Fall 2009 Projects

Before the snow started falling in earnest we made more progress on a couple of ongoing projects. We got Charlie's home in the mountains closed in with all windows and doors installed as well as much of the siding. Charlie, Josh & Todd are pictured (L) installing flashing. We also delivered more materials there so some work can continue through the winter. We wrapped up projects at Tommy's house in old town including winterizing. Josh is pictured (R) running a duct through the crawl space.

New Opportunities in Old Town

RN has completed several projects in an Old Town home for Tommy, who relies on a wheelchair for mobility. The small kitchen and bathroom were innovatively remodeled for accessibility. Main floor laundry and very high efficiency appliances from Builder's Appliance Center will make everyday life much more manageable and save hundreds of dollars in energy costs each year. A new ramp & driveway were poured for accessibility along-side some new water-conserving landscaping.

In addition to the volunteer labor, here are some of the donors of material that made this progress attainable: Home Depot, the Morway family, Coffman and Laub Construction, and John Elliot, who built a beautiful, custom folding kitchen table to fit limited space. Tommy is very grateful for all of this help, he remains cheerful and persistent in spite of his disabilities, and he has also taught us much for our future service.

City Project 2009

Our week-long City Project this year was focused on updating an older home in the Buckingham (Andersonville/San Cristo) neighborhood to address many needs of the recently-widowed owner and her family. We remodeled the kitchen and bathroom to address everyday needs and poured a concrete ramp to greatly improve accessibility. New windows & soffits were installed and cracks were sealed for comfort and energy efficiency. This was all topped off with new floor coverings and fresh interior & exterior paint.

We were blessed again by many generous donations of labor and new or reclaimed materials, with donors including: Alpine Cabinets, Savant Homes, Connell Resources, Loveland Ready Mix, Home Depot, Kwal Paint, the Zorigian family, Builders Supply, and ReSource. Most of our volunteers were from Grace Church or Athletes in Action. We were glad to help this family stay together in their own home and continue their involvement in their neighborhood. More photos can be viewed here.

Deck Deconstruction

In June of 2009, an existing wood deck was donated through divine providences and we worked a day in the Red Feather Lakes area fresh air to dismantle it. We were able to reuse a large portion of this lumber to cost-effectively build a deck for Charlie's house with help from an AmeriCorps crew to install it. Restoration Now puts many donated used materials to good use, directly, or by working with partners like ReSource.

Charlie's Mountain Home

Restoration Now is partnering with Charlie and other friends to build a new home on the remote mountain property where his only home was destroyed by fire. On one chilly November day, volunteers and mountaineers, Wes & Brady, were essential to summiting the high and steep roof. Ropes were used along with power tools to safely install sheeting. The roof is now complete and work continues towards getting the house closed in. A large array of custom-built dual-pane windows on the south roof will provide most of the heat and light by passive solar. A modest photovoltaic system has also designed to improve sustainability of the home. Contact Josh to volunteer or donate towards the solar electric system.