding an addition to the east side of the house. Although hail-resistant shingles were been installed a week ago, Roberts doesn’t know if there is any damage or not. The final cost of the hailstorm won’t be known until the insurance claim has been filed.
Roberts says, “That’s kind of where we stand.”