Articles Home / Wiscasset Newspaper
March 2, 2000
New Shelter Institute Campus Inspires Future Home Builders
Greg Foster
| |
 |
The Institute
The Institute's new home, just off Route 1 in Woolwich near the Wiscasset town line. (Photo Greg Foster) |
"Our excitement comes from being on this new campus. Students come here and see our building and explain, 'This is like what I want to do.'" -- Patsy Hennin
Who has not dreamed of building his or her own home? That's as far as it gets for most people, however. Cost factors, lack of skills, and what seems like an overwhelming task keep most people from fulfilling their dream.
But Pat and Patsy Hennin of Woolwich have been in the business of helping people see things differently and make such dreams a reality as operators of the Shelter Institute -- even for those who have never lifted a hammer.
Now with its new 68-acre campus off Route 1 in Woolwich, the well-known family enterprise can really show people what they're capable of doing.
"Our excitement comes from being on this new campus," Patsy said. "Students come here and see our building and exclaim, 'This is like what I want to do.' "
Until last year, the Hennins have operated their unique training school in downtown Bath, but students have found the new site an inspiration. "It is easier for them to imagine here what their home could be like," she said.
Once prospective home-builders attend their classes, they not only begin to see how their dream can come true, they realize it doesn't have to cost a fortune..
Over the past 26 years the Hennins have seen many success stories. Many of the 24,000 students from all over the world have gone on to build their own homes.
"The biggest thing is convincing people that they can do it," said Gaius Hennin, one of the Hennin's sons and the young father of two. Gaius and his brother Raoul have each built their own homes in Woolwich.
"One thing that happens to people here is that something grows inside of them. They become confident that they can do it," Patsy said. "It's very empowering, and they realize it's not a huge unending task, and it's fun."
The key to the Hennins' methods of teaching students is they take it step- by-step in bite-sized portions so they do not become discouraged.
"They come as one person and leave as another. It's a blast. I have incredible tales," Patsy said. She has a long list of people who have taken courses, from architects to surgeons, from the age of 16 to 80.
She recalled one instance of a 55-year-old architect who had never built anything.
"He had no practical skills," she said. "I remember when he first came in and had classes. He has been building ever since. It has reoriented his whole thinking."
Many come to spend a summer vacation taking either the three-week foundation course or a two-week condensed version of it. Other stu-dents, who are within commuting distance, take a 15-week course offered every Saturday morning during the winter months.
The summer courses are like an adult summer camp, she said. There are no classes scheduled on the weekends so that people can either spend time sightseeing, boating on Montsweag Bay from the property or participate in any number of building projects for which former students request help. This gives them the chance for hands-on experience in various aspects of building. There are also other hands-on opportunities during the week of classes.
Although the post and beam form of construction is something they are well-known for, they teach many forms of construction, as well as reconstruction and renovation work.
"We teach every kind of construction, how to mix and match studs and frame types," Patsy said. She explained that some people have the mistaken notion they deal only with post and beam without foundations.
A real estate salesperson, Patsy has one thing she insists upon whatever the students' choice of construction. "We feel all houses should be built for resale. We tell them they don't want to make it so weird it will never sell," she said.
Students learn basic principals that are applicable to any form of construction.
At the new location, students will now be able to witness the construction of various types of foundations from poured concrete to floating concrete slabs. They can see how posts and beams are made in the new timberframe facility adjacent to the new classroom, store building.
In the classroom-store structure, customers can purchase all manner of tools and home products, such as lighting, windows, and flooring, as well as books on all aspects of building construction.
There are classes available on house building to groundbreaking and from cabinet-making to house systems. Students learn framing from 12 inches to 12 feet on center, siting, permitting, building codes, solar gain, window and door installation, joinery, chimney building, practical problem solving, drafting and much more.
"We show people how to do their own wiring and plumbing. A lot of our students do their own and they're thrilled," Patsy said.
Much of the construction is state-of-the-art, including such innovations as floor heating systems whereby hot water heat emanates from concrete floor panels, she said.
"We believe in choosing materials wisely," she said. "We make use of wonderful environmentally sound products, products that we're really proud of, things we've had and know they work very well."
Not everyone goes to the institute to build a new home, however. Some are looking for skills in renovating an existing home.
Students also come back for refresher courses at half price and special workshops or lectures to acquire more skills.
Courses offered at the institute are also good for college credit, Patsy said.
This year for the first time the institute is offering a timber frame kit, which is a one and one-half story cape with knee-wall and pitched roof. The institute delivers the kits, raises the frame, and puts on the metal roofing if desired.
The kits, which come in 20 feet by 20 feet and 24 feet by 24 feet sizes, can go up in one day on the customer's foundation.
The institute also offers a design service to go along with the kits for designing engineering and pricing of a custom style, shape or size.
Anyone desiring more information can contact the institute at the new Woolwich address: Shelter Institute, 873 Rte 1, Woolwich, ME 04579 or check out the Web site: www.shelter institute.com or e-mail: situte@gwi.net.
Read more at http://wiscassetnewspaper.maine.com
