It takes a lot of time and effort to build a house.
Ashley Patrie is embracing the challenge as she slips into steel-toe boots and a hard hat at the latest Habitat for Humanity Women Build construction site.
The five bedroom house on Alfred Avenue will eventually be hers to live in with her five children.
The single mother was selected as the partner family for this year’s Women Build home, and Patrie couldn’t be happier.
“We’ll all have more space and be able to enjoy life a bit more,” Patrie said.
Ashley’s four sons and one daughter range in age from 9-months to 14-years old. They live in a small three bedroom rental.
“Most of the places I’ve lived in, the kitchens are never big enough for us to eat dinner together so we eat dinner in the living room.”
The living room is also where 11-year-old Mika sleeps at night instead of sharing a room with her brothers.
“She’s been sleeping upstairs on the couch for the last little while cause she wants that space from them. So it would be nice for her to have her own room,” Patrie said.
In addition to going to her full time job, Patrie has been spending time on the build site as well as the Habitat ReStore to work off the 500 hours of sweat equity required by Habitat for Humanity to be a partner family.
While families don’t have to raise the money for a down payment, they do take on the mortgage for the house.
“It’s amazing to think that by the end of the year we’ll be moved into (the house) and we’ll get to spend Christmas there.”
Habitat for Humanity has built nearly 400 houses in Manitoba to help working families become first time home buyers. The house on Alfred Avenue built in 2018 is the 15th Women Build construction.