Debt-Free Home Building

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

In the coming months we continued framing the walls for the main floor. I had some tools but needed to buy an air compressor and used table saw. I built a worktable out of scrap material and let both our children participate in its construction. My son was almost 13 by now, and capable of significant work. My daughter helped as she could: picking up nails, carrying tools and, most important, bringing us lunch. I discovered allowing them to participate in the work gave them a true sense of ownership: Not only was it their home, they were helping build it.

Well into our second year of construction, I found a truss company that had built 20 trusses 6 inches too long for another project. But they were exactly right for my home. I made a deal and got the trusses at a considerable bargain, an acquisition that accelerated the building project.

Throughout the entire building process, our project attracted considerable attention from neighbors and friends, so we had enough volunteer help to do the heavy lifting when we needed such assistance. But my son and I erected all the trusses. And it was here we had a close call.

We began by laying the trusses upside down between the wall frames. My son would lift them, I'd grab them and connect to the previous truss with a temporary scaffold connection. One day I lost control of a truss, and it swung like a pendulum right toward my son. He fell to the floor, averting a serious accident. I thanked God he was OK and vowed to make the project more safety conscious thereafter.

The process of building our home had some unexpected benefits, as well. One Saturday I had begun to install roof decking and looked up to see my neighbor, Dan Beckel, walking over with a tool belt around his waist. He said, "Good morning." Then he began installing the decking with me. I feel truly blessed to have Dan as my friend and neighbor. My project initially was meant to provide a home for my family, which it did. But it also helped create a community, with neighbors meeting one another at our project. It was extraordinary to see people, sometimes total strangers, volunteer to help build our family's home. I imagine it was like this many years ago, when neighbors and friends helped each other build settlements. We found the American spirit of helping one another is still very much alive.

By 1994 the exterior siding was installed and the roof shingles were complete. I turned my attention to learning some new trades: electrical and plumbing. I met a plumber who let me watch him work while I helped by running errands. I ran to his truck searching for tools, fittings or glue. I learned that knowing concepts in the plumbing code don't really tell you how to actually design or install a system. For that, you need design experience. After helping him on a few houses, I gained a working knowledge of the proper use of fittings. At a hardware store, I laid the fittings out on the floor of the plumbing aisle and began to design our drain, waste and vent systems. Now I just had to install it all.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print