Raffle planned to help Shelby family displaced by sewage in home

Three months ago, the Taylor family was displaced from their home by a massive sewage backup that left inches of contaminated water swirling through their new house at Pinnacle Crossing in Shelby.

The Taylors’ had moved from Colorado and closed on their “forever home” in December of 2021, settling in near their two children’s school and pouring time and expense into landscaping at the white house at the end of a cul-de-sac.

Now, the family of four is embroiled in a nightmare with mounting expenses and a house they can’t sell and can’t afford to restore. 

Michelle Taylor said they’ll never move back into the house, but are left with the property and a $95,000 bill from American Restoration.

She said they are still waiting on answers from the city and have retained a lawyer.

Currently the house on Pinnacle Crossing off of South Post Road has been stripped down to the floor joists and is an empty shell. Biohazard teams cleaned out the house shortly after the incident.

“The house is not livable any time soon,” Taylor said. “It is bad right now. We are just taking it one day at a time. Our main goal is to keep life as stable as possible for the kids and not uproot them again. We can’t do anything until all this is settled.”

Taylor said on Oct. 19, her 6-year-old son heard a sound like waves of water and shortly after, sewage came bursting out of toilets and the showers, flooding the floors and destroying most of their belongings.

To add insult to injury, she said the insurance company won’t cover the bill from American Restoration – beyond a $10,000 payment for a sewer endorsement which they used for their attorney’s retainer fees – because it was determined the incident happened at the street and not on the Taylors’ property.

She said an insurance adjuster for the city of Shelby came out and checked the sewer line and found an obstruction. Taylor described it as a boulder. 

“We saw it plain as day, our own insurance adjuster did an investigation,” she said.

So far, Taylor said they haven’t gotten any answers from the city on how this happened or if it could happen again.

They remain in limbo, unable to finish construction on their home and unable to sell.

Now, Taylor said American Restoration is threatening to put a lien on the property in the next 15 days if they don’t pay the $94,545 fees for the biohazard work completed.

“We don’t have that kind of money,” Taylor said.

The family of four is currently living in a rental home, which insurance has been covering.

In the meantime, friends, family and members of the community have rallied around them and are attempting to raise money through a Valentine raffle.

Taylor said many local businesses have contributed to the Taylor Family Mega Raffle and a live drawing is planned from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the upper lounge at Izzie Que Barbeque at 127 W. Marion St., Shelby.

She said there have been many contributors, including Toscanos, Shiny New Tattoo, Hannah’s Coffee House, Queen Bee Home Decor, Red Bridges BBQ, Uptown Med Spa, Newton’s Karate, Little Bit Studio, Messy Jessi’s Tees and More, Shelby Cafe and others. 

“Thank God for the community,” Taylor said. “I can’t even believe how gracious people are. I don’t even know how to properly say thank you. It’s comforting and refreshing to know that we have such a huge support system within our community and our neighborhood.

That is the silver lining to the black cloud. The Taylor family would like to express their extreme gratitude for all their donations, love and continued prayers.”

Raffle tickets are one for $5, five for $10 or 20 for $20 and can purchased at several Shelby locations. Tickets can be purchased at Hannah’s Coffee House at 1024 E, Marion St., St., Erin Borders CPA PLLA at 2101 Kings Rd., Uptown Med Spa at 205 S. Washington St., or Pink Paradise Wellness and Day Spa at 927 S. Lafayette St., or call Michelle Taylor at 704-300-2322