WELLINGTON, Fla. — Rebuilding on the west coast of Florida after Hurricane Ian is going to draw a massive amount of resources.
Locating materials and labor is already a challenge for some projects, and it's expected to get worse in the weeks to come.
Glenn Gurvitch's home was damaged after a tornado in Wellington tore through his neighborhood last week.
"The whole screen enclosure is ripped up," he said.
The aluminum frame was mangled and now there are open spaces where the screen once enclosed his patio.
"This is probably a total loss of the screen enclosure," Gurvitch said. "I also have roof damages."
Getting the damages fixed before the rebuilding rush starts on the west coast is a priority.
"Certainly, the material costs and delivery times are going to be something we are going to be dealing with here on the east coast —even though the hurricane didn't get hit here," Tat Granata, president of Prestige Windows and Doors, said.
Granata said he's already getting calls from manufacturers who expect a 15 to 20% hike on some projects. This comes as demand for materials and labor starts to increase in southwest Florida.
"We are seeing again a lot of the workforce go to the west coast and chasing the storm a little bit," Granata said.
Gurvitch hasn't cleaned up the bulk of the damage at his home as he waits for an insurance adjuster to survey his property. This may cause more delays for homeowners hoping to get repairs done quickly.
"It's very hard to get the insurance adjusters here. They're just inundated in the west coast, Naples and Fort Myers," Gurvitch said. "I just have to wait. It could be months."
Local contractors said even though residents have a short window before rebuilding starts on the west coast, make sure you vet contractors and plan your repair or upgrade in a timely manner so you're not impacted by the expected upcoming delays.
