1

Step One:

Cut 2x4s to size.

2

Step Two:

Frame the house in pieces and load it onto trucks.

3

Step Three:

Assemble house and make it a home in Esenanda, Mexico!

 

When was the last time you made something? (Sandwiches don’t count!) If you can't remember, you're definitely not alone. The opportunity to build something meaningful with nothing but tools and our hands just doesn't come up very often in today's modern world. If you're looking to create an opportunity to get in touch with the builder in you, you could always do what Aaron did in Mexico: Build a loft house for a worthy family in need! What could be cooler than that?


Aaron at Mono Machines
Volunteer | 8 February, 2016 |

Aaron

What a weekend. Could not have asked for a better trip!

The weekend before, we cut and framed the whole house, loading it on trucks to take down to Mexico. Always fun working side by side with great friends and slapping together a beautiful house (2 of them to be exact) for a family in need.

The next weekend, we drove a few hours south of border to assemble and construct a loft house for 2 amazing families. In less than 8 hours, two houses were turned into Homes.

It is an amazing thing watching someone sit on a bed that is theirs forever. One woman we met (age 71) had never owned a bed. It was pretty special to build her a house and give her a place to call her own.

I got involved with these housebuilds about 5 years ago, and it's always a great experience, to say the least.

The material for each house is surprisingly low. $4,500 includes all materials. For less than $5,000, we change a family’s life forever. Each house sleeps between 2-16 people too. I'd say that’s a pretty good return on investment!

Mexico Housebuild

One Weekend. Two Houses.

It only takes a weekend to get these houses put together thanks to the modular method of building we use. We start building the house locally in pieces and then load them all up on trucks. We end up transporting 4 walls, the flooring, the laminate flooring, a door, 4 section roof, the second floor (loft) flooring, roofing materials, and then a bunch of random cuts of wood to do any number of extras.

We also bring along a gravity fed water tank so they can have "running" water in their house. In Mexico, they do not have ground water or any sewage system to bring running water to homes. Instead, water trucks drive around with potable water and they’ll hook up to your water tank and fill it up as much or as little as you would like.

Housebuild Caravan
Housebuild Caravan

 

Building a house might sound daunting or intimidating, but we do our best to show anyone and everyone who is willing to lend a hand how to do something. I have witnessed women who join us, who have never used a framing gun at all before (think really, really large nail gun) become experts after framing an entire house! If you want to jump in and learn how to frame a window, or put hurricane clips (clip the roof to the frame of the house so it won't blow off) on a house, we will show you!

We Are Builders
We Are Builders

 

The whole experience is worthwhile, but there are definite highlights. One is the food. To be served by a family who has nothing, who has to scrape up probably $50 to make us food for lunch is the most gracious and amazing part of that day for my heart. Building the house is the icing on the cake compared to that.

However, the end-all is when that family is handed the keys to their new home. The emotion in that moment is overwhelming. You feel it, you see it, and you just get the understanding of someone’s life being changed for the better in a massive way. To go from having almost no shelter to this home, that is bulletproof awesome.

Welcome Home
Welcome Home

 

 

Want to get involved with housebuilds? If so, visiting Corazón's website is a great start. For over 35 years, Corazón has facilitated housebuilds in impoverished regions in Mexico. Their mission is to help people create a lasting legacy by giving a hand up to worthy Mexican families in need.

Housebuild Photo Credit: Matthew Coon Photography

A Cheerful Giver