In 2022 the Marshall fire destroyed 1,084 houses in the Louisville and Superior area and GJ Gardner was one of the many builders who helped rebuild these neighborhoods. We were happy to partner with them in an effort to offer some of the features we all take for granted. In the pre-construction phase we wired the homes with Wi-Fi and Data capabilities along with speakers and TV options and were fortunate enough to establish a relationship with several of the homeowners to also install some equipment to further help them feel not only comfortable but also safe in what was a scenario that destroyed many of those feelings for them. (Marshall Fire Tally)
Colorado Newsline said in this article that "It is the most destructive fire in Colorado history, and presents a unique challenge to survivors: how to rebuild on a staggering scale hardly seen before." Adding to the challenges was the aftermath of the pandemic known as COVID-19 which drove prices of building materials up drastically. One builder quoted "a sheet of oriented strand board, one of the bread and butter materials for sheathing, costs approximately $55 right now, compared to just $15 before the pandemic."
This created a different type of pandemic for developers, as Colorado faced not only the most destruction but a shortage of materials. Prices were astronomical at the time and the article continued to talk about the rising costs of rebuilding when the "Louisville chief building official Chad Root said during a Jan. 11 meeting that people could expect to pay approximately $320 per square foot for an “average” home. This falls much higher than the national average, which hovers around $150 per square foot, according to HomeAdvisor."
By the time these homeowners worked with their insurance and developers to get the necessities covered, the budget was pretty low for luxury items, which is where the audio-visual industry falls. We worked tirelessly with the developers to come up with the most important items that were within the insurance's boundaries and we hope that we brought some comfort and safety products to these victims of such a horrific wildfire.
