Welcome Aboard Spring 2012 House Captains and Sponsors!

Rebuilding Day--April 28 is just 2 months away.  Our Rebuilding season kick off happens February 27.  Here's who we've got on board so far:

Sponsors:

Advantest
Cupertino Rotary
Ernst and Young
First Congregational Church
Friends of Mark Smolley
GE
Milpitas Rotary
Sandisk
San Jose Water Company
Santa Clara Rotary
Seagate
Stryker Endoscopy
Swinerton Builders
Western Digital
Xilinx
XL Construction

House Captains:

Lynn Alens
Karan Bakhshi
Michael Barr
Rob Berrett
Henry Buffalow
Terry Caldwell
Howard Cohen
Robert Dartez
George DeLucchi
Terry Duffy
George Gluck
Mark Hathaway
Dan Jennings
Bob MacDonald
Olga Makovskaya
Brian Martin
Terry McIntyre
Sandy McMullin
Rolan Moldes
David More
Michael Pate
Nick Sandersfeld
Aaron Scott
Mark Smolley
Jeff Wenke
Rick White

Sign up for Pick Up!

Sign up for Pick Up!

NOW IS THE TIME to sign up to pick up your supplies from our warehouse: 2827 Aiello Drive, San Jose, 95111.

This is for House Captains, Project Coordinators and Resource Coordinators.  House Captains and Resource Coordinators can pick up anytime on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday (Oct. 19-21).  Volunteer Coordinators can pick up Thursday evening, Oct. 20 from 5pm-9pm or anytime Friday during the day.  If you want to coordinate pick ups and have one person pick up for all 3, that must be done on Thursday evening or Friday.  If you are picking up for multiple leaders, please add your name to each of the appropriate calendars.  We do need you to make an appointment so that we can have your items pulled.  With 38 projects leaders (x 3) picking up, we'll be staging pickups as we go.  You can either call the office (408-578-9519) to make an appointment or use our online calendars.  See links and instructions below.  Thanks everyone!!

House Captains:  We are making appointments beginning Wed, Oct. 19 - Friday, Oct. 21.  You'll be picking up your House Kit, Paint and Paint Kits (if applicable), Ladders, Accessibility Items such as grab bars and toilet seats, and smaller appliances you may have requested.  Large appliances and Steps will be delivered.


Volunteer Coordinators: Your Project Box and supplies will be available to pick up on Thursday evening, Oct. 20 from 5pm - 9pm and Friday, Oct. 21 only.  You'll be picking up a tote with your t-shirts, first aid kit, extra waivers, safety poster, plates and napkins, cookies, fruit; in addition you'll pick up a 5 gallon water container, project sign and bucket(s) of soda.  If you have a small car, be sure it's empty before you come so you can fit everything in.  

Resource Coordinators: You'll be picking up your Green Kit.  Most of your supplies fit into a 5 gallon bucket.

Please use our online calendars to sign up:

House Captains:  http://www.brownbearsw.com/freecal/HCSIGNUP

Volunteer Coordinators: http://www.brownbearsw.com/freecal/VCSIGNUP

Resource Coordinators:  http://www.brownbearsw.com/freecal/RCSIGNUP

Instructions for Signing Up:
Choose a time that doesn't already have a project # and name by it, double click on the time and a new screen will open.  Under "Modify the Text", replace the text with your project # and name; for example:  "Project 10/Deanne Everton".  Then click on "Replace Event" and you're all signed up.

Roofing/Furnace Update

I'd just like to clarify that if roofing or furnace work was on your original profile task list, and you confirmed with us that this was definitely an issue, and you are NOT taking care of it yourself (which is most often the case), then these items did NOT go on your Scope of Work.  The Scope of Work is only for items you are overseeing.  We will be contacting our roofer and HVAC company and scheduling this work, so we will work separately with the homeowner on these matters.

Projects we are sending our HVAC company out to:
7, 14, 38

Projects we're getting roofing bids on for repair or replacement:
2, 5, 14, 19, 21, 29, 37

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to give Deanne a call.
408-578-9519

If you asked for grab bars, 1/2 steps, railings, etc....?

