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DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Bennie Covington's home on Delburg Street was close to being condemned. The electrical system in the house was breaking down and the indoor plumbing no longer worked.

“The electrical outlets, he only had a few in the house that would work so he had to run some cords from one room to the other,” his sister Jennie Davidson, said.

To make matters worse, Covington has a disability, which makes it difficult for him to maintain his home. But the town's generosity is giving him a new lease on life. His house was remodeled for free and he saw it for the first time Friday.

The Davidson Housing Coalition tried for three years to repair Covington's home but the work cost a lot more than the agency's $5,000 budget. It wasn't until Jim Burbank and his firm signed on that the project became a reality.

Burbank’s company picked up the remainder of the cost that wasn’t covered by donations. In all, the price tag was between $20,000 and $25,000.

“He's got a new lease on life,” Davidson said. “If you look at his face, you'll see his big smile.”

The project was initiated by the housing coalition's Hammers program, which provides emergency home repair services to residents in Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville and Mooresville.

Forty to 50 contractors contributed to the project.