A project with a goal to build nine houses in nine days kicks off on Saturday. Once the nine houses are completed, the plan is to auction off as many as needed to recoup costs and give the rest away.
Ten local builders, 30 current Valley Career & Technical Center carpentry students, more than 40 former students and dozens of community support organizations will take part in the operation titled Community Blitz Build.
“Two years ago, there was an article about the disbanding of Tent City in Waynesboro,” said Brad Bryant, a carpentry instructor at VCTC. “I kept thinking that I had hands here that were willing to work and willing to learn, and so I tried to dream how we could be part of the community and part of the solution and not sit idly by.”
Bryant was honored as Augusta County’s Teacher of the Year for 2021-22 and was a 2022 Dawbarn Education Award recipient.
In 2022, Bryant did a blitz build for a local nonprofit. That was one 1,400-square foot, two-story home.
“All we did was get all the framing materials … they were still going to have to all do all of the siding, electrical and HVAC. We just framed it up,” he said.
The 2024 project will create building teams who each will be responsible for one small-sided, cottage-style modular house that is 14-feet wide by 32-feet long and will be a one bedroom, one bath home with a living area when completed.
The teams will work all day Saturday and Sunday. The students and sub-contractors will continue the work during the school week, with building inspectors coming on October 4. The houses will be insulated after the inspection, and the builders will return the weekend of Oct. 5.
“We’re building them to completion,” Bryant said. “They will finish off, make them beautiful, paint them, put in all their interiors, finishing their sidings and trims; all of the things. When they leave our lot, they would be ready to step on a foundation, hook up your plumbing, and you should be ready to fire your building up.”
Bryant thinks the project will benefit his students as well as the community.
“I hope this gives a kick start to a lot of different people to understand what it means to be part of a community and actually contribute,” Bryant said.
“And then I hope to find jobs for all of my students. I hope that them working alongside all of these contractors is going to make a path for them to enter the workforce after they graduate. I hope our contractors meet each other and decide to utilize each other for jobs.
“I hope the community understands that nothing good happens unless somebody puts in some work.”
Possible beneficiaries of the modular homes include Embrace of Waynesboro, Magnolia Rose and various other veterans’ organizations.
Live auction details
There will be an auction preview on Oct. 7 from 4-6 p.m. at Valley Career & Technical Center.
On Oct. 9, there will be a live auction for the homes starting at 4 p.m. at Valley Career & Technical Center at 49 Hornet Road in Fishersville (near the carpentry shop).
You may also bid or preview the homes on the Enlisted Auction website. Homes will be sold by bidder’s choice. The first winning bidder gets the first pick of the nine homes. Homes sold as is. Buyer is responsible for moving the buildings from the build location to the buyer’s location.
Volunteering at the blitz
Anyone interested in sponsoring or volunteering for the Community Blitz Build needs to pre-register on the Augusta County Homebuilders Association website.
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Crystal Graham
