Bat Cave community praises contractor for free construction work after Helene

Bat Cave community praises contractor for free construction work after Helene

Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina 3 months ago.

One man though has not moved on to newer and fresher topics, and he’s being hailed by one NC community as a “godsend.”

Jake Jarvis runs Precision Grading construction and demolition, and since Helene, has been completing tens of thousands of dollars in construction work pro bono, including demolishing houses, building bridges, and clearing river crossings.

(Jarvis testing out a new bridge he built at no cost after Helene. (Photo credit: Jake Jarvis)

"It's hard on you mentally because you see devastation every single day and I have definitely experienced the struggle with that," Jarvis said. In Bat Cave, there is destruction everywhere you turn.

"We worked 'till 9 [p.m.] last night, even though it's cold and dark. We got lights and just try to do all we can do," he said.

(A photo of a bridge built by Jarvis for a family after Helene. (Photo credit: Jake Jarvis)

This time, Jarvis is demolishing Paula Masters' home, swept away by the water.

He is taking it apart piece by piece and putting it in piles to be taken away by clean-up crews.

It is a job that would typically cost tens of thousands of dollars involving heavy machinery.

Masters looked on during the construction with her daughter. Years of memories with her family washed away.

(The daughter of Paula Masters smiles as she is handed a keepsake recovered from the demolition. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

"[I'm] very fortunate to have all of the angels that have appeared, and he's one of them," Masters said.

He is able to do these jobs for free by using his own savings and by collecting donations from others.

(Jarvis works on heavy machinery to complete jobs for people at no cost after Helene. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

(A man driving across a river crossing built by Jarvis after Helene. (Photo credit: Jake Jarvis)

Bat Cave Fire Chief Steve Freeman said Jarvis has been an invaluable asset to the community.

"He was a Godsend coming down through. He opened the roads up so you could get through," he said.

(Onlookers watch Jarvis demolish a house in Bat Cave that was swept away by Helene floodwaters. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

Ref: Bat Cave community praises contractor for free construction work after Helene Photo Credit-WLOS Staff, Jake Javis