Construction Update - March 2012

La Fortuna, Renton:

March 31^st

Today was down to 13 volunteers signed up. By 9:15 we had 23 people signed in. With all of the homeowners, buyback families, and ABWK/NRI families earning their hours at one site after next month, we could really be hopping on Saturdays!

LF5-

Contract OK'd with Bob's to finish the gas piping. PSE needs to come out and set the manifold before they can do the work. Hopefully they will come out next Wednesday and get this going.

Air sealing is progressing and is complete in the 3 units we are going to test first.

NorTech is coming out to finish up a few things, then re-test the sprinkler pipes. If everything goes well they will have inspection on Tuesday.

We will have a partial framing inspection Tuesday and a final framing inspection as soon as we can fix anything the inspector finds.

Partial sheetrock delivery is scheduled for Thursday and then they will hang the lids in 3 units and we will have a practice blower door test afterwards.

LF7-

The Thrivent/ Microsoft Build has the sub- floor down and the stair landing finished. It is now caught up to "b" and will be ready for trusses with the rest of the building. The other units sat idle this week as we focused on LF5.

Work next week will include; air sealing, insulation, framing, cleaning, and prep for sheetrock.

March 24^th

Exciting week. Lee and Kristina met with PSE and we ordered gas service, then Friday we passed 6 electrical inspections on the first try, plus exterior painting! We also made good progress on the Thrivent Build/ Microsoft House.

LF5-

Passed electrical inspections. Ordered gas. Scheduled fire sprinkler inspection for Wednesday. Ordered insulation for 3 units, delivery Wednesday.

Nearing completion of air sealing in #5 and 6. After framing inspection we will have the ceilings hung and do a practice blower door test in those 2 units.

We got some exterior painting done during the good weather. Approaching 99% of 1st coat completed. We also worked on caulking and spackling.

LF7-

In "a" we installed all of the beams and joists with a Microsoft group on Wednesday, then completed all of the rim joist, blocking, backing, and even started the stair landing on Saturday with a different Microsoft group.

We work some more in "c" and have the all exterior and party walls built.

Site-

Installed water valve monument to finish the required improvements from the Soos Creek inspection.

Work next week will include; sprinkler pipe tenting, air sealing, maybe sub- floor, exterior painting, phone and cable conduits, framing punch list, and clean up.

March 18^th

We had snow 2 times last week. Brrr! We made some more progress on the Thrivent build with the Holy Cross volunteer on Saturday.

LF5-

Continuing with the air sealing. We have used up to 70 tubes of caulk in a single day, so the caulk donation from Pro- Build is a blessing. We are using the DOW donated spray and rigid foams everywhere possible.

Steve has trenched around 3 entire sides of the building, extended a storm drain stub out, and installed/sanded/ backfilled 50' of gas sleeve.

A volunteer electrician didn't come through and we are scheduling a paid electrician to finish up on Tuesday. We will have them stub out the phone and cable at the back of each unit and bring the home runs around the outside in the gas trench. FPI will wire for fire alarm on Wednesday and we should be able to get an electrical inspection afterward.

LF7-

The HFH Tacoma-Pierce County AmeriCorps team joined us for
a day of framing during AmeriCorps week

We built more walls with the HfHtpc Americorps and with the Newport High groups. Unit "a" is ready for floor joists, "b" sat idle, "c" and "d" are 75%, and "e" had the interior walls started.

Site/wetlands-

Trying to find time to pull the wire and put up boxes for the alarm system. Need to order replacement trees before the good transplant time is gone.

Work next week will include; air sealing, framing punchlist, wall framing, floor framing, trenching, and maybe painting.

March 3^rd

It is the last full week with the NCCC team. We have made good progress while they were here. There is a regular volunteer who is Thrivent and Lutheran and some Microsoft volunteers, so we made some progress on the ADA.

LF5-

We did a little painting and hope for more chances soon. More trim and flashing was put on to prep some siding fields for the All Staff build next Wednesday. The siding should be completed next week, maybe even during the build.

The electrician is coming back on Tuesday to help us finish the low voltage and connect the unit panels to the meters. We should be ready for inspection late next week.

