House Built by FCPS Students Will Cost You Nearly $1 Million

Want to buy a 5,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Fairfax County house designed for residents to age in place?

The house is on the market in Springfield for $935,000. Its contractors: FCPS high school students.

The house, which took 17 months to complete, was built as part of FCPS’ residential construction program.

For 45 years, FCPS has partnered with the Foundation for Applied Technical Education, Inc. (FATE). Together, they have built 23 houses.

This latest house is unique because it incorporates elements of Universal Design, which make the home livable through all stages of life, FCPS said in a release.

Says FCPS:

A Universal Design house incorporates aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act and includes features such as a first floor bedroom with accessible bathroom, 36-inch doorways throughout, wide hallways, an intercom system, nonslip flooring, minimal transition into the home, raised outlets, lowered switches, and blocking behind the drywall for grab bars.

The home also has a set of stacked closets that could be converted into an elevator shaft.  Universal Design homes appeal to buyers who are looking for features that make the home more accessible to an individual with limited mobility.

More than 90 students from eight high schools in FCPS worked on the house. The students in the program are preparing for careers as builders, contractors, electricians, plumbers, masons, architects, and construction managers.

Among the tasks performed by FCPS students are floor and wall framing; hanging doors and windows; assembling gable ends; applying soffits; reading blueprints; laying foundations; constructing stairs; installing hardwood flooring, cabinets, and crown molding; and performing various trim work. Small groups of students are also provided with instruction from the professional trades in masonry, concrete finishing, painting, plumbing, and heating and air conditioning.

The construction students were aided by more than 40 students from the electrical construction and engineering program at Edison Academy. These students worked under a licensed master electrician to install the electrical system of the house, including low-voltage lighting; a whole-house intercom and stereo system; TV-cable-data connections; lighting and outlets; and appliance preparation.

If you are house shopping, note there are granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, a walk-in pantry and a location near Metro.

The house at 7002 Springville Court is listed by Michelle Gordon and Karen Olmstead of Long & Foster Real Estate, 703-598-1040 .

Check it out at this online listing site.