They huffed and they puffed and they tore that house down. Members of MSU Habitat for Humanity along with other volunteers are using materials from the demonstration house at the annual Lansing Home and Garden Show to build a real home for a Lansing family.
“The demolition was wonderful,” microbiology junior Scott Ross said. “We managed to finish in six hours, which was two hours shorter than last year.”
He said close to 50 volunteers helped disassemble the house on Sunday at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, most of whom were MSU students.
The materials from the disassembled house were put in a semitrailer and taken to a site on North High Street in Lansing where construction on the house will begin Saturday.
Ross, president of the MSU chapter, said the group is in the process of fully sponsoring its first house and that the group usually co-sponsors about five houses a year with the Lansing chapter.
“It’s a great experience and we have tons of different things you can do to get involved,” Ross said.
He said the materials salvaged from the demonstration house were worth about $12,000 to $13,000. About 20 area businesses participated in the show and donated materials to help build the house.
“They’ve been absolutely wonderful. Mid-Michigan is a wonderful place to obtain donations from,” said Gary DeRosia, a volunteer with Habitat International in Georgia who previously volunteered with the Lansing chapter.
Central Michigan Builders of Charlotte was one of the businesses that donated to the project. Bruce Davis, building coordinator, said the company was responsible for framing the home, laying the block, installing vinyl siding and windows and coordinating all of the subtrades.
“I enjoyed the whole process of building the house. It was a good experience,” Davis said.
DeRosia said for a family to be eligible for the house, they must be low-income or living in substandard housing. Ross said there is no down payment on the three-bedroom house with the total cost of $72,000, but the family must volunteer 500 hours with Habitat for Humanity.
He also said the family must pay a mortgage, but no interest will be assessed.
The house from last year’s show was assembled last fall on West Grand River Avenue in Lansing. DeRosia said main construction was finished on the house in February, however it is still in the finishing process.
“Most of the Habitat build constructions are in the three-month schedule, however, Habitat is known for blitz builds,” DeRosia said. “With a lot of volunteers, you can put them up fast.”
He said the record for the fastest assembly is seven hours and 11 minutes.
“It’s a rejuvenation for everybody, a sense of doing something good for society,” DeRosia said. “We have home dedications when the family moves into the house, and it’s a very moving situation.”
For information on volunteering, call Habitat for Humanity-Lansing at 374-1313 or contact the MSU chapter at habitat@msu.edu or visit www.msuhabitat.org.
