January 14 - Welcome Home
Today the Tate family came home. It's hard to imagine it was just a week ago we met them, two groups of strangers coming together in front of a house that misfortune took. Today the Tate family came home to a house that love, dedication, commitment and generosity built.
When we once again met the Tate family back in front of their new home we were joined by thousands of friends, family, neighbors, well-wishers, the Extreme Makeover design team, a very large bus, and many of the members of the WCI Ye Extreme Krewe who contributed to the build. That is the magic and power of a home, the way it brings people together, the connections it inspires.
It was a special moment when thousands of voices joined as one with the Tate family and we all shouted, "Move That Bus!" To see the unabashed joy, relief, gratitude, love and excitement on not only the faces of the family, but on the faces of our partners who stood with us to welcome the Tates home, made every minute of every hour contributed worth that much more. Then, when the family ran over to hug and thank us as the crowd of thousands cheered, "WCI, WCI," well, that was the greatest reward a builder could receive for a job well done. And when they saw the inside ... well, that will have to wait until the show airs.
For now, we can begin to look back over the last week. We think about moments and connections the Tate home has created. WCI employees, our trade partners, sponsors, volunteers and cheering crowds united under a common flag to make something great happen, the start of something special. New connections made, relationships strengthened and commitments cemented will continue to produce great things, the impact exponential over time and space. The idea of "Pay It Forward" realized.
So tomorrow we'll pack up and rejoin our co-workers who have been working hard on the front lines to provide "The Experience Is Everything" excellence to every WCI customer, every day, across all of our lines of business and regions around the country. And while some might think not having any cameras, swooning Ty fans or blue shirts around will be a letdown, honestly, all that could matter less. We built an exceptional home for an exceptional family ... that is what we always strive to do and deliver to every WCI resident. That is the extreme meaning of "The Experience Is Everything."
January 13 - Keyed -In
What can you do in 100 hours? At an average pace of 3 mph, walk from Tampa to Savannah, Georgia (assuming no breaks). Complete 400 "Ultimate Abs 15-minute Work-outs." Watch the "It's A Very Brady Christmas" one-hour special 100 times. Or, if you're WCI, build a house.
In 100 hours the WCI Ye Extreme Krewe went from dirt to a dream. It began on Monday afternoon with SWS and Collins Site development clearing the site. On Tuesday at noon, construction officially began with A-Z Masonry, Elite Construction and Bill Stancel Masonry & Concrete setting the form and foundation. Then on Wednesday Art McBride Carpentry, Builders FirstSource, Central Florida Truss and Rafo Corporation took over to frame and roof the house, with A.B.F. Drywall and Distinctive Finishes following right behind to stucco, drywall and paint.
From there, a host of trade partners moved in: Premier Electric, Precision Plumbing, Imperial Air Conditioning of Tampa, Sun State Landscaping, OTB Architectural Elements, Polkow Construction, Advanced Roofing Services, Natural Stone Concepts, Creative Touch Interiors, Coleman Floor Company and Whirlpool. Starting Thursday night, these companies and others rallied non-stop into this morning to make this house a home for the Tates.
100 hours later we have arrived. Rob Woods and Eddie Hall handed the keys over to Extreme Designer Tracy Hutson to begin furnishing this afternoon. They will work through the night to have the home ready for the Tate family's return tomorrow.
The WCI Ye Extreme Krewe achieved what many have called the most incredible residence Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has ever been involved with. For many on the team, this was perhaps the most incredible experience they have had in their profesional lives. At the end of it all, our greatest wish is that this home is everything the Tates dreamed the experience would be.
January 12 - The Final Push
There are times around this job site when I feel like Rip Van Winkle. Unlike Rip, none of us have enjoyed much sleep this past week - get in four or five hours and you are loving life - but like Mr. Van Winkle, return from a few hours shut eye and the world around you has changed.
As I rounded the corner of Channel Drive this morning such was the world that greeted me from the Tate home. With the exterior paint complete and the majority of the exterior architectural details set, the beauty and charm of this home have come to life.
Spanish Ecletic was the perfect elevation choice for this home. The look perfectly captures the spirit of South Tampa, and I believe, the character of this family. We'll confirm that Sunday afternoon when we all "Move That Bus!"
This afternoon the focus was on tiling the roof, installing larger landscape specimens, completing the cabinetry, trim work and interior painting. By nightfall, the roof was complete, landscape well defined, cabinetry installed and interior paint flying.
Tomorrow is the big day. The house will be completed and the furniture install will begin.
What an amazing experience this has been.
January 11 – There is a House Somewhere Underneath All Those Blue Shirts
“Swarm” is one of those words you typically do not associate with a positive experience. Fire ants, piranha, hornets, teenage girls at a Justin Timberlake concert … these are swarms you want to avoid. Today, however, the spectators, krewe, volunteers and sponsors all were caught up and amazed by a swarm of blue shirts.
On the roof, along the walls, on the ground and in the ceiling, it seemed every square inch of the Tate family home was covered by one trade or another. Between roofers, stucco teams, electricians, plumbers, drywallers and painters there might have been 200 – 300 people working in unison at any one time, their moves perfectly choreographed to get the job done. As Construction Manager Eddie Hall explained, “It’s like a football team. Each person plays their position, but they know if they don’t work together, they’re not going to win.”"
