Homes by Hendriks Proudly Named OHBA Award Finalist

We are excited to announce that Homes by Hendriks has been announced a finalist in three categories for the upcoming Ontario Home Builders Association (OHBA) Awards of Distinction. These categories include Most Outstanding Custom Home (2500-5000 sq.ft.), Most Outstanding Home Renovation ($100,000 - $500,000), and Most Outstanding New Home Bathroom. The finalists are judged based on 34 categories of building and design. The winners of the Awards will be announced on September 24th at the Village of Blue Mountain Conference Centre in Collingwood. Stay tuned to see if your favourite Niagara Home Builder comes away with an award!

Most Outstanding Custom Home (2500-5000 sq.ft.):

Most Outstanding Home Renovation ($100,000-$500,000):

Most Outstanding New Home Bathroom:

Humanitarian Build Family Update!

It has been just over six months since Ron, Yvonne, and Rhiana Hendriks of Homes by Hendriks along with over 180 other volunteers through the Ontario Homebuilders' Association completed the Humanitarian Build in the Dominican Republic. If you didn't read our previous blogs about it, the Humanitarian Build's main goal was to build six houses for needy families living in a very poor area (called Aguas Negras) around the Puerto Plata area, it was a huge success!

We recently received an email updating us on the family we built the house for and wanted to share it with you. It was really neat to hear how this week long charity build totally changed the course of six families' lives...

"Masamina (grandmother), Fabio Huma & Jose Lynn and children: Christopher, Miguel, Angel Luis. According to Fabio, everything has changed for his family because of what they experienced during our time with them. Until 'Team Marz' came along, Fabio only dreamed of being able to give his family a new home. Now he feels that they truly have a new found happiness and hope because of their new home. The old house had endless problems and Fabio spent a lot of time and money trying to fix them. Now that he has peace of mind on the state of his family's home, he is free to do other things. Fabio is grateful for all the things the team gave his family, and he vowed to us that he will take good care of them. He remembers speaking Spanish with one of the team members and hopes they have not forgotten him. His family had a lot of fun and laughed a lot with the team. He said that Canadians have good hearts because of their willingness to help. In his own words, he expressed how it is incredible for him to see how God has taken care of his family. Fabio designs and installs metal canopies to houses. It helps to keep the rain out of the house and he has even put a small one on his new house. He hopes to one day make more and sell them in a shop. He wants his children to complete school and become professionals."

What an Experience!

We returned from our trip to the Dominican Republic through the Ontario Home Builders' Association Humanitarian Build and what an experience it was! On November 22nd, my wife Yvonne, our daughter Rhiana and I left for Puerto Plata not really knowing what to expect. Our plane touched down late that evening and after a brief orientation and a short night sleep we loaded up on the back of an open truck with the rest of our team members and headed for the barrio (slum) named Aguas Negras which in Spanish means "black water". I found out the hard way what the black water really was after stepping off the path and sinking half way up my shin in black sludge, it was like stepping into a septic tank. So much for my new work boots. The living conditions are horrible but the people are so friendly and welcoming.

Our association was there to build six houses for some of the families most in need and they were selected by the organization named Hero Holidays. The house we built was for a family of seven. It was very small, about 450 square feet due to the small lot size. The local contractor, Harrison, had most of the block walls up when we got there. We needed to finish the front wall and proceed with forming the top of the block wall with whatever scrap wood we could find. After that, we could then pour concrete into the walls to tie the structure together. All the concrete and mortar was mixed by hand in the middle of the street which Yvonne, Rhiana, and other team members were doing. Everything got hauled inside by using bucket brigades (people getting in a line and handing off buckets to the person next to them down the line). The weather was very hot and humid that day and we were glad we had the morning shift. After a short trip back to the resort and a dip in the pool we where ready for another day. After 4 days passed, the houses where completed with the eager help of the local people. The houses were very simple with stained concrete floors, block walls with a smooth parging coat painted a bright color, corrugated steel roofs, and a concrete shower and toilet. A dedication ceremony was held on Sunday when  the keys were handed over to the families. The whole community was there to watch and participate. It was a very emotional experience knowing that these families now have a dry and safe place to live. I would recommend that everyone should try doing this at least once in your life, it is truely a life altering experience. Posted by Ron Hendriks

Here is what OHBA President Doug Tarry had to say about the Humanitarian Build...

“This was an exhilarating, fulfilling and awesome experience. Our Humanitarian Build is an extension of the wonderful philanthropic work that our
members are involved with each and every day in their own communities across the province.”

Please visit these great links to see more from the Humanitarian Build!

www.humanitarianbuild.com
www.thestar.com.blogs/galebeeby

Humanitarian Build in Dominican Republic Officially Underway!

Tuesday late afternoon our own Ron, Yvonne, and Rhiana Hendriks, along with over 180 other volunteers through the Ontario Homebuilders' Association, landed safely in the Dominican Republic to kickoff the weeklong Humanitarian Build in Puerto Plata. The 2011 OHBA Humanitarian Build and Conference has the main goal of building 6 houses for needy families living in a very poor barrios (called Aguas Negras) around the Puerto Plata area. As it was officially the second day of building today, Rhiana Hendriks (Ron and Yvonne's daughter) had this to say about the first day of the Build...

"We finished one day and are about to start the second! Gonna be a hot day but all the houses are looking good! We have been laying blocks, forming, and hauling lots of fill for the floor. Living conditions are very poor and there is garbage everywhere! Should be a good day and just thought I'd let you all know what we are up to!"

If you want to stay up-to-date with the Humanitarian Build, please check back periodically. You can also visit these great links to get information, recent updates and blogs from the people down in Dominican, and view videos from each day of the Build!

www.humanitarianbuild.com
www.thestar.com.blogs/galebeeby
www.facebook.com/pages/OHBA-Humanitarian-Build/225976494079016

Homes by Hendriks Named One of the Top Three Kitchen Renovators in all Ontario!

Homes by Hendriks has been named one of the top three kitchen renovators at the 2011 Ontario Home Builders' Association Awards of Distinction. They were judged from entries from across the province. Bob Finnigan, OHBA President, had this to say about the OHBA Awards of Distinction; "It is great to be acknowledged for your work by your esteemed peers and this awards program honours the vision of some of Ontario's most creative and talented builders, renovators, designers and marketers. All of those nominated represent the pinnacle of achievement in the residential building industry."

Click here to view photos of the Most Outstanding Kitchen Renovation entry.