Brian Bishop knew his panelized houses were designed to stand up to a severe hurricane. But he had his doubts during ... 'That moment of truth'.(HOME & REAL ESTATE)

Byline: HAROLD BUBIL harold.bubil@heraldtribune.com

PORT CHARLOTTE -- He hired the engineers, did the lab tests and spent the money to develop a thriftier, greener, stronger type of house.

But when home builder Brian Bishop rushed to Douglas Street here from the Warm Mineral Springs hotel right after Hurricane Charley, "my heart was in my throat," he said.

He'd heard on the radio that there had been fatalities, a family killed while riding out the storm in their house. He was afraid it was his house, the one he built for the Homeless Coalition of Charlotte County on a street of pine woods near Elmira Boulevard.

"I immediately threw up," said Bishop, whose company, Home Front, builds panelized houses that go up quickly, are inexpensive and energy efficient. "I was so upset. It's my responsibility as a builder.

"As I got into hurricane design and laboratory testing of …