Rising costs challenge Hani's home restoration amid aging construction and material deterioration

Name: Hani

Age: 53 years 

Amount needed:  440  JOD

Support provided: The remainder of the expenses needed to complete Hani’s home restoration due to unforeseen challenges cropping up

HANI’S STORY

Hani, 53, is the primary provider for his wife and their seven children. Hani reached out to us seeking assistance with renovating his house. The Community Contributor paid him a visit to assess his situation and evaluate his needs. Once the necessary funds for the initial project, totaling 1,990 JOD, were secured, the Community Contributor initiated the house maintenance project on December 29, 2024. During the work, several unforeseen challenges appeared, the first of which was with the blacksmith, when it became evident that the existing tubes for the zinc sheet roof were corroded and unusable due to rust, compelling the Community Contributor to purchase new tubes, leading to an expansion of the work, and subsequently an increase in the blacksmith’s labor costs. Insulation was also installed, and a cement inlay was poured over the metal zinc sheets to prevent rainwater from seeping through. 

While working on re-wiring the entire house from the main panel, the Community Contributor and the electrician were surprised by the condition of the wires, switches, and breakers, which showed visible deterioration that needed urgent attention, prompting them to secure the materials necessary to complete the repairs. While busy working on the new extensions, the ceiling, saturated with moisture from rainwater, fell through. As a result, an extra quantity of gypsum board was bought to replace it. While digging up the bathroom floor to install the pipes and lay down the tiles, we found that the sewage pipes were of the old type (made of cast iron), so we replaced them with plastic pipes. Additionally, the cast iron pipes connected to the house’s water tank were also switched out for the plastic versions. This upgrade ultimately led to an increase in maintenance costs.

When it comes to home maintenance, it is common for unexpected issues to crop up, leading to higher costs than initially anticipated. This is particularly true for older buildings that haven’t seen regular upkeep, primarily due to the financial struggles of the homeowners.