What Happens Before a Volunteer Build Day?

Participating in a build day is one of the best ways to engage with our home repair program. But a lot has to happen to prepare a home, and the family inside it, to welcome volunteers or contractors to perform repairs. 

The first step to helping any homeowner is for us to know about their need. Most homeowners fill out an application. After an application is submitted, they are in the funnel to be matched with repair funding. The funnel is a bit complex, so you can read more about it here.

What Happens Before a Volunteer Build Day?

 

Homeowner Exits the Applicant Funnel – Funding Source is Identified & Matched

Once a homeowner exits the funnel, it means our staff has identified funding and matched the homeowner’s eligibility for repairs. This sets off a chain of events to ensure we do all we can to meet a homeowner’s needs.

Home Visits Identified and Scheduled

A homeowner gets a phone call from our staff, who collects any additional information we need. Depending on the homeowner’s preferences and timeline, one of three visits are scheduled:

Pre-Repair Project Management Visit

This visit occurs closest to repairs and is required to move forward with the project.

Our staff assesses how to make the home safer for a resident who may need home modifications. At a home assessment, staff will:

• • • Look at the initial scope of work requested by the homeowner

      

    • Identify root causes of damage, such as a roof leak causing floor damage
    • Trip hazards or fall prevention opportunities for older adults
    • Take measurements for specific repairs
    • Take photos of any areas with planned work
    • Explain the repair process and timeline to a homeowner
    • Review and agree upon a scope of work with the homeowner

At the end of a home assessment, there is a clear scope of work for the funds available, and the project manager can begin planning each repair project at the home.

There are two additional visits that a homeowner may encounter prior to the Project Management Visit:

Resource Navigator Visit

This visit is optional for a homeowner and is offered to anyone who applies to our program.

Resource Navigators conduct an in-home visit that connects homeowners or other residents in the home to other resources. Resource navigators can make referrals to other social service agencies or even help a homeowner make a budget. For older neighbors, the Resource Navigators provide a socialization opportunity. 

Initial Home Assessment

The first visit by our project management team ensures the home is a fit for our program. It helps our team uncover the need and assess our ability to help. Sometimes, this visit is conducted by a trained volunteer.

 Repairs are Planned

Work varies based on the scope of repair work but often includes:

• • • Identifying labor for repairs, either volunteers and/or subcontractors
    • Seeking quotes for any subcontractor labor such as HVAC or electrical technicians
    • Identifying a skilled volunteer site leader to oversee build day volunteer labor.
    • Completing any designs, such as ramp drawings
    • Estimating and ordering materials for delivery

Repair Mobilization

As your group coordinator reached out to us to schedule a build day, we placed your team with a home that meets your group size and skillset. Volunteers register for their build day while our staff ensures a tool trailer is at the home. A Volunteer Site Leader is identified to lead your group, and they are sent a scope of work from our staff.

Build Day! Repairs are Completed.

Whether you arrive to build a ramp, perform demo, or install a new vinyl plank floor, your arrival is the culmination of weeks or months of planning. A Build Day is when a safer home becomes a reality for an Upstate neighbor.

Each home is unique, like the family inside it. The repair process varies depending on the scope of work, available funding, and skills needed to perform the needed repairs. 

No matter how we got to this point, the transformational power of our work is the same. Repairs change lives. Repairs keep our neighbors safe. 

Head back to the Resource Hub to keep preparing for your build day.