Practical home repair workshops at HRRC
Instructor Bill Knop teaches workshop participants how to separate sidewalk blocks before leveling
This summer, Cleveland Heights homeowner Francine Barnett discovered Home Repair Resource Center’s (HRRC) workshops and was surprised to find how much helpful information they provided. After a class on sidewalk leveling, she raved, “This workshop was very practical, labor intensive and hands-on. The instructor was very knowledgeable and helpful. He was quite focused on the overall process, and on specific problems that arose.”
All Cleveland Heights residents, regardless of income, are welcome to attend HRRC workshops. Volunteer instructors teach the nuts and bolts of common projects, suggest tips for quality work, and make sure that participants get plenty of hands-on practice with the tools and techniques needed to make repairs to older homes.
The ongoing schedule of workshops can be found on HRRC’s website, www.hrrc-ch.org. Upcoming workshop topics include window repair (11/7), taught by Bill Hoose of Hoose Restoration; installing a replacement window (11/14), taught by Jeff Dim of the Pella Window Store; drywall installation (11/21) and interior painting (11/28), both taught by Denis Mullaney of Mullaney Home Repair; and stripping paint (12/5), taught by Tom Hudak of Dumond Chemicals.
If you love to work on your home yourself, or if your economic situation means that you must tackle repairs on a do-it-yourself basis, these classes are a good value. To help offset the cost of materials, most participants pay a modest fee that, depending on income, ranges from no charge to $10. To make classes more affordable, discounts are given to those who prepay for multiple sessions.
Another way to participate in HRRC’s classes is by sharing your expertise as a volunteer instructor. If you’re a professional tradesperson, teaching a class can increase your exposure to potential customers. If you’re a retired tradesperson or hobbyist, teaching a workshop can enable you to use your experience and give back to the community. For information on teaching or attending a class, call HRRC at 216-381-6100, ext. 16.
Rebecca Stager
Becky Stager has been the home repair education coordinator at HRRC since 1989.