Eight-day home build will give family a hand up

The buzz of the circular saw and calls of ‘‘600 out’’ float from an unorthodox building site – the edge of the University of Waikato field.

A simple, four-bedroom house is being constructed from the floor up over an eight-day period, destined for a needy family in Tirau.

In partnership with Habitat for Humanity – and with help from student and staff volunteers – it will be finished for the end of O-week this Friday.

The project was a good way to start the academic year, university vicechancellor Neil Quigley said.

‘‘The university’s really connecting with the community in the region and would like to be more so. I’m certainly going to be encouraging more things like this.’’

‘‘The university’s really connecting with the community in the region and would like to be more so.’’ University vice-chancellor Neil Quigley

The build was also a practical way to get students thinking about housing, university chancellor Jim Bolger said.

‘‘All those students will be looking for a home when they leave with a degree.’’

Habitat for Humanity built simple houses using ‘‘volunteer-friendly’’ methods, construction manager Nathan Collins said.

‘‘We have a lot of people who have never done anything [in building] but have always wanted to,’’ he said.

‘‘We teach them everything they need to know.’’

They might find themselves painting, in charge of a nail gun or working on framing.

The construction method was simplified, Collins said, including a triboard system that meant windows and doors were precut and the walls were preprimed for colour to go straight on.

The house would be about 105 square metres, he said.

While many people thought Habitat for Humanity simply gave a house to a family, that wasn’t the case.

It was a hand up, Central North Island chairman John Gallagher said.

A four-bedroom house for a Tirau family is going up on the University of Waikato campus. Pictured with the house, from left, are university vice-chancellor Neil Quigley, Habitat for Humanity construction manager Nathan Collins, Habitat Central North Island chairman John Gallagher, and university chancellor Jim Bolger.

Families slowly pay back the cost of their house and, by year five, Habitat encourages them to get a bank loan for it.

The on-campus build came about after a Habitat manager got chatting with a university leader last year at an event run by the Network for Community Hospitality.

The network aims to bring not-forprofit organisations and the university together.

The build site is next to Gate 2B at the university and the team is still looking for volunteers to get the house completed on Friday.

To volunteer for a shift on the build, visit habitat.org.nz/volunteer/construction.html

libby.wilson@fairfaxmedia.co.nz