From Building Walls to Building a Home

A few weeks ago, MetroTex volunteers spent a Friday inside the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity wall shop, learning how to frame walls that would eventually become part of someone’s home.

On September 9, we got to take that experience to the next step.

17 MetroTex volunteers gathered at 5011 Bourquin St. in Dallas for a Habitat for Humanity new-build, and this time, we weren’t building walls inside a shop. We were standing on the foundation of the home where those walls would become a reality.

And there was one thing we learned very quickly:

The wall shop was air-conditioned. The homesite was not.

Someone mentioned that the temperature reached 107 degrees, and I’m pretty sure everyone believed it.

When we arrived, the foundation had already been poured and cured, and most of the initial wall framing was underway. Our job was to keep things moving. We measured and cut lumber, completed the wall framing and moved roof trusses from the street to the back of the house so the roof framing could begin, and yes, I managed to hit my thumb with a framing hammer again.

Having participated in the wall-shop build made a huge difference. We already understood the terminology, recognized how the wall sections connected and knew where to nail. That allowed us to spend less time figuring out what to do and more time working together.

But building on an actual homesite brought a whole new level to the experience.

We were climbing ladders, measuring, cutting, hauling lumber and, of course, sweating. A lot.

More importantly, we were working together.

There was constant communication. People watched out for one another. When someone needed a break from the heat, another person jumped in. When a piece of lumber needed to be moved, there were always hands available.

It reminded me that, in many ways, this is something that comes naturally to real estate professionals.

We spend our careers communicating, coordinating and solving problems. We work with buyers, sellers, lenders, inspectors, title companies, contractors and each other. We may not always be building houses, but we’re used to working as a team to get something accomplished.

One of the moments that stood out to me was seeing MetroTex CEO Justin Landon show up and immediately get to work. He may have also served as a human ladder with his height. CEA Mary Leidy was cutting 2×4’s on the chop saw, while EA Deb Garen was hammering away and helped coordinate lunch, snacks and hydration alongside Mary. Their efforts were just as important as the framing itself, especially in that heat.

And our volunteers were incredible. Some had construction experience, while others were learning as they went. Everyone showed up ready to work.

We even had a future Habitat homeowner working alongside us. Habitat homeowners complete what is called Habitat University and “sweat equity” is part of their journey toward homeownership. I’ve now had the opportunity to meet two future homeowners through these builds. Both worked incredibly hard and were a tremendous help to our volunteers.

By the end of the day, the wall framing was complete, and the house was ready for the next phase: the roof framing.

Standing inside those framed walls made the impact feel much more real than it did in the wall shop. You could see where the rooms would be. You could picture the porches and bathrooms. You could stand there and realize that this wasn’t simply a construction project.

We were helping build someone’s home.

We also provided lunch for our volunteers and shared it with the neighbors, which was another reminder that Habitat builds more than houses. It builds communities.

That’s something I’ve come away appreciating even more through these two experiences. Habitat for Humanity has an incredible system and an equally incredible group of volunteers. The Core Volunteers teach, guide and look out for people like us who may have varying levels of construction experience. And no matter which homesite you’re on, the process, terminology and teamwork are familiar.

It’s an organization built around people helping people.

For me, these Habitat builds have reinforced something I wrote about after our first volunteer day: there are so many ways for real estate professionals to give back beyond what we do every day in our businesses.

It doesn’t cost you anything to get involved.

It just costs you your time.

And it’s worth it.

Through the MetroTex Community Outreach Committee and the North Texas Realtors in Action Foundation, there are opportunities for our members to make a tangible difference in the community. If you haven’t gotten involved yet this year, it’s not too late.

On October 14, we’ll be helping rebuild an Army veteran’s home with Rebuilding Together North Texas Heroes. On October 31, we’ll be building wheelchair ramps through the Texas Ramp Project.

You don’t have to know how to build a house. You don’t have to own a framing hammer.

Just show up, work alongside your fellow members and be willing to help.

You might learn something. You might make some new friends. You might sweat more than you thought possible.

And you might leave knowing that, for one day, you helped someone build a place to call home.

That’s a pretty good day at work.

Luke Hamlett, Chair of the MetroTex Community Outreach Committee

Interested in joining an upcoming MetroTex community outreach project? Email Mary Leidy, Chief of External Affairs, to learn more.