I am not Dead…
November 25th, 2008
…just been busy. I have been doing a lot of research on how it is that I am going to pull off my vision for this ministry. On the surface the plan seems so simple. Build a few homes invite some families in crisis to live in the m for 3-4 months while we help them sort out their lives and then continue working with them for a year to ensure they are on their way. Researching this seems to make it seem more difficult to do. I am sure it is just the overwhelming amount of data I am looking at.
I have looked a t a number of things and have come to the conclusion that this is going to cost quite a bit of money up front. I refuse to build on credit so each place will have to be completely paid for before it is built. Based upon my research I am looking at a building cost of 2 to 2.5 million dollars. This is if I can not get donated materials and labor. I do not want to count on these things but it will be the icing on the cake if it can happen. I also require permanent structures for all of the buildings so the idea of buying some land and hauling in a bunch of trailers is out of the idea. The other thing is that the place has to be built in a way that that will reduce operational costs, which generally drives up initial costs. One of the things I have settled on is a basic construction type. I am looking at post and beam straw bale construction. The benefits far outweigh the initial costs and provide a superior structure to typical wood framing. this is just one of the many things I am researching. I am looking at water systems, power generation, and a slew of other things. I still have a lot to learn on this journey, but it is exciting. Please pray that I do not get bogged down in the details.
I have looked a t a number of things and have come to the conclusion that this is going to cost quite a bit of money up front. I refuse to build on credit so each place will have to be completely paid for before it is built. Based upon my research I am looking at a building cost of 2 to 2.5 million dollars. This is if I can not get donated materials and labor. I do not want to count on these things but it will be the icing on the cake if it can happen. I also require permanent structures for all of the buildings so the idea of buying some land and hauling in a bunch of trailers is out of the idea. The other thing is that the place has to be built in a way that that will reduce operational costs, which generally drives up initial costs. One of the things I have settled on is a basic construction type. I am looking at post and beam straw bale construction. The benefits far outweigh the initial costs and provide a superior structure to typical wood framing. this is just one of the many things I am researching. I am looking at water systems, power generation, and a slew of other things. I still have a lot to learn on this journey, but it is exciting. Please pray that I do not get bogged down in the details.