Without relying too heavily on Forrest Gump's famous simile, working as a volunteer at Habitat for Humanity can be quite like that particular boxed confectionery, and that's what makes it interesting.
It's so interesting to so many, as a matter of fact, that when I e-mailed requesting a Saturday shift during the balmy days of early October, they didn't have a spot for me — too many corporate team-building groups — so I waited until temperatures cooled and numbers dwindled before trying again earlier this month.
As always, during the drive to 4200 Kingston Rd., I wondered what I might be doing. Based on what I saw during my last visit, I knew the first row of 10 Energy Star-rated townhouses would be complete, exterior wise, and that work would have started on the opposite row, so a mixed bag (or box) of tasks would be available. Would I be outside in the slanting autumn sun with steamy breath visible and a hammer in my hand framing those last nine units, or would I be inside one of the first 10 putting up drywall (something I've always wanted to learn) or laying down flooring?
After being assigned to crew leader David (yet another volunteer who likens Habitat to a free gym membership) with about eight or nine others, we were told we'd be inside Unit 3 taking care of a "PDI" list. If you've ever purchased a new home or condo, you know the "predelivery inspection" list well: Armed with a roll of green painter's tape, you, the purchaser, look for deficiencies, big and small, and place little tape-flag at their various locations. A chip in the paint, a crooked switch cover, a hole in the ceiling from an emergency plumbing repair, a missing closet door — all of these and more were flagged and described in more detail on the list David held in his hand.
A view from street level of the Habitat for Humanity housing project at 4200 Kingston Rd. in Scarborough. (DAVE LEBLANC FOR THE GLOBE AND MAIL)
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We each picked a task and got to it. The first thing I did was flip and straighten an air return cover that had been installed incorrectly in the stairwell, then I helped Sunil with a few crooked light-switch covers.
Looking around, I saw others busy themselves with screen door issues, small drywall repairs (no doubt caused by errant ladders) and missing trim.
The PDI indicated a blemish on the main foyer light fixture's metal collar, so I grabbed a stepladder, borrowed some glossy white paint from Gabe — who was tackling paint touch-ups — and repainted it.
After that, we noticed another paint problem on the list: "Foyer baseboards seem rough." On closer inspection, it turned out someone had forgotten to apply the finish coat over the primer, so, since I fancy myself a pretty good painter (I spent a summer in my teens with a house painting outfit and have painted many walls since), I took on that job for the rest of the morning.
Over lunch, I had a nice conversation with Ian, a paper-pushing financial guy who admitted he knew very little about the home-building process and wasn't much of a handyman until he started volunteering. Over some very good chicken, roasted red pepper and spinach pizza, we chatted about his hometown of Ottawa, our similar experience of living and working in Montreal (and its great architecture), and then discussed Chicago's magnificent stock of Frank Lloyd Wright houses in the Oak Park neighbourhood.
Back in Unit 3, Ian happily tackled the installation of a towel bar and toilet roll dispenser in the tiny two-piece bath, and I continued to consult the PDI list for odd jobs. By about 2:30 p.m., we'd stroked out all the items, so I did cleanup and hauled lumber.
It was a pretty low-key day, so I had a good deal of time to think. I decided that Habitat is equally good for the self-confessed novice, like Ian, who relishes the acquisition of all this free information; the person with a little experience, like me (my dad and my older brother are quite handy and have taught me a lot over the years); and people like "Older Mike" (a volunteer I've written about in previous Habitat reports), who know a great deal about home construction but love the challenge of problem-solving on the fly.
While I can't speak for them, I suspect the Ians of Habitat find they've got more interesting water-cooler conversation at work after they visit the build site — "Hey, you've never guess what I did this weekend: I installed a light fixture for the first time!" — and the Older Mikes sit in their own well-tuned homes knowing they don't have to call a plumber every time something goes wrong.
And what do I get out of the experience besides knowing I've helped make someone else's dream of homeownership come true? That's easy: Emboldened, I come home, grab a screwdriver or a can of paint from the crawlspace and search for my own box of chocolates.
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