College selling student-built house

 For $65,000, Flathead Valley Community College will sell the three-bedroom, two-bath,1,450-square-foot house built by students.

Home features including dual-glazed windows, prefinished cabinets, energy-efficient lighting systems, vaulted ceilings, a walk-in closet, laminated countertops, low-flow toilets, efficient insulation and a separate laundry room.

The home can be easily moved to a permanent foundation on the buyer’s property.

Eight building trades students spent fall and spring semesters constructing the system-built house in two halves.

They built the home to meet code requirements for a permanent foundation.

“The students have produced a well-built home that can withstand the stress of being transported from one location to another,” said Greg Waldrop, building trades apprentice coordinator.

According to Waldrop, this year marked the student build home program’s 16th year. The Flathead Building Association helps sponsors the program.

Proceeds from the sale of each house help pay for construction of subsequent houses.

This year was the second year the students constructed a transportable home. Last year’s inaugural transportable home was purchased by Scott and Michelle Hadwin of Kalispell.

 “Each year, we evaluate our local housing market to decide what type of home would best meet the needs of our local community,” Waldrop said. “We found that a transportable home gives people more flexibility.”

He added that students benefit from the skill set they learn while working on the job and community members benefit from the opportunity to purchase affordable, high-quality home.

 For more information about the home or about the building trades program, contact Waldrop at 249-6584.