Hbitat For Humanity........

[Niner]

Any of y'all got a Habitat For Humanity ReStore in your area?
There's one in our little town, and I like to stop in from time to time to see what they have.

What they mainly have there is hardware and lighting and plumbing and house fixing stuff that's either been donated by folks, or local businesses.

Today I found florescent light fixture ballasts NEW for $7.00 each. Several of them came home with me!!! I've got some "shop lights" in the basement that I was going to need to replace....because a ballast from the Home Depot or Lowes runs more than I can buy a cheapie light for. But now I can take them down and wire in these ballasts and they'll be gooder than new for seven bucks a pop. I KNOW they'll work because we were in there a week or so ago and I got ONE to try and it worked out swell.....I had to rewire the whole rig, and drill a new hole to mount the (larger) ballast....but that only took about 30 mins or so. :thumbsup You know what Red Green says, "If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy".

Seriously, if ya have one of these places in your town stop in and see what they got. It just MIGHT surprise you.

[Sunshine]

:)

[Niner]

Each year the firm my wife works for signs up for a day to work on a Habitat House, and the employees volenteer to go work on it for the day....usually a Saturday. Back in '08, or '09, my wife signed us up. On the day we were there they were installing the Hardi-Plank siding, among other things. I got on the siding crew, and learned quire a bit about hanging and cutting that stuff.

Fast forward to the next summer....
Our "detached garage" was always a "three-sided pole barn"....at least that's one way to describe it. It had a roof, and siding on three sides, but the front side was open. We decided to close that side in and put in a wide garage door. I hired the company that sold us the door to frame in the opening and hang the door. Then we cut and hung Hardi-Plank siding, using the skills I'd picked up at the job site. We had to rent a man-lift as the front of the garage is about 25 or so feet to the peak. That was a LOT of cutting, and the special cutter that I bought paid for itself......NO dust.

[HideHunter]

Any of you ever visit any of those habitat houses a few years later?

[hotshot]

my parents just re did their kitchen in indy.... the habitat store came and took all the counter tops, etc. Mom and dad didn't have to mess with a dumpster, and got a tax break too.

[Thumper]

We have a store here also, but it's in a part of town you would NOT want to go to unless you're carrying!

I used to do a lot of volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity every year. The last time I did anything for them, I agreed to pressure wash five houses (usually a MAJOR job on their projects as there was usually a lot of paint stripping involved). I told them I'd supply the trucks, insurance, man-power, all equipment and fuel needed ... IF they'd agree to pay for my chemicals (very minimal).

I never got paid and after repeated calls I finally gave up. They had the balls to call every year after that but I was always "too busy". I guess they finally took me off their "sucker list" as they finally quit calling. :(