Surviving the Flood

Perfect 5th Flood: Day One
The Perfect 5th salon’s current location opened in Mooresville, North Carolina, in the spring of 2006 with 1,000 square-feet, three stations, two shampoo bowls, a kitchen, color bar, laundry, retail and reception area and a small office/closet. (That’s right, I said office/closet – we should all have one! LOL) This location was very special to P5 because we purchased the building. Woohoo!

We’ve cruised along for the past three years with minimal complications.  But, the Carolinas are known for a blast from Mother Nature now and then.  You know…ice storms, occasional snowstorms, power outages, etc.  These small blasts can render a southern town helpless because we don’t have the equipment to deal with them.

This year has been exceptionally testy.  January had my home and the salon without power for three days--keep in mind we heat with electricity in the south. Brrrrrrrrr!

Perfect 5th Salon before the flood. Flood damage to the dry wall. Flood damage to the floor. More damage and residual water.

August 5, 2009, was one of those thunderstorms to go down in the history books.  Ever heard of a downburst?  That’s when Mother Nature realizes thenew Gucci shoes she ordered online are too small!  In her fit of rage, she knocks over her open bottle of wine and it hit the “MAJOR THUNDERSTORM” button on the weather control panel!  Torrential rains, thunder, lightning, and horizontal winds so strong it flooded a small hole in the bricks!  The excessive water built up in the salon wall quickly and then escaped inside.  The next morning at 8:45, we were walking in three inches of water.  It was everywhere!  In the ceiling, light fixtures, wall, floor, under the floor, under all the equipment and furniture . . .everywhere!!!!

Our first course of action was to notify clients, our Homeowner’s Association, and our business insurance company.  By 9:30 a.m. the next day, all had been notified and the wait began . . .

PERFECT 5th Flood: Day Two
What a loooonnggg day!  I not only had to notify clients for today informing them I couldn’t reschedule until I know our operation status, but I waited forever for insurance adjusters and the Homeowner’s Association representatives to let me know where I stand.

Only two clients were upset with me.  I’m sure there will be more…funny how phones must be answered when a client calls the salon, but when the salon calls that same phone . . . ring, ring, ring . . . no answer.  I sent out our first email blast hoping to find the people who were booked over the next week to inform them of the flood.  Luckily, our system tracks the opened mail. So, now I only need to track down the ones who aren’t listed in an hour or two.

PERFECT 5th Flood: Day Three
Small Victory.  It might help if I explain the building situation. I own the building—condo style even though it’s all three stories on the end unit.  The Homeowner’s Association (HOA) is responsible for maintenance and repair from the bricks out (basic landscaping, roof repair, etc). When the inside gets damaged from a fault on the outside, the HOA is also responsible for those repairs. Determining how the water got in was almost like a CSI episode—five different ‘experts’ were called in. They determined the cause was missing mortar between the bricks. So, the good news it’s the HOA’s responsibility.
 
The bad news was the fine print: The HOA only repairs to ‘builder grade.’  For any of you who know me, buying expensive is a habit!  Not to mention that builder grade is cheap carpet glued to the cement.  That’s a great salon floor!!!  NOT!  So thousands of dollars later, I need the hardwood appearing laminate back on the floor.  Back to good news:  I have great insurance!  Now I just need that adjustor to arrive. . .