Sep. 8--From atop a northern hill alongside North Chestnut Grove Road in Maceo, builder Tommy Thompson looked out Monday at a sea of blue shirts on the site where the foundation for a 3,200-square-foot home is taking shape.

It was the third day of the construction blitz that will end Saturday when Steve and Melissa Mattingly and their two daughters will get the keys to their new home.

"It's about like watching a baby go from three months to six months in one day," Thompson said. "That's a lot of growth."

The family learned Saturday that the producers of the ABC television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" picked them to receive a new home that will be built in less than a week.

The Mattinglys left for a vacation in the Bahamas on Saturday night, courtesy of the show.

Hundreds of skilled workers had leveled the building pad -- removing 4,000 yards of dirt in eight hours Sunday.

On Monday morning, they were digging the perimeter of the foundation. By 11:30 the concrete trucks arrived.

It's all precision work. And Thompson Homes was selected to oversee and implement the construction.

The concrete truck emptied into the first concrete pumper truck, which in turn emptied into the second pumper truck that discharged the concrete into the foundation.

"They used a chemical which is a special mix of calcium chloride to allow the concrete to set up quickly," Thompson said.

After it set up, they put the block around the foundation and prepared to pour the floor slab.

Already visible on the site is a block structure constructed at the end of where the garage will be. It's a "safe room" where the family can go in inclement weather. That's just one of many interesting features of the home.

Workers also have continued to make progress on a 3- to 12-foot high retaining wall that will wrap around the house. An in-ground pool also is being installed.

"This could never happen with this precision and accuracy without the best skilled workers, and we have the best of the best here," Thompson said. "We want speed, but we also want quality, and we have the best tradespeople in our community lending their expertise to make this miracle for this family."

All the products and labor for the home are donated.

George Ballard, the secretary-treasurer of R.A. Alexander & Sons, has moved a lot of the dirt and trees for the project.

"Moving the dirt was not the problem," Ballard said Monday. "Getting the equipment in -- with the 'Door Knock' to the "Braveheart March' -- and getting on the site was challenging."

And then the massive rains came, Ballard said.

The decision not to disturb the ground until the rain was over Saturday night paid off. And then crews made up time Sunday and Monday by running an additional dozer that was standing by in case of a breakdown.

Ballard said he met the show's star, Ty Pennington, and the rapper Xzibit.

"We had to stop for the cameras," Ballard said. "I'm not used to Hollywood ... the scheduling has been a challenge."

The contractor said his brief meeting with Steve Mattingly during a break brought home to him the importance of the fast-paced project.

"He put his hand out and grabbed mine, and then he put his other hand on top of mine, and he said he just wanted to thank me for what we were doing," Ballard said. "We both got emotional, and for me to get mushed up that quick was something, because I was wanting to move dirt."

Ballard said the pre-planning for the job has been a key to their success so far.

"We're a small company, but I can pick up the phone and call anybody for this -- Sterett Equipment, Gaddis Excavating, Hazex, Sam Estes Painting -- and that's just a small list," Ballard said. "They all say, 'How can we help?' "

Hundreds of workers and volunteers were on site Monday as well as a fair amount of spectators.

"You know, we're building memories, and that's what is so cool," Ballard said.

Mary and Layman Hawkins' front lawn is across North Chestnut Grove Road from the Mattinglys' home, and it has been transformed into staging areas for camera trucks; motor homes for two California catering chefs; food tents; and a massage tent.

"I'm ecstatic," Layman Hawkins said. "I'm loving it. When we were building our house, they were over here helping us."

Mary Hawkins said the event is like a well-organized festival. She was one of the chairpersons for the Lewisport Heritage Festival, and she enjoys the activity.

"The only thing is, I don't want to sleep; I'm afraid I'm going to miss something," she said.

The workers expected to start pouring the subfloor Monday evening.

At 7 a.m. today, framing of the house begins with the setting of the first floor walls continuing until 3, Thompson said.

"You will see the house transform itself and start coming out of the ground," he said. "We'll set the roof trusses."

Thompson encouraged residents from the region to come to the site to see "artists at work."

Joy Campbell, 691-7299, jcampbell@messenger-inquirer.com

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