(Almonte) – It’s a 1,600-square-foot class project schooling students in the intricacies of electrical wiring, framing, flooring, ductwork, and plumbing.
Twelve students are now busy at the construction site of the Almonte and District High School (ADHS) House Building Project, a co-operative education course that teaches students the house building trades in the most practical way possible - by building a home.
The home is under construction on an in-fill lot at 23 Malcolm Street in Almonte. The current crew will work on the house this semester, and will be replaced by another crew in the second semester, with the goal of finishing the home by June, said Joe Irvin, a construction technology teacher at ADHS who is supervising the project.
“This is real-world learning,” said Irvin of the project. “The kids are building a house for someone so it has to be done right. They get a real-world view of the house building process and get to meet and work with people in the sub-trades. They are truly learning by doing.”
What students are “doing” is building a two storey home, complete with four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a walk-out basement and a garage.
The current crew was brought in following an intensive interview process to ensure that students working on the home would be dedicated, said Irvin.
“We wanted to make sure we got people who are here for the right reasons and are truly interested in the trades and will benefit from this project,” he said.
The lot sits on the south side of Malcolm Street. Due to the fact that the lot is on a hill, a contractor had to come in and build a stone retaining wall on the south side of the property to stabilize the lot.
Students have used a Nudura system to pour the foundation of the home. The system uses Styrofoam blocks that fit together like Leggo pieces to form a mould for the foundation and then serve as insulation for the home after the foundation hardens.
The foundation is completed and students are now working on framing the main floor of the home and framing areas where windows will be installed.
The project is being completed in consultation with the Lanark-Leeds Homebuilders’ Association. Trades workers from the group as well as other contractors will visit the site to help with the build and offer advice. Licensed tradespeople will handle specialized aspects of the build – such as electrical wiring and gas heating – demonstrating for students how they are done.
Students in the program say the project provides a helpful glimpse into the reality of the trades.
“I really want to go into carpentry,” said Dave Logan, a grade 12 student at ADHS. “This is the best way to have an idea of just what I’m getting into and I’ve actually learned quite a lot already.
“It’s so much better than sitting in a classroom all day.”
Irvin says the crew members hope to have the home closed in by Christmas.
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For more information, please call:
Joe Irvin
Construction Technology Teacher
Almonte and District High School
613-223-5929
Posted October 28, 2009