Farmers and ranchers are elated at fields soaking up the badly needed moisture while lawns in the city have greened up overnight. Boaters like it that lakes are filling back up.
But rain can be a curse for the construction trades.
The Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity has had a setback on a couple of homes under construction in the last two weeks - one of them in Belton - because of the weather, said Gene Bauer, executive director.
Building a Habitat house from the slab up normally takes 12 days, Bauer.
"Our volunteers come on Saturdays so that's 12 Saturdays in a row," Bauer said. "The fastest time we completed a house was 10 days."
However, the house being built with the Reyes family at 607 S. Davis St. in Belton employed a new technique that could have shaved three days off the 12-day schedule, said Bauer. But inclement weather has kept volunteers from working the last two Saturdays, ruining the organization's chance at breaking its record.
Bauer said the house on Davis is being built differently from all other Habitat houses. Habitat is working in partnership with Advanced Structural Components in Jarrell to have all the walls and trusses for the structure built off site.
On Aug. 29, the first day of construction, when volunteer crews would normally have started the framing process, workers picked up the prefabricated walls and lifted them upright into place, Bauer said. It was just like an old-fashioned barn raising.
"On that first day we accomplished what normally takes three days," he said.
This wasn't the first time prefabricated components had been used, Bauer said.
"We had tried this before on other houses and ran into a problem," he said. "After the walls were in place things didn't fit right and had to be adjusted. I said, 'never again.'"
Bauer said the Jarrell manufacturer made a presentation that changed his mind and made him willing to try once more. Laser beams are used to measure and cut the materials that go into the framing.
"It's very accurate," Bauer said. "I decided to give them a chance."
The components fit perfectly and the first day went amazingly smoothly, he said. Hopefully, Saturdays will be dry from now on so volunteer crews can finish up.
Bauer said Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical ministry that builds homes for low-income families. It's not a giveaway, he said. The families put 300 hours of sweat equity into helping others build their homes. When it comes time to build their own home, they work side-by-side with volunteers to do the same.
The family signs an interest-free mortgage to Habitat to pay for the home, he said. Money paid from the mortgages helps Habitat build more homes for more families.
The selection process occurs once or twice a year. They must meet three requirements. They must be low income, yet have the ability to pay the mortgage.
Where the family currently lives must be inadequate for a number of reasons including overcrowding, lack of utilities or lack of structural safety.
And they must be willing to put in the sweat equity.
Bauer said if they meet all requirements, they are given an application that is more thorough than a standard lender's application. A family selection committee reviews and verifies the application. The organization's board of directors votes on whether or not it will accept an application.
Bauer said he began volunteering to work with Habitat six years ago when he was a first sergeant with First Cavalry Division's 127th Main Support Battalion.
"I knew nothing about building homes the first time I volunteered but learned it all on the job," he said.
He said the work was a lot of fun because of the people he met.
"You only meet good people," Bauer said. "Who else would get dirty and sweaty doing things to help other people?
He said when he retired from the Army he found out Habitat locally was hiring. He was eventually selected to run the program in Bell County.
Training comes on site where experienced hands show new volunteers how to do something. Also, Lowes has a construction-training program for women who want to learn how to use building tools.
A hierarchy of superintendents ensures that an experienced, qualified person is on the site at all times.
A construction supervisor is in charge of all houses being built. Under that person, a site supervisor watches the construction from beginning to end on a particular house. A crew chief on the job is responsible for a portion of the work being done a particular day.
Bauer said the impact on families and children from owning their own homes is so far reaching he cannot describe it adequately in words.
Habitat always needs cash donations, material donations and volunteers. For more information call Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity at 254-680-4007.
