House Design

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a home improvement project, so much so that you never started it and it never got done? I doubt any reader is saying no!

Last summer, I put my house up for sale. The hardest part was getting it in shape to list. Closets needed to be cleaned out, clutter removed, every corner cleaned, paint touched up, and the yard cleaned up. After a couple months of chipping away at it, I wanted to give up!

Eight high school girlfriends, who are scattered around the country, were coming out for a long weekend. One of them suggested we take half a day to work on my house. She had done this at her own house many times – friends got together to work on big projects to reduce the overwhelm factor. I hadn’t thought of this, but it sounded like it would provide relief, which it did.

In a morning, we got two cords of wood stacked, the flower beds cleaned, weeded and mulched, windows and doors painted, and two bedrooms completely ready for painting. I couldn’t have done that in two months, let alone in a few hours!

This is the essence of a neighborhood work group, except the workers are your neighbors, and you return the favor by working on their home improvement projects. Not only does this minimize stress and save time, it creates community. And think of the money you’d spend on a contractor or handyman! A neighborhood work group saves all the participants money.

To organize a workgroup in your area, contact neighbors and friends, and see if they are willing to commit to a group. If you have a neighborhood association, you can send out a memo to everyone and see who would like to participate. In your communication, outline what the group will need and ideas on how it could operate.

1. People with home improvement experience, from professional contractor to DIY handyman to hobbyist.

2. People with a variety of skills. Ask what skills people have – plumbing, carpentry, electrical, landscaping, etc – and their proficiency. Some people are good go-fers or have muscle, but no professional skills. These are important, too! 3. Tools – Ask what sorts of tools people own and are willing to share. Does anyone have a pick-up truck?

4. Structure – Frequency of projects (once a month, every other month, emergencies), a day and time (Saturday mornings, for example). Let people know this is flexible and that you can determine the details as a group.

Once you get a group together, create a list of contact info with names, phone numbers and email addresses. Plan a preliminary meeting over brunch or coffee.

Some details your group might want to include and/or tweak:

Create a schedule for projects. Once you know how often you want to get together, you can schedule everyone’s projects. You might want to keep your schedule to summer months, depending on where you live. For example, March through November is a good window for home improvement where I live.

Participants need to commit to every project in order to get their own project included. Commitment is what makes this work. If someone can’t come, be flexible in rescheduling.

Make a plan for emergencies. If something crops up unexpectedly, again, be flexible. Someone may have to forgo their project to help with the emergency, but they should be given priority in the next scheduling. Or maybe you would want to work an extra day. These are group decisions, but try to put something in place before an emergency arises.

The owners of the home where the project is based should be organized beforehand. Send out a summary of their project with skills and tools needed. They provide materials, which should already be on the site. Be ready to put people to work when they get there! Water and snacks, or even lunch, are a courtesy.

Your group will morph and settle into a rhythm as you get to know each other and your competencies. Community, socializing with and trusting your neighbors are human needs. In these days of disconnect with the internet, working from home, and full time jobs and family, we don’t spend old-fashioned time with others. I’m sure your group will naturally expand outside of its original purpose and create friendships.

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