DIY Network

Operation Home Delivery, Part II From "Assembly Required" episode DASR-212

Figure A

While the prefab walls are constructed in Washington, D.C., Habitat volunteers in Bayou Blue, Louisiana are busy building a brand new neighborhood (figure A). Using walls built in D.C., Chris and Melissa Carrington's house will be one of 35 homes in the new community. The Carrington's site isn't ready yet, so the couple is helping to build their neighbors' homes...it's part of Habitat's Sweat Equity Program, that requires each couple to put in 500 hours of work in order to earn their new home. The Carrington's enjoy helping their neighbors and are eager to start their new life with their three young children in Bayou Blue.

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	Figure B
	Figure C

Prefab Assembly

The walls have arrived in Louisiana (figure B) and the Gulf Coast Habitat crew is gathered to build Melissa and Chris Carrington's new home. An unexpected guest shows up all the way from Detroit to lead the build...Jillian Gross! She's ready to take on the challenge, but the task won't be easy. Usually, it takes months to build a home, but Jillian and her team have only six days to have the home finished for move in. It's a blitz build! The Carringtons have no idea how the crew is going to do it, but they cross their fingers and see what happens.

Because of the fast-paced build, Jillian creates a list of each day's goals that have to be completed. Fortunately for the crew, the prefab walls from D.C. make the morning fly by. It's only 8:30 a.m. and all the exterior walls are up. The Carringtons are impressed by the progress and Melissa takes time to let it sink in. The Habitat crew makes sure the house will survive another hurricane by installing hurricane clips. They are metal brackets that hold the walls to the foundation and prevent uplift from high winds (figure C).

It's smooth sailing now. Or is it? Just when they thought things were fine, bad news hits the crew. They are out of special Simpson nails, a crucial item needed to nail down the hurricane clips. They can't move forward without them. Since it's a blitz build, the crew can't afford any delays. Jillian halts the build and tries to focus on the big picture. Can the crew finish a house in six days?

RESOURCES :

Habitat for Humanity International
Website: www.Habitat.org

Bayou Area Habitat for Humanity
Website: www.bayouhabitat.org

The American Red Cross
Website: www.redcross.org

FEMA
Website: www.fema.gov

Streamline Films
Website: www.streamlinefilms.com