Construction Timeline
Day 1 of Construction Friday, November 10, 2005
The first day started out just like any of the other 50 builds but soon took a serious detour that would affect the entire build. We gained control of the site 5 hours past the standard kick-off time of noon due to unexpected filming delays. This not only created a 5 hour delay, but started a snowball effect on our precise (to the quarter of an hour) schedule. It also produced new intangible factors like daytime jobs becoming night jobs with night time temperatures and so forth. It was a significant blow we would not recover from for days. But out of the darkness our first bright stars began appearing. A local gravel yard owner with his trucks stepped up and helped bring in the massive amount of fill to level our site. He worked tirelessly with us clear through the morning and then stayed on until we finished the entire project. We had many volunteers like him who came to help and never left. |
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Day 2 of Construction Friday, November 11, 2005
Pouring the concrete foundation, another critical task, was in danger of slipping further behind because of the delays. Only by the extreme commitment of our concrete supplier who kept his plant operating through the night did we not lose more time. We then encountered below freezing temperatures, drastically slowing the concrete curing. We finished pouring concrete and started framing even as the torrential rain of the next 24 hours began. Our schedule changed so wildly at this point it became impossible to hold off all the trades that were in line and coming to a site not ready for them. Many of the trades that had planned to start in the late afternoon did not start until the wee hours of the next morning. We did our best to re-shuffle the schedule in order to reduce delays and to keep the train of sub-contractors rolling through. |
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Day 3 of Construction Saturday, November 12, 2005
It was 2 a.m. before framing was able to let the plumbing, heating and electrical workers begin. Instead of being able to stagger we had to push everyone in at once in hopes of making up time. County inspectors were ready round the clock to eliminate inspection delays. Every square foot was packed and in high gear. If we were going to make up time this was the day to do it. Many finished their trade specific work and jumped in to help other trades. Some volunteers gave their entire week, returning daily and even nightly. The excitement was truly contagious and although we were further behind than any other Extreme Makeover build had ever been at this point, morale was high in every way. We still had a major hang up: the roof was not on. We had to seal up the house to hang the walls. We placed a call out for help, even a radio announcement, and were rewarded with many able and willing roofers to work on a steep, wet and extremely difficult roofing job. We would continue to roof and sheet rock through the night as the rain continued to pour down on us. We were now more than 14 hours behind schedule. |
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Day 4 of Construction Sunday, November 13, 2005
We just finished what was probably the hardest night of the build. Now 18 hours behind schedule with only 36 hours left, it was regroup time. The producers of Extreme Makeover got nervous, and started to pressure us asking, "are you going to be able to do this?" They strongly encouraged us to take an additional 24 hours. After much discussion, thought, and even more prayer, we firmly told the producers, "Thanks, but no thanks. We will make it." From our late start until now it felt like we had been pushing a boulder uphill, but momentum was changing sides. We needed to finish this house differently than any other Extreme Build, and we had the team to do it. All at one time there were tile setters, sheetrockers, hardwood floor installers, all the trim work, and all while 35 different interior colors painted on by volunteers. We started making up time. Small issues like reversed floor plans and cabinets ordered backwards were overcome with skill and expertise. Electricians lit up the house so work could continue through the night. Each trade did an amazing job of working around one another in conditions that most would consider unrealistic.
  
Day 5 of Construction Sunday, November 14, 2005
We had the job rolling, inside and out. Everything was humming. Even the sun came out. Every thing was being completed. Deliveries came almost hourly. We got carpet laid, closets installed, and specialty flooring down. The whole day was a flurry of activities to get ready for the 9 p.m. key hand over to Ty and the design team so that the house would be furnished and ready for the family's return the following day. With cleaning done, the hand over ceremony happened as planned at 9 p.m. It was an amazing experience (including the singing of Amazing Grace) for everyone there as the accomplishment of the week was revealed. For many of us the first breath of relief was taken after 5 days. |
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Day 6 - Finishing, Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Helping with move-in, finishing interior details as well as completion of the exterior of the home took us up until the final minutes before the family came home. It was then that the phrase "Move That Bus" became more then just a fun part of a cool show. For many it marked the end of a week in which people got to stand together and do the impossible when everything around them was saying it couldn't be done. They got to do more than just build a house, they helped build a dream. People became a part of something bigger than themselves, something inspired not only themselves and their families, but an entire community and America. It was a week that pushed them to their upper limits. And we are proud to say the results revealed people shining consistently, everywhere you turned; from excavation to the last stroke of paint and piece of furniture placed, when the cameras rolled and while they were off.
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