Playing to win is exactly the attitude the team took to the field on Thursday. From the dawn’s first light they were driving hard, the roof completely sheathed at 11:01am when the “WCI Ye Extreme Krewe” flag was raised signaling the team was half way home. As rolls of paper were then tacked up top, stucco teams swarmed the house so that by nightfall paint crews from Distinctive Finishes could begin their work on the exterior. Meanwhile, inside the home, A.B.F. Drywall and Distinctive synched up so that come Friday morning, drywall would be ready for painting.
The team is feeling really good about Friday. The weather has warmed back up, after just two and a half days of construction the home is looking fabulous, and we’re expecting a big crowd to come out and cheer the Extreme Krewe on Friday Night. If you’re in the vicinity, “Come Out & Shout!”
January 10 - Raise The Roof
At noon on Tuesday we were standing on a vacant lot surrounded by pirates, cameras and an anxious need to get cranking. As the clock struck 11pm on Wednesday night, Art McBride Carpentry had framing about complete and the team from Rafo was beginning truss work on the roof. Come morning, the roof will be done.
Where no more than 48 hours ago a burned out shell stood, clear evidence of the tragedy which befell the Tate family, now we see a spectacular home rise with the promise the family deserves. It's easy enough to report but hard to imagine all that has been accomplished here in just a day and a half of construction.
But there's still a long way to go, and what lies ahead over Thursday and Friday are "the rough hours."
It's cold (at least by Florida standards), windy, lack of sleep is catching up and adrenaline resources are easing down. Now is the time when the build team needs to draw its energy not only from a cup of coffee or can of Red Bull, but from the cheers, support and energy of the crowd and volunteers.
There was a good crowd out tonight cheering on the framing crew. WCI staff threw Ye Extreme Krewe beads and t-shirts to further pump them up, and the boys on the build appreciated the support. Hopefully we'll keep seeing more and more folks in the spectator gallery, because over the next three days we need folks to "Come On Out & Shout!"
Thursday's focus is stucco, rough-ins and the start of drywall. We're staying ahead of schedule and making every hour count. It will be amazing to see what the next twenty-four brings.
January 9 - The Krewe Has Landed
Following the overnight clearing and remediation of the site, more than 300 WCI employees, trade partners and pirates took to the streets and marched to the job site to begin construction. The excitement that filled us all and enthusiasm to get started was ... wait a minute, pirates?
Yes, pirates aboard a cannon laden float led us into battle. A unique aspect of the Tampa experience and driving force for positive community impact are local Krewes, social organizations comprised of area civic and business leaders.
The most famous of these is Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, the annual hosts of the Gasparilla pirate invasion and parade, and the force that led us into battle today.
That flag flew proud at the conclusion of our march when Ty Pennington introduced WCI to the Extreme Makeover Design team. "We at WCI believe 'The Experience Is Everything,'" David Fry shared with group, "and this week our team is going to deliver an amazing experience to the Tate family."
With that, the time finally came to get to work. As Production Manager Shane Pledger summed it up, "The cart is loaded, and the mule is blind."
And that mule kicked it all day long and into the night with no signs of slowing down. Foundation work and block are going up, and Rob Woods reports we are pacing ahead of schedule.
Wednesday is a big day with completion of the foundation and the start of framing. The Krewe has been let loose ... stay tuned for one extreme experience!
January 8 - Bringing Down the Roof
A quickly developing theme for the week is moments. In moments lives can change. On June 12, 2006 a tragic moment changed the Tate family's life and took their home from them. In a series of moments over the course of this week, WCI, our trade partners, sponsors and Extreme Makeover will bring this family home once more.
Today's moment was when the SWS team marched in and leveled what remained of the damaged structure. With amazing speed, they leveled the site and began the necessary soil remediation given the jet fuel spilled during the accident.
Once the site was cleared, Collins Site Development came in and removed a large tree burned and devastated during the fire.
Throughout the night site prep work will continue, so that in the morning we can march to the site and begin construction.
As for the Tate Family, while they are surely off enjoying their vacation, from the conversation we shared when meeting them on Sunday, I am sure this evening they donned their orange & blue and watched the University of Florida take the field to win the National Championship with resounding authority. They accomplished what many said they could never do ... like building a house in a week. GO GATORS & GO WCI!!
January 7 - Knock, Knock
With the crackle of a bullhorn, a sleepy South Tampa Sunday morning was transformed. A family learned their wish was coming true, a neighborhood transformed into a construction/Hollywood set and the Tampa community learned they were hosting the first Extreme Makeover build of 2007.
Today was also the day the WCI team met Tom and Cynthia Tate and their three children. Our encounter came just as the film crew broke for lunch, the Tate's awestruck by the enormity of all that was happening to them, and our team humbled by their pure gratitude and joy.
We came together in what was their front yard, the burned out skeleton of their home a backdrop to our conversation. Hugs, appreciation, amazement, laughter and tears were shared between two groups of people that had never met. Ultimately, it was Tom who captured the moment best, holding Cynthia and simply repeating, "This is what we've dreamed of." He spoke for us all.
Tonight we begin staging the site in preparation for SWS who will come in on Monday to run the demolition. A day later it will be WCI's turn, when what we've dreamed of and planned for will begin in full force.