We have been working on the air sealing for weatherization for the entire week and are only part way done in a couple of units. We are learning a lot about planning ahead in the future!

LF7-



AmeriCorps NCCC leader, Eddie Barnhart installing sub floor
on one of the visiting team's last days with HFHEKC



Unit "a' had all of its exterior walls and 80% of its interior walls framed during the week. We will probably work again on Wednesday, would any of the office staff qualify as Thrivent volunteers?

Unit "b" has most of the sub floor installed today.

Units "d & e" have multiple walls framed and stood and all the exterior and party wall plates cut and laid out.

Work next week will include; wall framing, siding, air sealing, maybe floor framing in "a", maybe painting, definitely paint prep (caulk and spackle), and tearing down scaffold to allow for trenching to begin the week after.

Issaquah Highlands:

March 31^st

Good progress again on building 5. Al and his sons were able to complete most of the plumbing trim. The water was tested on 5B. The water meter for 5A needs to be installed but the supply to the house is connected and will be operational once the meter is in place. Most of the paint prep and masking is complete in 5A and 75% in 5B. Towel bars were installed and closet shelving is about 60%. Tile backsplash was finished in the kitchens and wood backsplash for the bathrooms was cut, stained and ready to be installed. On the exterior, the block retaining walls are about 90% complete. Cable and phone conduits were installed and the water service was hooked up. The driveways were dug out to grade.

Next week we will be focusing on completing the interior painting and rehanging the doors. Door knobs, punchlist work and the final cleaning will also begin.

March 24th

Good progress continues in Issaquah. The better weather allowed us to finishing all exterior painting that needs to be reached from scaffolding. The final tower was removed and the buildings are now ready for finish grading and for the concrete flatwork. On Saturday we started building stacked block retaining walls on the sides. The planter strip along Magnolia was also graded and is ready for landscaping and the temporary water service was dug up to allow for the permanent service to be installed to the building.

Inside most of the countertops were finished and will be fully completed on Monday. Sinks were cut in and are ready for hook up along with the rest of the plumbing trim. Al Peterson will be assisting with this starting on Tuesday. Millwork installation and paint prep also continued and is now more than 90% complete.

Next week we will continue the retaining walls, complete the paint prep and hopefully start interior trim and door painting. We will also continue removing items from our storage yard as we continue to close out the site.

March 17^th

Interior finishes continue to go well. In 5A the kitchen tile was installed and most of the wood laminate flooring was completed. Countertop bases were built in both units and interior paint prep and mill work installation continued. The weather was not very cooperative this week but Marc was able to get a coat of paint on the siding over the main roof on Friday. Karice, the electrician who helped with the rough-in, came out and worked with John on Friday. They were able to complete about 75% of the lights and outlets.

Next week we will continue with interior finishes and may get some exterior work completed if we can get some better weather.

March 3^rd

We had another strong week of interior finish work. On Tuesday laminate wood flooring started in 5A and about 90% was completed by Thursday. Five Interior doors were installed on Friday and baseboard and door casing was the main task on Saturday. Earlier in the week baseboard was also installed in 5B. Most is now in on the upper floors of both units. Kitchen cabinets were delivered and installed on Wednesday and Thursday along with a couple of the bathroom vanities. Tile work started in the kitchen of 5B and wood flooring was installed in the dining room. Crews worked on the millwork in both houses with caulk and wood putty to get it ready for painting.

Next week we will continue with tile, wood flooring, mill work and interior paint prep. Hopefully we can also complete the siding over the main roof and start some of our retaining walls on the exterior.

The Washington Conservation Corps AmeriCorps team
 joined us to do some finish work in Issaquah

Patterson Park Unit D-3 Buyback: 

 March 31^st

Cleaning and masking has started inside the unit. Over the next couple of weeks, both sites will look for ways to provide additional help for this project.

5th Annual Women Build Week Success

           This year we wanted to make Women Build Week a bigger, more impactful event.  In the past we have celebrated the week with two building days, this year we doubled it!  We also partnered with local Renton non-profits to show the reach and impact of women working to strengthen our community.  Four days of building, 120 volunteers, and one empowering week!

