House Venture Offers Tips for Large-Scale Class Projects
Much of Christopher Burgio’s work in the classroom revolves around a yearlong project for his students.
Burgio and co-teacher Michael Hughes instruct Building Trades at the Erie 1 BOCES Harkness Career & Technical Center in Cheektowaga. Since the lessons give students a foundation in construction and design, what better way to offer an immersive program than to build a modular home?
“It’s almost second nature to me after 18 years,” Burgio noted. “Any teacher can do a large-scale class project, but it requires commitment, a healthy bottom line and a strict timeline.”
Since Building Trades is a two-year program, Burgio teaches students the terminology and procedures in their junior year. When they are seniors, the students already have experience building scaled-down houses before they tackle the life-size project.
“That hands-on aspect helps hone their skills and focus their attention,” Burgio pointed out. “Without that junior project, they couldn’t build the house. A teacher doing a similar project should go slow and assume the students know nothing. Make sure you explain every detail, and the best way for them to learn is to demonstrate.”
The 1,248-square-foot house features two bedrooms, a den, cabinetry, windows and doors and 30-year architectural shingles.
Harkness Assistant Principal Roger Broeker has helped Burgio with the administrative side of the project. This includes logistical planning for transportation and materials and working with local agencies (e.g. building inspectors, house movers).
“It’s important that administration work with teachers to foster relationships with local towns and non-profits,” Broeker said. “While teachers keep students safe and productive on the job site, we have to have a firm understanding of project management and liability.”
For his timeline, once the money is secured at the beginning of the year, Burgio orders materials for the first phase of construction – the piers and flooring. “Then I order the rest of the frame, from the walls all the way up to the ridge board,” he added. “The last order is roofing and windows. By Thanksgiving, when the roof is installed, we’re already $20,000 in.”
The class then builds interior walls and electricians come in to wire the house. After winter break, the house is insulated, and the drywall is put up. By mid-March, students are working on the interior trim and plumbing.
“Once the weather breaks, we go outside and finish the siding,” Burgio said. “It’s about a $40,000 project in total.”
Burgio’s predecessor began the house project after securing a $40,000 grant from the Wendt Foundation in 1997. At the end of each year, the class auctions off the house to the highest bidder. The proceeds get recycled back into the program for next year.
“We’ve been working off that grant for the last 20 years thanks to the auction,” Burgio said. “We’re thankful this is a self-sustaining project since it gets to the core of what we’re teaching these kids.”