Habitat crews and volunteers are working hard to get two new homes under roof before the snow begins flying in Grand County. The process has gone faster than normal thanks to pre-assembled wall panels from WeBuild, and the dedication of construction overseer George Davis of Maple Street Builders. These are the fourth and fifth homes to have risen on the adjacent Hot Sulphur Springs build site since 2017. We’re not just building houses, we’re building a neighborhood!
Our favorite parts of the Habitat experience are the home dedications, when staff, volunteers, clergy, elected officials, and Grand County’s newest homeowners gathered to celebrate the completion of Habitat’s newest home. The Grand Quilters presented Lacey Sparks and her there children with custom-made quilts as a welcome gift, including one for Lacey’s daughter made from her favorite T-shirts, and Pastor Brian Bergum of Lord of the Valley Lutheran Church in Granby delivered a humdinger of a benediction. The event made the front page of the Sky-Hi News, which has reliably spotlighted Habitat’s work for many years.
After a productive summer finishing House #14 in Hot Sulphur Springs, our dedicated volunteers recently began work on the storage shed for House #15 right next door. We hope to get it under roof and dried in before the snow gets too deep.
Our intrepid volunteers have been putting the finishing touches on House #14, hoping to finish work on it by mid-June. The laminate floors and indoor trim are done, the shed is painted, and the IKEA kitchen is taking shape. We’ll be doing some basic landscaping soon, so if that’s your thing, we’d love to have your help! Just contact Construction Manager Steve Morrison at stephenrmorrison@comcast.net for our weekly work schedule.
Photo by Nicole Nuermberger (foreground)
March went out like a lion on a snow-blown Friday, March 31, but a hardy few — and relatively new — volunteers still showed up to help paint interior doors and trim boards as we prepare to install flooring, windowsills, and kitchen cabinets. Thanks to future homeowner Lacey Lund for the group snapshot of Nicole, Doug, Karen and Dani.
Final interior paint day for House #14 was another raucous affair, but the edging is now crisp, the coverage is total, and the house looks sharp. Thanks to our veteran volunteers as well as the generous newcomers who turned out in force to git ‘er done during the last two weeks. Next up: Floor and interior trim painting and installation, followed by assembly of the IKEA kitchen — a gorgeous gift-in-kind through Habitat International.
We began and finished interior painting of House #14 on March 17 and March 18, thanks to a rowdy bunch of high-spirited volunteers, including many from Grand County’s generous Jewish community. In all, we had nearly 30 paint-splattered helpers handling the brushes and rollers. Extra thanks to Northwest Ranch Supply in Kremmling for donating and tinting the paint!
Subzero temperatures and deep snow did not slow progress on House #14 in Hot Sulphur Springs. With lumber generously donated by Colorado Timber Resources in Parshall, our team was able to build storage sheds for House #13 and House #14 through December and January, and install insulation in House #14 to prep for drywalling. (That’s prospective House #14 homeowner Lacey Lund on the shed roof and in the foreground of the interior photo.) The crew hopes to break ground on House #15 in the coming weeks.
What’s remarkable about this photograph is the breadth of tasks being undertaken, all at once, by artist and Habitat Grand County Board Secretary Lisa Steen. Not only is she designing, painting, and decorating birdhouse ornaments for the Habitat tree in the recent Festival of Trees in Fraser, but she’s also participating in a Homeowner Services Committee meeting via Zoom. Talented bunch!
The Roofing Company of Granby arrived this week to install the roof on House #14, and just in time! The installation happened just a day before a big snowfall. We’re grateful for their generosity and willingness to partner with Habitat to seal in the house so our crew can work in warmth through the winter.