           This year we set some pretty aggressive goals for our Women Build, with work ranging from framing to painting.  Over the course of four days, women volunteering for the build worked on all eleven units at our La Fortuna site.  We framed interior walls on the third story of four units, getting the whole building one step closer to putting the roof on.  On the same building, we installed plywood sheathing and structural straps on the exterior to complete our nailing requirements.  On six different units, we made excellent progress with exterior painting, and got a great start on priming the newly installed sheet rock inside.  Overall, Women Build was a great success in terms of moving our site along to the next step with a lot of momentum.

           On May 9^th we kicked off the event with a welcome ceremony emceed by longtime  Habitat supporter, Habitat EKC Board Member, and Women Build sponsor Betsy Wryer.  Jahna Smith, Habitat Homeowner, and AmeriCorps member spoke about how thankful she has been for the Habitat program.  Jahna also found out that day that she has been accepted into the nursing program at Pacific Lutheran University.  Five volunteers from Women Build sponsor, Travelers Insurance, came out to build, as well as women involved with ANEW (Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Employment for Women).  Leah, ANEW’s classroom instructor, spoke about the apprenticeship program at lunch.   

            Thursday May 10^th, Women Build was in full swingwith raffle prizes and Women Build gear to win, we also had a spectacular lunch with donated cookies from Panera Bread.  Jasmine Giles, daughter of a Habitat Homeowner in the New Castle community, spoke about the impact that growing up in a Habitat home had on her life.  Jasmine is currently pursuing a nursing degree at Bellevue College.  Friday, May 11^th we continued to celebrate women by hearing from Goodwill, whose career education programs allow women to take the next step in their personal professional development.  Goodwill presented a vintage hat show, featuring women’s hats from pioneer days, World War II women’s military and working women hats and 1930-60s fashions. 

            Saturday May 12^th during lunch, Habitat Homeowner Marwa Zahid spoke about her work at REWA (Refugee Women’s Alliance) and her personal journey as an Iraqi refugee moving to the United States and how her opportunity to become a homeowner materialized.  A few Tilted Thunder Roller Derby Rail Birds also joined us on site.

           We recognized the end of Women Build Week by hearing from two incredible homeowners, Penelope Rux and Iulia Zavodov at the closing ceremony Saturday afternoon. Penelope shared her struggles as a single mother and commended the support and strength that Habitat volunteers gave to her and to our homeownership program. Penelope and her 16 year old son L.G. spent the day building with us. Iulia gave a charming speech about the impact that Habitat has had on her family’s life, the challenges of being a refugee and her joyous thankfulness to Habitat volunteers.  

           A big thank you to our sponsors who made this week possible: Travelers Insurance, Motor Oil Supply, Lowe’s, PCL Construction, and Betsy Weyer- Windermere Real Estate!

Special Brush with Kindness Project

Bathroom Remodel: Brush with Kindness Project

Linda lives in the neighborhood near our La Fortuna project in Renton.  Several years ago she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, which forced her into early retirement and she is now living on a fixed income.  

Bathtub after remodel

Bathtub before remodel

Linda’s bathtub was without grab bars, a bath chair, or a hose long enough for her to shower safely, but she was unable to afford the renovations necessary to ensure her safety.

Habitat for Humanity EKC partnered with the City of Renton, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the MS Foundation to fund the project. 

Volunteers from McAdam’s Remodeling and   Design along with their plumber, Chuck from Protocol Plumbing, removed the existing bathtub and walls.  In the process of doing this they discovered that much of the floor framing in the area was rotten, so they reframed part of the floor to address the concern.  They installed solid backing in the areas where the new grab bars would be placed, new drywall around the tub, the tub and enclosure itself, and the shower trim and hardware.  They also removed all the existing wainscoting and baseboards, repaired the walls in those areas, and installed new vinyl flooring and baseboards.

These partnerships significantly reduced the cost to Linda, making it affordable to do the remodel that will allow her to continue living safely in her home. 

