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Wednesday, November 16, 2005

 

Halfway through and on schedule

Post by BJP, Sandpoint Online staff
First of all, let me say that volunteers are still needed, skilled volunteers, that is, who work in the construction industry. So if you're a finish carpenter, tile setter, carpet layer, a painter maybe, etc., and want to work on this exciting project, by all means volunteer, say staff from Sullivan Homes.


At this point, the exterior work is done, other than landscaping, so weather won't be much of a factor for the rest of the project. Today is the halfway point, and the general consensus is that the project is one time or maybe even ahead of schedule. As I talked to Sarah Taylor in media relations and Mark Montgomery, sales and marketing director for Sullivan Homes, I overheard that pretty much all of the mud and taping was done on the drywall.

Today was my first trip to the Extreme Makeover home building site on Baldy Road. I was surprised at how close the homesite is to Boyer. It was a short shuttle ride from the parking lot to the site, but it was interrupted by a stop for a train on Baldy and then at the site, as we waited for work trucks to get out of the way so we spectators could be dropped off right at the spectator tent and bullpen area. The bus was almost full, and as we reached a point where the building site could be seen from the road, there was a collective "Oh!" on the bus. I was surprised to see how finished is looked compared to the photo in today's Daily Bee that show the framing done overnight. Now the home is sided with an attractive mix of cedar shakes, white boards and cultured stone. I sat with Marianne Love on the way. She has visited the site each day since the shuttles began on Monday. She enjoys the "side shows," she says, talking to folks on the bus and in the spectator pen.

After a stroll up and down the fence to check out the overall scene and take photos, I asked a security guard to direct me to Sarah Taylor. In just a couple of minutes, Katy with Lock & Key Productions, the company that owns the show's producer, Endemol USA, arrived to escort me from the spectator area to the VIP tent set up on the other side of the house. On the way I met volunteer Lisa Richards from Bonners Ferry, who has been working for three weks with Barbara Eacret to oversee food service. She says they are "going with the flow" and have learned to expect the unexpected. It's been pretty smooth, with only a few logistic problems, Lisa said, pointing out that there is no instruction manual or dress rehearsal for an undertaking such as this. "You just go for it," she said.

Next, I met up with Sarah, who gave me a quick tour of the spectator and staging area. She was excited about the rapid progress. Yesterday morning, one wall was up when she arrived. Now the whole house is framed and sided. The interior work is in full swing. Drywall is up, mudded and taped. The crew was making a template for the countertops. Cabinets were soon to be installed. The garage door had been installed. There were 170 people working there overnight.

I asked about Saturday's reveal. A time is not yet set, but people are encouraged to show up early at the shuttle parking lot for a chance to be one of the spectators when the family is welcomed back to their new home. Sarah introduced me to Chad, a photographer taking still shots, who has come from Dallas to work in northern Idaho. He and his associate say it's been a long time since they've seen snow. We chatted about Dallas' amazing win against the Eagles on Monday Night Football.

Sarah and I talked about some of the precedents on the Sandpoint Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project. The moving crew of 11 people headed up by Tito Tiberi of Handyman Services moved the old home's belongings out in record time, two hours and 45 minutes. This was most likely the first underground "berm" home on the show, and it is the first demolition by a tree.

Next, Mark Montgomery comes under the white tent. He's been with Sullivan Homes for a year and a half. He talks about the progress and how, at this point, skilled volunteers are needed. He thinks they may need volunteers for clean up, too. I asked about the challenge of landscaping in the middle of November. He said they will be bringing in a lot of sod, as well as cobblestones to do a courtyard, and there will be a water feature, "if it doesn't freeze." The design team on this home includes Ed, Paige, Eduardo, Michael and Ty, who is the only member going back and forth between here and another project just finishing up in Washington's Kitsap County. He says Ty's energy level is an advantage, because he's able to do two at once, and he keeps others inspired. One of the people working on the project said that this is "like war or childbirth. You don't know what it's like until you go through it."

Sullivan Homes Supervisor Charles Payne stopped in next, and Mark asks him if he got any sleep. "Five hours," he answers, in a noticeably hoarse voice. He talked about how it felt to wear a tool belt for 19 hours and how at 1:30 a.m., no one wanted to leave because they wanted to have everything ready for drywalling. He said they got the fireplaces in last night – one big one in the living room, one in the master bedroom. The third one, out on the back deck, is next. Charlie introduced me to a couple members of his crew, and then excused himself, so he could get back to work.

Mark said he wanted to emphasize how gracious the entire town of Sandpoint has been, and Sarah chimed in with a list of contributors, all types of businesses from restaurants to suppliers. I noticed the time was slipping away, and I had to get back to the office and check in before going to a noon appointment. So I picked up my media kit, notes and camera, and grabbed a cup of coffee from the VIP tent before making my way back to the shuttle. It was only half full this time, but we still had to stop for a train on the way back, although it was the tracks across Boyer that delayed us this time.

Comments:
The progress is amazing. My family drove up there from Coeur d'Alene yesterday after my son got out of school... He was so excited to see the building site. We were able to watch them finish putting the trusses into place. Great scene, a fun time for spectators.
 
P.S. I took some night photos, which are now on my blog.
 
Blogging iz fun, izn't it, Billie Jean? Good to see you today.
 
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