ICTC Builds Modular Home

(February 7, 2008) . . .   Learning the skills of building homes, the students in the building construction trades of Carpentry, Masonry, and Electrical Occupations at Indiana County Technology Center (ICTC) are building their way to the future under the expert guidance of their instructors. At ICTC, students may enroll in any of the construction trades programs of Carpentry, Masonry, and Electrical Occupations.

Do you have what it takes to be successful in the building industry? The building trades at ICTC are led by Mr. John Koenigsberg, Masonry; Mr. Jeff Rudd, Carpentry; and Mr. Tim Lutton, Electrical Occupations. Students enrolled in these program areas are automatically members of the Home Builders Association of America. This year the building program areas have been extremely busy! They have made gazebos, masonry arches, holiday lighting, and are finishing a modular home. Some of these projects are seen everyday in Indiana.

The carpentry students have been building nonstop! They began the year by building an enormous gazebo for the Communities at Indian Haven. Beginning from the blue prints, students built their way up to the finished project. Labeling all pieces and parts, the students disassembled the gazebo since its size was too large to transport intact. Under the supervision of their instructor, Mr. Jeff Rudd, carpentry students transported the gazebo and rebuilt the whole thing on site at The Communities at Indian Haven.

In addition, this year all students in the building trade programs have been working on a modular home. A modular-built home is a building method, not a type of home. Modular homes are not the same as a mobile home. Modular-built means that the home is built inside a climate-controlled structure and then moved to the home site. Weather and vandalism do not impact the schedule of modular-built facilities. These homes meet all the building codes of conventional-built homes but are stronger than conventional buildings because they must withstand the move to the home site.

Starting from the ground up, the modular home is now almost completely finished. They have assembled all the interior walls, floor, ceilings, put in the windows, and have done all of the roofing. Mr. Rudd, the Carpentry Instructor explained, “There is no better experience for these students than being able to get hands-on experience and use the knowledge they have learned to help someone else.” The modular home conforms to the American Disabilities Act. This includes features such as doors and hallways that are wide enough for a wheel chair and every door handle is a lever.

Masonry has also been a part of the modular home. They built the foundation on which the mobile home sits until it is moved to its final home site. In other activities, Mr. Koenigsberg has been busy trying to set up some field trips for the students. In March masonry students will be traveling to a brick and block plant to see how the materials they use on a daily basis are made. The students have also been busy learning how to make and create beautiful cement statue and flowerpots. In addition, the students have been working on their own individual projects.

Electrical Occupations has been busy this year, too. They created all the lights hanging from the telephone poles that were seen around downtown Indiana this past holiday. Electrical students have been wiring all of the electric equipment that has been going throughout the new modular home. The Electrical Occupations Instructor, Mr. Tim Lutton added, “This is a wonderful experience for the students. It highlights the skills that they have learned and I’m thankful for ICTC allowing us to do this.” They hope to have the modular home finished by the end of May so that the students are able to present the home to the new owner. Next year they also hope that ICTC allows them to participate in making another more advanced modular home.

Students enrolled in the construction trades programs are invited to become members of the Home Builders Club. The club is the student chapter of the Indiana/Armstrong County Builder’s Association under the direction of Mr. Dick Clawson.

Participating in the Home Builders Club, the students are introduced to careers such as architect, carpenter, general contractor, demolition contractor, landscape contractor, mason, electrician, and estimator. The students appreciate how the club teaches them leadership skills. Mr. John Koenigsberg, masonry instructor, advises the Home Builders Club.

For more information on the ICTC, click here.

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