Volunteer on our Construction Sites

Participation Details

• Site hours are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday, except statutory holidays
• Upon arrival, sign the attendance log and don your hard hat and boots. We have plenty of work gloves.  Also, please note that long pants are required at all times, regardless of the temperature. 
• We then have a daily safety briefing which you are required to attend so please arrive on time!
• Work is assigned.  Assignments are based on your skills and abilities.  At no time will you be asked to perform work that is unsafe or that you are not comfortable doing.  We make every attempt to pair inexperienced volunteers with a crew leader
• You gather the tools, equipment and supplies we provide and begin work.
• At 10 am, we take a 15 minute break. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cookies are available.  We have a heated first aid room where you can warm up.
• At noon, we take a 45 minute lunch break. We have a refrigerator and microwave on most sites.  In some cases, food outlets may be located nearby.
• Depending on the nature of the work you are doing, we begin cleanup between 3:30 - 3:45 pm.
• You then sign out and head home with our sincere gratitude for your help.

Typical Activities

With minor exceptions for certified trade work, we perform nearly every task required to build our homes. And because certain tasks cannot begin until others are completed and inspected, it is difficult to predict exactly what we will be doing on any given day.

Sheftel Court; May 2008

At our build site, you could be:

• Landscaping
• Installing weatherproofing to exterior walls
• Helping install rim joists, floor joists and sub-floor decking
• Building and erecting wall panels
• Erecting scaffolding
• Building, sheeting or shingling the roof
• Installing windows & doors
• Installing siding
• Installing trim
• Installing cabinets
• Framing interior walls
• Painting interior or exterior walls
• Building porches or decks
• Landscaping
• Touch ups

Site Safety

Safety is paramount at Habitat for Humanity Calgary.  Please take a moment to prepare for your experience as a construction volunteer by reviewing the following safety video: http://habitat.ca/habitatcanadasafetyvideop1793.php

Also, please note that long pants are required at all times, regardless of the temperature.