Habitat for Humanity - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

PGD · 05-24-2009, 04:49 PM

Anybody ever help?
How was it?
is it a good place to network?
do you get paid or at least fed?
did you see Jimmy Carter?

willworkforbeer · 05-24-2009, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGD

Anybody ever help?
How was it?
is it a good place to network?
do you get paid or at least fed?
did you see Jimmy Carter?

I had some community service

time to do, well the "guy in charge" would show up once in a while, act like a big shot pushing everybody around and leave again, crappy everything.

PGD · 05-24-2009, 04:55 PM

Jimmy Carter was pushing people around?

Warren · 05-24-2009, 04:56 PM

Hope you don't let one bad experience sour you on a great thing. There is no better feeling then helping out and getting to meet a thankful homeowner. On a related note, Habitat now has many Resale stores open that accept donations of building materials. Its also a great place to purchase low cost items for remodel projects at home or for rentals.

willworkforbeer · 05-24-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGD

Jimmy Carter was pushing people around?

Yeah and he smelled like peanuts

willworkforbeer · 05-24-2009, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warren

Hope you don't let one bad experience sour you on a great thing. There is no better feeling then helping out and getting to meet a thankful homeowner. On a related note, Habitat now has many Resale stores open that accept donations of building materials. Its also a great place to purchase low cost items for remodel projects at home or for rentals.

Actually when I get settled into my "new" house I'm going to hook up with Habitat here in Tulsa. Seems to be a need here.

ChainsawCharlie · 05-24-2009, 05:06 PM

They have a Habitat For Humanity thrift store here.

The quality of product is what you would expect to find in a thrift store.

the prices are straight outta Beverly Hills.

Darwin · 05-24-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGD

Anybody ever help?
How was it?
is it a good place to network?
do you get paid or at least fed?
did you see Jimmy Carter?

No pay; actually, when I joined on their website a few years back, there was a $50 fee to work for them

??

I believe that it is a good networking source + you can learn new things that you might be interested in. Like laying concrete foundations.

Tiger · 05-24-2009, 07:33 PM

Habitat For Humanity is a great cause for affordable housing around the world. I've helped wire two local homes and did a little final work on a third. It was all volunteer for me.

thom · 05-24-2009, 07:49 PM

I give them my leftovers. After completing a house there are always left-overs. They come and pick them up. Generally:

Lumber
Drywall and mud
Shingles
Sometimes tile
Sometimes a cabinet or two
Sometimes a chipped vanity top

It saves on dump fees and they get some real value out of the stuff. I've never contributed labor.

Scribbles · 05-24-2009, 09:31 PM

I tried to volunteer, they just wanted money, no work, and then they told me I could work for a fee.

RCPainting · 05-24-2009, 10:13 PM

If you are looking for a opportunity to volunteer, look here
http://www.homesforourtroops.org

Winchester · 05-24-2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warren

Hope you don't let one bad experience sour you on a great thing. There is no better feeling then helping out and getting to meet a thankful homeowner. On a related note, Habitat now has many Resale stores open that accept donations of building materials. Its also a great place to purchase low cost items for remodel projects at home or for rentals.

Yeah, we donate anything that's reusable and not something i want to store at my place.

We donated 20 sheets of used plywood last week. Saved me money on dump fees, too

Winchester · 05-24-2009, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scribbles

I tried to volunteer, they just wanted money, no work, and then they told me I could work for a fee.

That's messed up

A W Smith · 05-24-2009, 10:24 PM

Pay to volunteer?!

sounds like an online lead service.

PGD · 05-24-2009, 11:58 PM

Do you get a write off on donated materials?
for example we remove used sectionals all the time that aren't half bad and still work, could I bring it to one of these locations for a write off slip, like the salvation army gives out?

critter · 05-27-2009, 09:01 PM

So far, my students and I have built two complete homes for Habitat. They were outstanding to work for and with. They and the local code enforcement officer went out of their way to give the students a positive experience, including a couple of visits from local news crews.

I have learned that the Habitat for Humanity administratiion and attitude varies greatly between two adjacent counties, so I can only guess at the difference in experiences you might all have (like working with different code officers can be - some are all about helping you comply, while others all about screwing you and trying to play God)

Habitat for Humanity, as an organization and as an idea, is outstanding for what it does and how it does it. Some areas hire out certain jobs such as foundations, drywall installation, or insulation. Others try to keep all volunteer. The only negative experience you are likely to have would be the result of the people running the local, not the organization itself.

fez-head · 05-27-2009, 09:17 PM

I buy things at the Habitat re-store all the time - mostly the good stuff donated by lumberyards and material suppliers. A lot of "miss orders" and returns are sent there after they have been on the Hot List for a while.

I was told they get a better write off donating to Habitat than selling it cheap at auction.

BCULP2 · 05-27-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGD

Do you get a write off on donated materials?
for example we remove used sectionals all the time that aren't half bad and still work, could I bring it to one of these locations for a write off slip, like the salvation army gives out?

Your donations are tax deductible and you get to assign the value. I donate materials removed from remodels regularly.

The ReStore around here will do pick ups from the job site if you schedule it.

outlaw · 05-28-2009, 08:22 AM

I put on a roof for Habitat a few years ago. I drove by the house a year later and it was a mess. Drug dealers hanging out on the front porch.

This year I did some work for Homes for Our Troops. I feel much better about that.