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Barker Homes joins Extreme Makeover Crew
The Barker Homes team participated in ABC's
TV Show Extreme Home Makeover, as the
Local Builder. Hundreds traveled to New Orleans
form across the nation to build a church and
one home in our community.
What started as a mysterious phone call turned into
an invitation when Barker Homes was contacted by DelTec Homes, a manufacturer of panelized walls and trusses for unique upscale homes located in Ashville, NC, asking Barker Homes to join their team as they embarked on building a Homes & a Church in the Greater New Orleans area for the hit ABC TV Show, Extreme Home Makeover.
The decision to join was really no decision at all. We immediately joined the team and proudly assumed the role of the Local New Orleans Homebuilder. Together we teamed with a north Louisiana homebuilder as well as homebuilders, both large and small, from all across America as they converged to give New Orleans a much needed helping hand. The coalition of home builders was known as The Band of Brothers.
Our duties began immediately, as Carol Barker-Logreco dispatched the surveyor who had to remain hidden from the families - to the build sites in order to get the permitting process started. Next came the need of our counsel as we advised the Team on the unique needs of our region, specifically pilings and elevated foundations.
Once DelTec Homes had their plans designed to the meet the specific local codes, they were forwarded to our Barker Homes architect, James Chauvin, for final review and stamping. All buildings constructed in Louisiana must be stamped by a Louisiana architect. So James quickly reviewed, stamped and submitted the plans for permitting.
Meanwhile, we were assembling our team of workers in to assist in the build. We were asked to provide a couple of electricians, a team of sheetrock hangers, and a team of flooring guys to assist with other hundreds of craftsman coming from all across American, including many from Montana, New Jersey, and South Carolina. As you know, the build is done in one week; hence hundreds of tradesmen are needed. The church was started first, and the house commenced the following day.
Eventually the day came to march on the church and tear it down. In the freezing cold, we assembled to march upon the church. No one mentioned that on this day we would be jogging with Ty to the house versus marching, else Carol may have thought twice about wearing heels that day. With in a matter of minutes two larger bulldozers assured that the dilapidated building no longer existed to the cheering of the onlookers.
Then the build began. Simple and straightforward. After the foundation pilings were driven, the hundreds of workers began by assembling the foundation, then setting up the walls, and running the plumbing pipes and electrical wires in the walls. During this period, a few snow flurries fell while the roof was being assembled in the middle of the night. The next day, the workers put up the sheet rock, installed the doors, and hey, were just about ready for the next step of paint and flooring. Outside, tractors were grading the yard pouting the driveway overnight for an early morning spreading of grass and planting of flowers- now the temps were in the high 80's. Well, I'm sure that you a disbeliever, thinking that this was more of a picture of chaos. You're right, but with the talented leadership team; issues were quickly solved, leaving a two large beautiful buildings standing at the end of one week. Actually, with all that transpired in such a short period of time during long, long hours, few of us even recall what those problems were.
While the shows decorators were tiding up and adding their special touches, the inspectors were giving the final permit, and we readied for the families to be presented with their new home.
With pride and joy, the Barker Homes Team had a moment to look at what had been accomplished. [Actually, in the world of TV production, there is a lot of waiting - we had more than a moment]. We have always told our customers that we could build a quality home that was beautiful and that we could do it fast. And we do. But this was taking it to a whole new level.
Finally, we were all in position for the families to see their new home. First, is the positioning of the show's large designer tour bus. It's parked righting front of the house, blocking the view. Meanwhile hundreds of families, friends, neighbors and people from the community gather behind the barricades lined along the street waiting for the family to arrive in the limousine. The atmosphere takes on a complete carnival like atmosphere. Electricity and excitement fill the air. Minutes seems like hours to those waiting outside and seconds to the designers applying their final touch on the inside.
And then the black limousine with family drives up, well you know the rest, you will just have to watch the show!
The Barker Homes team participated in ABC's
TV Show Extreme Home Makeover, as the
Local Builder. Hundreds traveled to New Orleans
form across the nation to build a church and
one home in our community.
What started as a mysterious phone call turned into
an invitation when Barker Homes was contacted by DelTec Homes, a manufacturer of panelized walls and trusses for unique upscale homes located in Ashville, NC, asking Barker Homes to join their team as they embarked on building a Homes & a Church in the Greater New Orleans area for the hit ABC TV Show, Extreme Home Makeover.
The decision to join was really no decision at all. We immediately joined the team and proudly assumed the role of the Local New Orleans Homebuilder. Together we teamed with a north Louisiana homebuilder as well as homebuilders, both large and small, from all across America as they converged to give New Orleans a much needed helping hand. The coalition of home builders was known as The Band of Brothers.
Our duties began immediately, as Carol Barker-Logreco dispatched the surveyor who had to remain hidden from the families - to the build sites in order to get the permitting process started. Next came the need of our counsel as we advised the Team on the unique needs of our region, specifically pilings and elevated foundations.
Once DelTec Homes had their plans designed to the meet the specific local codes, they were forwarded to our Barker Homes architect, James Chauvin, for final review and stamping. All buildings constructed in Louisiana must be stamped by a Louisiana architect. So James quickly reviewed, stamped and submitted the plans for permitting.
Meanwhile, we were assembling our team of workers in to assist in the build. We were asked to provide a couple of electricians, a team of sheetrock hangers, and a team of flooring guys to assist with other hundreds of craftsman coming from all across American, including many from Montana, New Jersey, and South Carolina. As you know, the build is done in one week; hence hundreds of tradesmen are needed. The church was started first, and the house commenced the following day.
Eventually the day came to march on the church and tear it down. In the freezing cold, we assembled to march upon the church. No one mentioned that on this day we would be jogging with Ty to the house versus marching, else Carol may have thought twice about wearing heels that day. With in a matter of minutes two larger bulldozers assured that the dilapidated building no longer existed to the cheering of the onlookers.
Then the build began. Simple and straightforward. After the foundation pilings were driven, the hundreds of workers began by assembling the foundation, then setting up the walls, and running the plumbing pipes and electrical wires in the walls. During this period, a few snow flurries fell while the roof was being assembled in the middle of the night. The next day, the workers put up the sheet rock, installed the doors, and hey, were just about ready for the next step of paint and flooring. Outside, tractors were grading the yard pouting the driveway overnight for an early morning spreading of grass and planting of flowers- now the temps were in the high 80's. Well, I'm sure that you a disbeliever, thinking that this was more of a picture of chaos. You're right, but with the talented leadership team; issues were quickly solved, leaving a two large beautiful buildings standing at the end of one week. Actually, with all that transpired in such a short period of time during long, long hours, few of us even recall what those problems were.
While the shows decorators were tiding up and adding their special touches, the inspectors were giving the final permit, and we readied for the families to be presented with their new home.
With pride and joy, the Barker Homes Team had a moment to look at what had been accomplished. [Actually, in the world of TV production, there is a lot of waiting - we had more than a moment]. We have always told our customers that we could build a quality home that was beautiful and that we could do it fast. And we do. But this was taking it to a whole new level.
Finally, we were all in position for the families to see their new home. First, is the positioning of the show's large designer tour bus. It's parked righting front of the house, blocking the view. Meanwhile hundreds of families, friends, neighbors and people from the community gather behind the barricades lined along the street waiting for the family to arrive in the limousine. The atmosphere takes on a complete carnival like atmosphere. Electricity and excitement fill the air. Minutes seems like hours to those waiting outside and seconds to the designers applying their final touch on the inside.
And then the black limousine with family drives up, well you know the rest, you will just have to watch the show!