Dedication Ceremony for Completion of Magnolia Village

Issaquah, WA. April 25, 2012– Habitat for Humanity of East King County invites the public to celebrate the completion of their 10 home Magnolia Village development in the Issaquah Highlands.

2012- Magnolia Village completed

Friday, April 27, from 2 to 3pm at 2538 NE Magnolia Street, King County Executive Dow Constantine will be recognized for King County’s Housing and Community Development Department’s role in developing this neighborhood, along with ARCH, WA St Dept of Commerce, Port Blakely and the Cities of Issaquah, Newcastle and Sammamish.

Saturday, April 28^th, from 3 to 4pm at 2538 NE Magnolia Street.  The Home Dedication ceremony and awarding of keys will celebrate the efforts of the entire Habitat team, including generous funders, community leaders and volunteers, who came together with Habitat EKC’s Board, Advisory Board, staff and Habitat homeowners to provide safe, decent, affordable housing for hard working, low-income families in the Issaquah Highlands.

2009- Land for Magnolia Village

“The Habitat neighborhood of Magnolia Village is a beautiful example of public and private partnership coming together with hardworking low-income families to build attractive affordable homes. We are very grateful for the support this project has received from the community, from start to finish.” 

Please join us for these special events, RSVP to Mary Martin at mary@habitatekc.org. Refreshments will be served.

Construction Update - February 2012



La Fortuna building 5 on February 25th



La Fortuna, Renton:

February 25^th

Nothing special happened this week... Other than we had 1 day that was good enough to paint.

LF5-

Electrical rough- in 98%, we just need to put on some mudrings, nail plates, and wire a furnace. Low voltage was started by the journeyman and 2 units are done (except for the homeruns) and a third started.

Air sealing started in earnest this week and #6 is almost done. Other draft stopping was worked on during the rainy days.

More siding is completed, now there is only the panel on 2 units and some lap siding on the porch roofs. More painting, caulking, etc. was also accomplished. One or two more nice days and we could take finish some areas up and take down the scaffolding!

LF7-

 

More subfloor is down. Now just "b" isn't sheeted, but it has stairs and is ready to go as soon as the guardrails are finished. "c" only has 1/2 a flight of stairs to go and all of the units will have stairs. We have a couple of Thrivent and Microsoft days lined up in the next month, so "a" should start catching up.

Wetlands/ site work-

We worked on mitigating storm damage and repaired the fence that had been smashed down. We also tidied up some catch basins.

PCL's Grant Moorhead, also on
Habitat's Board of Directors

Work next week will include; floor sheeting, exterior wall building, painting (hope for good weather), low voltage, air sealing, and draft stopping.

February 18^th

Today the future homeowners had a potluck lunch for us. Everyone ate too much, but it was delicious! Many families brought out their children and ate lunch with the volunteers and AmeriCorps.

LF5-

What a difference having an electrician! With 1 journeyman and a couple of volunteer trainees we roughed in 2 units completely, nearly wrapped up a third, and pulled string and measured the conduits to the meters. We should finish next week. We are working on getting volunteer electricians to do the phone and cable TV wiring.

5 of 6 decks are sided and the sixth is started. We will build more scaffolding next week and maybe finish siding! Then we just have to caulk, spackle, paint, paint a second coat, and take down the scaffolding.

We are insulating the waterlines in the garages and still boxing ductwork. We started sealing penetrations for fire code and air infiltration, probably about 2 weeks of this work.

LF7-

We sheeted another floor ("e"), started more stairs and got all of the joist up in "b", and all of the beams plus the joists started in "c".

Work next week will include; floor framing and sheeting, sealing penetrations, electrical rough- in, stairs, guardrails, siding, caulking, and hopefully more painting.

February 11^th

Another good week. The volunteer numbers were low, but the NCCC team really picked up the slack and helped us progress.

AmeriCorps Phil, NCCC Molly, and Home-owner Bashir
shown tackling the hard-to-reach siding above the porch!

LF5-

Issaquah sent down some scaffolding and we were able to build 2 more towers in the front. Siding on the decks progressed with 2 decks finished and 1 deck the slider door wall is complete. All the decks have been trimmed and flashed and are ready for siding. More panel went on the top floor at #2 and the batts were also installed. A few dry days to paint and we could take down scaffolding for the last time!

