Carpentry shop class is NOT what it used to be in Forest Lake, Minnesota. Not content to build a shelf or piece of furniture, these construction students put their knowledge of math, engineering and construction and met the challenge of building an entire house in the school parking lot.
"This is a real world project that helps them see the importance of what they are doing in school," said teacher, Kevin Rivard. "There are a lot of good jobs for kids who are not college bound. This allows them to get the feel for trades and to apply the skills they learn in school to do real things."
The students had expert and professional assistance throughout the construction process. Professional contractors volunteered their time and talents to work directly with the students on the electrical, plumbing, flooring, drywall and cabinetry. They learned to install everything from a bathroom vanity to an asphalt roof.
The one story rambler has been built on a 2-sided block foundation and designed to be easily moved. It is a 3BR/2BA home with 1352 finished square feet. It features a private master bath, custom oak cabinets, laminate flooring and Andersen Windows. All kitchen and bathroom fixtures are installed and plumbed. The home meets all Minnesota state building codes and has passed electrical and plumbing inspections.
It is truly a unique and impressive project and now it is For Sale!
The call for bids is out and the home will be sold on March 15, 2007 at the Forest Lake School District office. Bids will be opened at 6 pm. At that time all bidders will have an opportunity to increase their bid by submitting a final sealed bid at 6:30 pm. There is a minimum bid requirement of $49,900 (plus MN sales tax of 6.5%). Each bid must be accompanied by a check for $1000 as security. For additional information on the bidding process contact Larry Martini at 651-982-8125 or visit the Forest Lake District website at http://www.forestlake.k12.mn.us/
OPEN HOUSE Scheduled
Interested parties will have the opportunity to come and inspect the home on two different occasions prior to submitting a bid. The house will be open for inspection from 9-11 am on Saturday March 3, 2007.
The home has to be moved from the school parking lot to its new location no later than May 30, 2007. It's a great opportunity as there are more than 25 lots listed on the MLS within 20 miles of the Forest Lake High School priced between $60,000 and $120,000.
If you are relocating to Minnesota, are looking for Homes for Sale in Forest Lake and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call. Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties real estate in Minnesota.
Copyright 2007 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/
If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet or FREE Homebuyers Success Packet. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota..JPG)
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Copyright 2012 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/
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Very cool hands on learning experience for those attending the class. I must admit to being curious - who garners the proceeds from the sale? Hopefully the school.
Next question...if this home was in situ already would you market it as built by students? Interesting.
Cheers, -B
As I understand it, the minimum bid requirement is to for the school district to breakeven on the project. I would think that when sold the profit would go back to the school for another project. I will keep an eye on it...and post an update after the sale.
Good question about how to after market the home in the future...In MN there is a disclosure law. If it was my listing I would strongly recommend to the seller to disclose how it was constructed. There is a list of subcontractors that worked with the students and with all of the supervision, this home would be as good as any other newly constructed home...if not better.
Hi Teri,
What a great first post!
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Nice having you on board,
Mario
Great project. We have had a school do this in the past. They no longer do it and I'm not sure why.
Judi
This is great. I think any kids, college bound or not, could have their lives enhanced by the feeling of accomplishment that comes with building something. Building a house is not something that most of us could do - very very few individuals have the know how.
To Everyone Who Commented: Thank You!!
I realize that this is late but this was my first post and didn't really know how things worked. I realized I never commented back to all of you.
It was a GREAT welcome to a newbie and I appreciate all the support.
If you post again, I will be certain to acknowledge in a more timely fashion.
Thanks again!