Blitz Build 2006
June 5th-9th

We hit the ground running on the Peverill Family's new home on the Newfield Road in Shapleigh!

Building Team Leader Eric Hanson, his builders, and Habitat volunteers were on site at the break of dawn to begin work on this exciting project. Steven Peverill, the homeowner, camped out on site Sunday night so he'd be there as soon as the first workers arrived. Sunday night, a few volunteers set up a tent that has been donated by the Kennebunk Historical Society for Habitat's use during the week. Eric Hanson was on site to lay out the materials so work could begin promptly in the morning.

Here are pictures of the home as it evolves from a capped foundation to a completed home. The finished home was dedicated and keys were given to the Peverill family on Sunday, June 11th at 3 pm.

Day 1

I arrived at the site just after 9 am and the framing crew had raised the two gable walls. By 10 am, the other two walls were in place and roof trusses were being rolled. The crew took a very brief lunch break for sandwiches provided by Merle Googins, a longtime Habitat volunteer. By 2 pm, the roof was sheathed and interior walls were being raised. Soon after, the masons arrived to stack the chimney and the roofers began laying shingles. It was an amazing sight to see the house completely framed with a finished roof after just 12 hours of work. Workers came and went throughout the day, but we estimate that about 40 workers participated in the first day.

All three major television stations dropped by to interview Steve and Donna Peverill and highlight the Blitz Build. Congressman Tom Allen also stopped in and helped raise some walls and paint some interior trim. We thank the media and Congressman Allen for helping out and spreading the word about Habitat for Humanity. There are many families in York County that desperately need adequate housing; the work we are doing barely scratches the surface. We need volunteers and funding to continue to meet Habitat's mission.

End of Day 1

Tuesday, June 6th--Another long day begins...

The Blitz site was a flurry of activity again today. Eric Hanson's crew worked to finish interior walls, hang vinyl siding, install windows, and build basement stairs and exterior porches. The electrician and plumber worked quickly as soon as the walls were finished for them. With a noon time inspection by the Code Enforcement Officer, time was short.

Following the completed inspection, insulation was put in the walls just ahead of the drywall crew. The drywall guys rocked to Frank FM as they carried 12 foot lengths of drywall with ease. By the end of the day, the drywall was taped with one coat of mud on it. Two more coats will be applied tomorrow before painting on Thursday.

At the end of the day, Donna Peverill walked through the house surveying all the rooms and imagining the moment her family walks through the door of their completed house. It is hard to believe that after only two days, it really looks like a home.

End of Day 2

Wednesday, June 7th--Dodging raindrops...

I have to hand it to the dedicated workers that dodged the raindrops all day today. At times, the rain poured at the site. After a mild winter, we anticipate a nor'easter weather pattern over the next few days with a lot more rain and high winds. Rich Parsons and the Blitz Build team planned this event over the last year to ensure that everything ran smoothly, but I guess they failed to assign anyone to the good weather assurance team! Maybe next time we can do better in the weather department...

Eric Hanson's crew worked on the siding and porches despite the heavy rain today. A tarp was hung on the side of the house in an attempt to keep some of the rain off the back side of the house and the crew as they worked. At the end of the day, only a few pieces of exterior trim and siding remain to be installed. The bulkhead doors were installed just in time to keep the flood waters from drenching the basement and the newly installed mechanical equipment.

The drywall crew faced high humidity inside the house as a result of all the rain and that presented a problem when trying to dry the drywall mud between coats. Look at some of the pictures from this afternoon and you can see the haze that the high humidity caused. We were limited in the video and still photos we were able to shoot today because the camera lenses kept fogging up. In mid-afternoon, volunteers scoured up every available heat source and dehumidifier or fan available to try to dry out the home. At this point, we not only worry about the drywall mud needing to dry, but the painters are due to begin tomorrow morning. As anyone who has painted interior walls before knows, the higher the humidity in the house, the longer the coats of paint take to dry. Since time is of the essence on this project, we can't afford to extend the drying time.

Donna Peverill insisted that her husband Steve come home to Biddeford this evening for a hot shower and hot meal before returning to camp out in the tent he has been in all week. Some suggested that Steve could camp out in the kitchen of the new house if the weather gets too bad, but Steve insists that he will be fine in his tent. Steve says the first night in their new home will include the entire family.

End of Day 3--Future Kitchen

Thursday, June 8th--More rain...

I heard some folks say some pretty nasty things about the weather today. Most have forgotten what sun looks like and find it hard to keep good spirits with the weather so dismal. Luckily, for our entire crew, getting the Peverill Family into a new home keeps them going. I am sure the dedication of the finished home on Sunday also keeps them plugging away toward the goal as well.

The painters arrived first thing this morning to paint the ceilings and by the end of the day had filled the home with light pastels as the first coat of color paint was applied to all the walls. Tomorrow morning they will be back to apply the second coat on the walls. Colored walls really helps complete the picture and makes it feel like a finished home. The warm yellow of the kitchen almost gives the impression that sun is shining in the house.

The plumber installed the heating system and ran into some issues getting water from the well to fill it up. We have called the well company to help us out so we can make sure we have enough water.

Eric Hanson's crew trimmed out the doors and windows, ran baseboard and installed the hardwood flooring. The flooring needed to go in before the kitchen cabinets that have been patiently waiting outside under tarps. Cabinets also need to be in so that finished electrical and plumbing can be done in the kitchen first thing Friday. Our cabinet order contained one incorrect unit and was one short. We will install what we have and hope to get the missing one ASAP.

