Habitat for Humanity project in Sydney hobbled by lack of contractors

Habitat for Humanity is appealing for help to finish building a Sydney, N.S., home damaged in the Thanksgiving flood, but the contractors needed for the job are deluged with other repair work.

The one-storey house at 41 Breton St. in Whitney Pier is being built for the McLeans, a family of six. Last month's wind and rainstorm flattened two walls that volunteers had just finished framing.

"It was a setback. We just weren't prepared for the wind that came," said Adrian Wilson, build committee chair for Habitat's Cape Breton chapter.

Since then volunteers have erected all four walls and begun working on the roof, but it is slow going, he said.

Shortage of carpenters and roofers

The problem is finding people to help finish the building. Local contractors have been overwhelmed by requests to repair area homes damaged by wind and water.

"What we're really short of now is carpentry crew leaders and people that can work above 10 feet. You have to have certification to work up on a roof," said Wilson, adding a plea for help has gone out to several contractors.

"We'd sure welcome them," he said.

Need for site supervisors

The other obstacle is the unavailability of construction site supervisors during the week.

For example, Wilson said he has a full-time job as a Nova Scotia Community College instructor and is in the classroom Monday to Friday.

"Right now, we're building on Saturdays; sometimes we shift that to Sunday, depending on the weather," he said.

Local companies have donated their time through Habitat's adopt-a-day program, in which employees of a firm volunteer a day's work at the site.

Appeal for contractors

Workers from the casino in Sydney, Nova Scotia Power, TD Canada Trust and Mayflower Dental Group have joined the cause, he said. That appeal is ongoing for professional builders to help finish the home, sooner rather than later.

• Cape Breton flood leaves contractors running 'from daylight to dark'

• Cape Breton contractor overloaded with repair work since flood

"If any contractors did want to come out to work with us, that's awesome," said Wilson.

Once the home is built, the McLeans will assume an interest-free mortgage based on fair market value of the house, he said.