Cenvar Gives to the Hutchinsons in Blacksburg
For the last few years, every time that it rained Dennis Hutchison went up to his attic to check for new leaks. The buckets he had placed up there to catch all of the various drips also had to be emptied on a regular basis to avoid water damage to the rest of the house. “It was honestly one of the worst roofs I have been on,” said New River Valley General Manager Tyler Kendrick when he went out to take a look at the Hutchison’s roof. “I was not sure how to even get on it to measure it because it was so slick,” he says. “There was hardly any shingle grit left. I was impressed that there were not more shingles missing, but the shingles that were there were practically useless. The pipe boots were rotted through and allowing water to run right into the house, the aluminum ridgevent had been repaired many times, but was still trying to come off. It was in very bad shape,” Kendrik notes.
Using buckets to catch rain water from the roof leak
Kendrick was amazed that the Hutchisons did not have more interior damage to the house, because it was obvious from the outside that it was leaking from many areas. That’s when Hutchison told him “he was going up in the attic at every rainstorm to place buckets to catch everything.” “It was something I had to do,” Hutchison says of his years spent climbing into the attic ahead of every rainstorm. “I didn’t have any other choice … I tried to go up there and repair some of the stuff, but because of the length of time that it had been damaged, the wood wouldn’t hold any screws. It was tough to replace anything,” Hutchison explains.
Hutchison was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, which put him out of work for a year. Following his treatments, “it was even difficult getting started back [to work],” he says. “I had to spend all of my savings to just be able to keep going.” And one of the ways Hutchison managed to keep going was by continuing to place and empty buckets in his attic each and every time that it rained.
Tyler completes a roof estimate for the Hutchinsons
Kendrick heard about Hutchison’s attempts to repair the roof and prevent moisture damage with his buckets in the attic and knew he needed to take a look at the Hutchison’s roof. When Kendrick was out measuring the roof, Hutchison recalls, “to be honest, I was thinking they were going to help us and contribute to the amount that it was going to cost—this was a huge blessing—but I was thinking I still wasn’t going to be able to pay for it,” even with what he thought might be a 25-50 percent discount. “Tyler did the estimate and the contract and showed me all the figures and told me, ‘Right here is what it’s going to cost you.’ He showed me the contract, and pointed to the amount and said, ‘It’s going to be free.’ I saw it and I still couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t take it in. I told him afterward, ‘Tyler, I’m not sure it’s exactly sunk in what you all have done for us. It’s a huge blessing. I don’t know how I could ever thank you all enough.’”
After signing the contract, Hutchison says his wife “was a bit concerned about whether it was actually going to happen or not. Because it was so unbelievable that it was going to happen at all. When Tyler and his team brought the materials she said, ‘It’s actually going to happen,’” he remembers. “Everybody on that whole crew, all the guys, were very professional in what they were doing,” he says. “I cannot say how pleased I was at the job that they were doing and the way that they handled themselves.”
Roof leaks no more!
The day after the Hutchison’s roof was replaced it rained. But this time, Hutchison was not up in his attic with buckets. After years of continual monitoring, “I haven’t been back up there,” he says. “But I do look at that roof every day and thank the Lord for it.”
