By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

Roger Hoffner has decided to rebuild his home from the ground up after it was damaged in a fire last year.

The decision was spurred by the settlement offered by his insurance company, Hoffner said.

“They only would have paid to repair it, but I said I wasn’t going to do that,” he said.

Instead, Hoffner enlisted the help of Jason and Jeremy May, who he knew from roofing together.

“We don’t get to work on it every day,” Hoffner said. “I work at Florence, one works in Marion, and the other is in western Kansas.”

The three-man crew can frequently be seen working on the home, but progress is slow because of their regular jobs, Hoffner said.

“We knew it was going to take time,” he said. “We’re working when we get the chance, and it’s coming along.”

While they don’t have to worry about boards warping, recent rains have stalled progress, Hoffner said.

“It’s all waterproof, but the rain on it is never good,” he said.

After months of work, Hoffner said he expects to raise the roof within two weeks. Work will then begin on the inside of the home, he said.