A hot ham dinner with all the fixings was provided by Harvey and Shirley Weiss and the First Baptist Church of Springvale. With the raw chill in the air, the volunteers loved having a delicious hot meal. It was a very late night for the crew and the homeowners. Some volunteers, including Eric's team, were there until after 10 pm. They have put in much more than a full week on this project already and there are still days left in the week. We appreciate all the efforts that this group has put in to help meet Habitat's mission.

Friday brings the installation of vinyl flooring in the bathroom and carpet in the bedrooms, finished electrical and plumbing, the second coat of paint and the rest of the hardwood and kitchen cabinets.

Near the End of Day 4--Main entry door and pantry cabinet in kitchen
We stayed until after dark, but the photographer was too tired to catch a final shot.

Friday, June 9th--The rain continues and flooding joins in...

I read in the paper this morning that Portland has received 17.65 inches of rain since May 1st which is about 40% of the average annual rainfall. I don't want to ask if we could get any more rain because I know that we can and I certainly don't want Mother Nature to try to prove it. The rain continued again today and it's expected to continue tommorow and then drop down to scattered showers on Sunday.

Given the best case scenario, the Blitz Build would be a difficult feat to accomplish in 6 days. Due to the tremendous amount of rainfall, we are faced with delays that we just can't prevent. The extremely high humidity inside the home delayed the drywall and paint drying time. Hours of additional drying time between each step puts a real kink in the schedule. Delayed painters caused delays in laying the carpet and other flooring.

All of the exterior details on the house were finished today. Inside the house, the painters finished their work, the electrician installed the ceiling fans and finished the last bit ofelectrical work, and the carpenters worked on hardwood flooring. Tomorrow, the crew inside will handle items on the punch list such as hanging closet doors, putting down the vinyl flooring in the bathroom, and installing closet shelving units. The brave outdoor workers will clean up the construction debris in the yard, chip brush, and do some landscaping.

Some items carried into the next week; due to our delays with the painting, the carpet was pushed back to Tuesday.

End of Day 5
This is the same corner of the kitchen seen above at the end of Day 3.

Saturday, June 10th--What is that yellow thing in the sky???

The rain was coming down as we started this morning, but by the time we ended, we actually saw some sun in the sky. It was an amazing site to finally have a peek at blue sky and sunshine!

We had a small, but dedicated group today. The Peverill children viewed the home from afar this morning as they stopped by with grandma and waved from the car window (no one under 16 is allowed on the job site during working hours).

Eric Hanson and two men from his crew worked on finishing up the kitchen cabinets and setting the hardwood floor. The vinyl flooring was put down in the bathroom and the painters finished the last few touch-ups. A door was framed in to seal off the bulkhead and keep the basement a more moderate temperature during the year. The homeowners and some others tackled the huge piles of brush stacked around the yard. We had a chipper for the day and needed to make short-order of the brush.

During the second round of chipper action, Donna Peverill spotted a nest with three baby birds nestled in our brush pile. Donna moved the nest to another nearby pile that we aren't planning to chip soon. We saw the mother bird come back and claim the nest. The babies were pleased to meet the new neighbors, but the mother had some choice bird words for the people that moved her nest.

After the chipping crew had enough for the day, Donna's dad, Steve, and Donna installed a swing for Micah. Micah's dream of having their own home was centered around having a swing of his own. They can't wait to see his reaction when he sees it tomorrow.

End of Day 6

Sunday, June 11th--The sun shines on our new home...

Wow! What a difference a week makes! Last Sunday at this time, there was a cold drizzle in the air and nothing more than a capped foundation with a lot of building materials on site. This afternoon, more than 50 people gathered to celebrate the 20th home built by Habitat for Humanity York County under some glorious sunshine.

It was a beautiful afternoon! Donna Peverill and the children arrived just after 2 pm and they eagerly buzzed around the home until the 3 pm ceremony. They waited patiently for their first glimpses of their rooms until the ceremony was over and they received the first tour of the afternoon. Micah was excited to try out his new swing that was built with much love by his parents and grandfather.

HfHYC wishes to thank the Peverills for being such a great partner family with which to work. The Blitz Build experience could have overwhelmed other potential homeowners, but Steve, Donna, and the the children have been tremendous. Steve and Donna were always working diligently toward the next step whether it was doing something onsite or taking care of some behind-the-scenes detail. We know that they will take pride in their new home as they build a foundation for their family in a new, safe home.

The children expressed their thanks to some important people on the build team by presenting them with wreaths made from pine cones found on the property.

While we faced some setbacks this week that prevent the home from being completely finished, there are only a few minor items to address and we anticipate completing everything by next Saturday. Keep checking back until you hear that the Peverills have obtained their occupancy permit and moved in to their new home!

Dedication!
Four generations gathered to celebrate this home.

Friday, June 23rd--Last details...

As I write this, we have more rain, but luckily we have had several days of sunshine in the last couple of weeks. At this point, most all of the remaining items have been completed. The carpet and appliances were installed, the hardwood floor finished, and the last few electrical issues resolved. We now wait for an issue with the well to be resolved and the insulation to be put in the attic and the bulkhead door area. The excavator also needs to come back and spread the topsoil and seed the lawn. Once these few items are tied up, we will have the final inspection for the Certificate of Occupancy. We are hopeful that we can close on the property by the end of June. Being able to move into a home over the long Fourth of July weekend will bring new meaning to the term Independence Day!