Thanks to the collaboration between roof manufacturer GAF-Tuscaloosa and Habitat for Humanity, Verna Smith will become the new homeowner in just five days.

This fast-paced construction project is called Lightning Construction by the organizers and will be carried out on 25th Street in West Tuscaloosa.

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Smith said that she is very happy to have the opportunity to own her first home, and she will live with her 16-year-old granddaughter Antevaneka Myers. Smith has five other grandchildren, and she said they would spend the weekend with her in this three-bedroom house.

"This is really a blessing. I am really grateful. The first reason I am grateful is because it gives me the opportunity to become a homeowner," Smith said, adding that considering Tuscaloosa's The cost of rent and getting an affordable house is a great benefit for her and her family.

Smith believes that having a home will change her life and the lives of her family for many years to come.

"I don't have to move as often as I do now," Smith said. "I don't have to worry about my children or grandchildren, they will always have a place they can call home."

Smith's house is fully sponsored by GAF, the Tuscaloosa factory, the largest roofing manufacturer in North America. The company provided Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa with $100,000 to cover the cost of the house and gave 75 employees time to process the house within a week. The company also donated money to Habitat to help the organization purchase 40 plots for the construction of future houses.

"We will build this house in five days. We start at 7 am on Monday morning and we will finish it on Friday afternoon," said Alan Potts, executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Tuscaloosa. 

Completing such a rapid construction work requires not only coordination on the job site, but also coordination with the building inspectors in Tuscaloosa, who must arrive in accordance with a strictly managed timetable for the lightning construction work.

"We are fortunate to have our city inspectors because they are very willing to help when we carry out constructions like this. They are always willing to come out when we need them, and if we finish early and call them, they will Try to get here as fast as possible. The city and their inspectors are happy to work with us," Potts said.

GAF CEO Jim Schnepper lifted his company's shingles onto scaffolding in bundles on site to prepare for roof work. GAF has established a long-term partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

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"For most of my career, we have been working with Habitat. I have been with GAF for 27 years, so it has been a long time. Locally, we donated 100,000 from our Tuscaloosa factory. Square feet (roofing material). We do this for all our factories and encourage them to give back to the communities in which they are located," Schnepper said.

Although the cooperation between GAF and Habitat is not new, this is the first time GAF has fully sponsored a house in Tuscaloosa, and it is also the first time they have carried out lightning construction here. 

"It's great to be able to give back to the communities where we have operations and facilities," Schneider said.