A journeyman electrician was hired to work with our volunteer trainees and will start on Tuesday. The entire building should be ready for electrical inspection within 2 weeks. We passed mechanical and gas piping inspection this week. We will try the fire sprinkler inspection again after we get the pipe tenting in the attic done and NorTech brings out the approved plans.

LF7-

Finished the joist on "e", built guardrails, and sheeted the floor in "d". Stairs were also finished in "e" and started in "d". Floor beams were started in "b". We might have a Thrivent/ Lutheran build day next week and get some more work done on "a".



The trusty Bank of America crew
got to work sheeting the floors in building 7.



Site work/ wetlands-

We planted most of the native plants the NCCC team earned. There are some downed trees in the wetlands that are laying on our plantings and we are checking to see what action is needed. Someone ran into our rail fence and broke 2 rails and a post. We will repair it next week. A paint brush washing station was built and used on Tuesday. We will need to open a manhole to dispose of the painty water soon.

Work next week will include; floor framing, wall framing (if Thrivent build day fills up), painting (if dry and not too cold), siding, scaffold building, and maybe deck railings.

February 4^th

Wow! What a difference a couple of days of sun and weather in the 50's can make. Everyone has a bounce in their step and we actually got to paint a lot.

LF 5-

We made good progress on the siding, getting the 8" plank on the second floor of 5 units, finishing the 4" on 1 unit, finishing the entire end of unit 6, repairing a siding field, and Hardi panel soffits at 4 front porch ceilings.

Painting, finally! We got a first coat on almost all of the siding on the building (except the cantilever on #1), pre- painted all of the remaining plank, primed all of the eaves that had scaffolding, and started the first color coat on the eaves. Spackling and caulking also progressed well.

All of the duct boxing/soffits are done except #6 garage.

Electrical rough in should start again soon. The plan is to hire a journeyman to work and supervise trainees and/ or John and I.



La Fortuna Building 7 February 25th



LF 7-

The floor beams and joists were installed on "d" and blocking started, beams were installed in "e", and beams were started in "b". Three stair landings were started and 2 finished. Stairs were started in "e" and are ready to install. Exterior sheeting infill continues and nears completion, Seismic hardware is going up as we finish the sheeting.

Site/ wetland-

We got a mop sink from the store and today I used the Kubota to try digging up a sewer connection to hook up the sink for washing paint brushes. At 4' deep the locator board was still going down. I dug a small test hole with a shovel and when I got to another 18" it filled in with 6" water and the pumps are at Issaquah, so it was completely filled back in. We will have to develop a good 3 bucket system for the brushes.

The NCCC team worked at a plant salvage in Redmond and earned quite a few new plants for our wetlands. We will plant them soon, so if anyone has a green thumb and could help out, it would be appreciated.

Work next week will include; floor framing, painting, stairs, siding, scaffolding moving, and maybe planting in the wetlands.

Issaquah Highlands:

February 28^th



Alvaro Cornejo, home-owner and current
new Driver for the Habitat Store, installs his own wood
floors for his future home!



It was a busy week for flooring. We started tile training on Tuesday morning. By the end of the week tile was installed, grouted and sealed in all 6 bathrooms and both laundry rooms. Laminate wood flooring was picked up early in the week and installation started on Friday. Most of the morning was another training and good progress was made. On Saturday the 4 bedrooms in 5B were complete and most of the upstairs hallway. The subfloor in 5A was cleaned and prepped for the laminate to begin next week. Window sills were installed in 5A and most of them have been cut for 5B. Two more scaffolding towers were removed from the back of the building.

Next week we will continue with laminate flooring in both units. Cabinets are scheduled for delivery on Tuesday and will be getting installed the rest of the week. Millwork installation will also continue.

