Lewis' father, Gareth Vaughan, said his Bay View Rd property was flooded with about half a metre of water during the deluge last week, some of it from a broken sewerage line.
''There was toilet paper in the back yard. We think it was ours, which only makes it slightly better.''
He said the sleepout/office in the back yard was flooded so he, his son and several of his son's school friends helped rip out the carpet, the wall linings and several items of furniture and load it all on to the back of a trailer bound for the Green Island landfill.
''The boys are great. They've made my life so much easier today.''
The boys were among more than 50 people who volunteered on Saturday to help South Dunedin residents clean up their sections.
Despite the damage, Mr Vaughan said his family was lucky because their house was not flooded.
''A lot of people have had this damage done in their houses, not just their sleepouts.''