Here's the scoop:
1/2 steps:  Steps are being pre-built for the following projects:  2, 16, 24, 30, 35 and 38.  These will be delivered prior to Rebuilding Day and your team will be removing the old steps and installing the new.

Railings: Due to the complexities of each project regarding railings, it's best if you call the Rebuilding Together office and talk with Jerry Zuniga, our Safe at Home Project Manager, about what you need. He can be reached at 578-9519 or email him at jzuniga@rebuildingtogether-sv.org.

Grab Bars:  We will have your requested grab bars here at the warehouse when you come to pick up supplies.  We will also have Toggler Brand Toggle Bolts if you need them.  These can be used if one end of your grab bar is not going into a stud or if you are installing in tile or fiberglass.  Check out this video on how these work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC1ZuxuZ2PU&feature=related

When you install a grab bar using these bolts, use a 1/2" drill bit and move it around a bit once you've made your hole because these togglebolts are slightly larger than 1/2".  Be sure to use a glass/tile bit if drilling into tile.  It is suggested that you use clear silicon on the back of the grab bar before screwing it into the wall for added strength.

Other Accessibility Items (such as shower seats and handheld showers):  We will have these items when you pick up supplies as well.

Important Lead Test Results

Lead Testing has been completed.  We only had 4 homes come back positive of the ones we tested:  1, 11, 15, and 29.  The prepping of these houses will happen prior to Rebuilding Day. 

1. If your home was NOT tested but is pre 1978, then you CANNOT disturb any paint when prepping.  No powerwashing allowed--only the use of a water hose as long as paint is not flaking.  No scraping or sanding.  Some of your homes may have small areas (less than 20 square feet) that are peeling; in that case you can scrape those areas lightly but only take care of those minimal areas that are already peeling.
2. If your home was tested, is pre 1978 and came back negative, you may prep in whatever way is necessary.
3. If your home is 1978 or later, then you may prep in whatever way is necessary. 

Thanks for helping us follow the EPA Lead Safe guidelines.

Smoke Detectors and CO2 Detectors

As always, we'll be supplying you with 2 Smoke Detectors in your House Kit.  New this year is also a Carbon Monoxide Detector in your House Kit.  As of July 1, all single-family homes (in California) with a gas appliance, a fireplace or attached garage is required to have CO2 Detectors installed.  So we've decided to install at least one detector in every home we work on.  (Multi-family residences will be required to abide by this law by January 2013.)  So plan to include the installation of a CO2 Detector as part of your scope.

Here are some guidelines for WHERE to install Smoke Detectors AND Carbon Monoxide Detectors:

Smoke Detectors

• At a minimum, install them outside each sleeping area.  
• For maximum coverage, install one in each bedroom, on every level of your home, and in every living area. (If you need more than 2, let us know.)  
• Mount them in the middle of the ceiling, at least 6 inches from the corner/wall. 
• Do not mount them near heating or cooling ducts.
• In Mobile Homes, mount them on inside walls.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• They should be installed outside sleeping areas and on every level of the home.  (If you need more than one, let us know.)
• The detectors we are providing are electric with a battery back-up.  So you'll need to find a place near an outlet.  

More information about Smoke Detectors and CO2 Detectors was included in the envelope with your credit cards. 

Next Steps for House Captains

Here's what's next for us and for you as we prepare for a successful Rebuilding Day:

1)  This week and next I will process all of your Online Project Scopes--extracting all the details we need and clarifying with you.

2)  At the same time, I'll send you and your homeowner the Scope of Work that is created from your Online Scope.  We'll email it to you so be sure to review it asap and let us know if there are any changes--before it gets shared with the homeowner at the Homeowner Orientations.

3)  I'll also be sending you a pdf of your online scope so you'll have access to the information you submitted.

4)  Next week we order supplies, paint, appliances, dumpsters, porta-johns, etc.  Be sure you get your Online Scope in this week if you want to be included in this order.

5)  In the next few weeks, we'll be sending out your credit cards (Lowes, Home Depot and OSH).  Your Online Scope must be turned in before I can send these out.

6)  And finally, we hope to have the kinks worked out in our database so that you can have access to the volunteers who've signed up for your project.  That way you can check to see who's signed up, what their skills are and what tools they have.  We'll send you the information you'll need to access the database once it's all set up.