HAMPTON -- Early estimates show the town of Hampton spent nearly $400,000 in last week's nor'easter with the majority of those funds going to save six homes that were in danger of slipping into the ocean.

Town Manager Fred Welch said while public works and safety crews were able to save the homes, the effort came with a hefty price tag.

The town spent an estimated $300,000, not including overtime, to rebuild a temporary sea wall to protect the oceanfront homes on Ocean Boulevard that were in danger of collapsing.

"We expect to be reimbursed for the majority of those costs," Welch said.

Welch said the town should be eligible to receive reimbursement of up to 80 percent of its costs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"The homeowners (of the properties we saved) will be responsible to pick up anything that isn't reimbursed," Welch said.

The storm also caused damage to the already deteriorating fire station at Hampton Beach. Fire Chief Hank Lipe said the beach fire station, which they were forced to close during the storm because of flooding, sustained an estimated $7,500 worth of damage.

"We lost a hot water heater, a treadmill and we had to get our boiler checked," Lipe said.

The town also lost a $25,000 police cruiser that got stuck in the flood waters.

Welch said overtime accounts in all the departments took a hit. Overtime figures include $8,400 for police and $20,680 in the Fire Department. Welch said the town may able to receive 100 percent reimbursement if President Bush approves the state's request for a major disaster declaration.