February 18^th

Interior finish work has started in Issaquah. The NCCC team worked on site Tuesday-Thursday and were a huge help getting the interior walls of both units painted. The also assisted with completing some exterior painting and several more scaffold towers were removed from the back of the building. Tile work continues. Backer board is about 95% complete in both homes and tiles were cut for two bathrooms. The doors and mill work arrived and 5 doors were installed. On Saturday a good deal of base and casing was cut for 5B.



NCCC team member Jessica and the rest of the Silver 4
team helped paint the entire interior of building 5!



Several more loads of scaffolding were removed from the site and the yard was condensed.

Next week we will continue with mill work, tile and hopefully start some wood flooring.



February 11^th

Interior finish work has started! The majority of the scaffolding was removed during the early part of the week and several loads were taken to Renton. Sheet rock finish continued all week and by Friday it was primed, textured and ready for paint. On Saturday we had 11 volunteers. The majority worked on interior wall paint in 5B. In 5A the temporary stair treads were removed and the permanent treads installed- 75% complete. Tile backerboard was installed in the bathrooms and laundry and the majority was cut for the kitchen, entry and dining nook.

Next week we will have the NCCC on site to assist with the interior wall paint and continue the tile backerboard. Interior doors and mill work is schedule for delivery on Tuesday and installation will begin once the painting is complete. We are also having another blower door test to compare the results from before sheet rock and after sheet rock. Hopefully the results will be favorable and we will be able to have the attic insulated soon. Exterior work may include siding on the roof and painting.

February 4^th

Good week at the site. The furnaces are on so we now have heat. Sheet rock finishing started on Tuesday. It is going a bit slower than normal but the contractor made decent progress the last two days. They will continue next week. The sunny weather allowed us to complete a good amount of exterior painting. 75% of the building has a finish coat. We will be able to remove a good portion of the scaffolding very soon.

Next week we will be removing scaffolding, installing siding on the roof and may start retaining wall work on the north and south hillsides. If the good weather sticks around the focus will be exterior painting.



Issaquah Highlands buildng 5 exterior shown February 25th

JOB: Driver Wanted for Habitat Store

Habitat for Humanity of East King County

Job Description

Title:                Driver – The Habitat Store

Department:    Operations

Reports to:      Store Manager

FLSA Status:  Non- Exempt

Purpose/Objective:

The Habitat Store Driver performs work in the operation of a vehicle to assure safe and efficient transportation to and from destinations for product pickups and deliveries.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: (in order of importance. Other duties may be assigned by the Store Manager)

1.      Operations/Administration:

-          to assume responsibility for care and maintenance of vehicle inside and out

-          to drive vehicle in a safe manner at all times, always wearing seat belt, and to follow all safety regulations and precautions

-          to drive vehicle to appointed destinations representing Habitat for Humanity in a professional manner

-          to deal effectively and professionally with customers and employees

-          ability to map driving destinations in a timely and efficient manner

-          to complete applicable paper work accurately and timely per company guidelines

-          to keep management informed of required maintenance for the vehicle and reports any mechanical problems in a timely manner

Competencies:

-          ability to apply basic mathematical concepts such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and knowledge of weights and measures.

-          ability to communicate with associates and customers

-          ability to read, count, and write to accurately complete all documentation

-          understand and respond appropriately to basic customer and employee inquiries.

Physical Demands:

-     physical ability to stand for extended periods

-          move objects up to and exceeding 200 pounds with reasonable accommodations.

-          ability to read maps, follow specific delivery directions and instructions, determine cost efficient routes and time efficient scheduling of deliveries.

-          driver must satisfy the completion of a background check per HfHEKC policy, verification of business reference checks, and providing proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States.

Skills/Requirements:

-          good oral and written communication skills

-          read, write and communicate using English language sufficient to perform job functions

-          ability to operate store equipment in assigned area computer, forklifts, pallet jacks, electric lifts, etc).

-          appropriate Drivers License Required.

-          minimum High School Diploma or equivalency, Associate Degree preferred.

-          willing to have a flexible schedule and able to work weekends as needed

Please send resumes to Molly Jacobson, Assistant Store Manager at mollyj@habitatekc.org.

Habitat for Humanity of East King County is firmly committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity (EEO) and will provide such opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, sex, sexual preference, national origin, age, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.