Women as Builders

I wish I recalled where I read the story, but a Michigan fellow went to Mexico where his son (or grandson?) was marrying a local gal. In conjunction with the wedding, I do not recall if it was before or after, he observed the locals building a home for the newlyweds. He described the making of roof tiles, shaping the wet mud over one's thigh, then setting them out to dry in the sun before placing the tiles atop the adobe structure. Sure, several of the tiles would break, during as well as after drying, but even those shards had useful applications elsewhere. By the time the fellow was due to leave, the newlyweds had their own home, with no mortgage, effectively built by themselves and their community.

Another unremembered source indicated to me that in many Southwestern Indian/Mexican cultures, the home was the domain of the women, not only in the keeping but also in the construction. At a friend's house recently, I watched a television show about current-day Russian reindeer herders who used poles and hides to erect tents much like the Tipis of the American Plains Indians. These too are built (assembled?) by the women.

So why does the current culture feel that building is something only a strong man can do? Doubtless the differing standards of construction has much to do with it. In many areas codes no longer allow for the types of structures women have built and lived in for countless centuries, instead requiring commercial materials that are not as easily handled by a single or group of individuals. I fully believe any woman can build her own home, whether using older indigenous styles or more modern methods. Allow the code to guide you past mistakes they were written to address, but don't be afraid to suggest uncommon methods to an inspector if you must deal with one. When my grandmother built their retirement house, she used modern methods with some adaptations. She couldn't handle half-inch thick drywall herself, so she used two layers of quarter-inch instead.

Many tools and adaptations exist to allow someone to build solo. Panel lifts, whether for drywall or sheathing, are just one example. (Book reference: Working Alone: Tips and Techniques for Solo Building by John Carroll)

One reason I enjoy working (and living) along is being able to work at my own pace, on my own schedule. I would probably get more done and more quickly if I had someone commenting when I stop to watch the clouds rolling by, or sneak off into the woods to see if that noise might be the porcupine I saw the week before, but it's those exact moments that I savor, that are my rewards for the effort I've put into redefining my life according to my own goals and expectations. I will admit to missing having that special someone to share these things with, but I doubt I will ever miss those days where one wants to be 'productive' and the other wants only to relax!

Most of all, have confidence that what you're doing isn't actually unusual. For eons, humans, just like birds and beavers, have built their own homes. It is only recently, relative to the lifespan of humanity, that we have come to expect others to build our homes for us and be indebted for that service. There is a long history of not only people, but women, building their own homes. You can continue that legacy!