After Hurricane Dorian in 2018, Bonnie Paulson’s home was the only one left standing in her Florida neighborhood, thanks to its special design by Deltec Homes. Here's what makes it so unique.
In 2018, retired flight attendant Bonnie Paulson had settled into her new home in Mexico Beach, Florida, when category 5 Hurricane Michael struck with devastating force.
Her neighborhood looked like a war zone.
“There was nothing here — nothing. As a matter of fact, one of those houses flew past our house and landed in the woods over there,” Paulson said.
But remarkably, Paulson’s home was the only one left standing, thanks to its special design by Deltec Homes. The company has built 5,000 other homes like it in hurricane-prone locations all over the world.
“Time after storm, storm after storm, it’s left standing with no structural damage,” Deltec president Steve Linton said.
The homes are constructed to be twice as strong as a typical house — from the walls to the roof fasteners. And the most unique hurricane-resistant feature of the 1,600-square-foot home is its rounded design.
“The aerodynamics are going to push that wind around the house and build up less pressure on the home,” Linton said.
In the event of a storm surge, the home sits atop 14-foot reinforced concrete pilings, sunk 25 feet in the ground.
“If your home is still standing after the storm, you've made your investment back time and time again,” Linton said.
