ECC Building Trades Annual Home Building/ Addition Project
NOTE: Applications are due on Friday, March 2, 2012
Each year ECC places an ad in the local papers inviting the public to support the ECC Building Trades Program by contracting with us to build a house or put on a home addition for them. We request that interested parties submit their letter of interest and application form by March 2, 2012. An advisory committee then reviews the applications and picks the top 2 or 3 for interviews. These parties meet with the committee and a decision is made within a few days. All applicants are notified of the results; this year notifications will be made before the end of March.
Some conditions of the contract
The homeowner must either serve as the general contractor (GC) or hire one to work with our instructor, Daryl Wiese, on the project. The GC will work with Daryl on scheduling based on the plans; permits; arranging the construction of the foundation and basement slab the summer prior to fall semester; arranging any change orders; making sure the building materials are ordered and delivered on time; arranging the sub-contractual work that we do not do (such as electrical, heating, plumbing, excavating, painting/staining); and making sure that all parties are paid on time, including the college. The site should be located within 10 miles of Iowa Falls.
Cost of the project
College personnel and students provide the services outlined below for a stipend (paid in 3 payments) and an expense account set up with a local building supplier for us to purchase consumable supplies and equipment needed to build the house. The amount of the stipend and expense account depend on the size and scope of the construction project, and are determined prior to the signing of a contract between the college and the homeowner.
Services provided by ECC
After the owner provided foundation and basement slab is constructed and backfilled, the program provides the carpentry labor to construct the framing, sheathing, roofing, door and window setting, and as much siding, soffit and fascia installation as possible prior to Christmas break. The house is prepared for subs to rough in their work by Christmas break allowing the plumbing, heating and electrical contractors approximately 1 month during that break to complete their work. After break, the students insulate; seal-up; hang-finish-texture the drywall; trim, including interior doors and windows, base, finish stairs, closets, fireplace surround, etc.; set cabinets and countertops; and install, but not finish, limited amounts of wood flooring.
ECC has an Open House every year at the residence to promote the program and to let the students display their work to the public. This is usually held on graduation day in early May.
How to apply
If you're interested, please submit a letter of interest and give us a detailed description of what you want your single story house or single/multi-level addition to look like. You do not need to submit a full set of blueprints at this selection stage. A floor layout with an illustration from a plan book is sufficient. The letter of interest should include important information regarding square footage; basement, garage, porch or other structural modifications; roof slope, special needs, and the location of the house to be built or addition to be constructed. Please supply as much pertinent information as possible. Information concerning land acquisition and financing is important to understand your preparedness to ensure that the required work can be completed in time for the program’s starting time in late summer.
Please email Daryl Wiese or call Daryl at (641) 648-8661 with any questions. If you're interested, you can apply any time and we will keep your application on file until the time to submit.
Thank you for your interest in ECC’s Building Trades Residential Carpentry Student Project.
NOTE: Applications are due on Friday, Mar. 2, 2012
Send all materials to: Office of the Provost
Ellsworth Community College
1100 College Avenue
Iowa Falls, IA 50126
Read a news release about the 2012-2013 construction project.