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Steamboat Springs — For single mother Melissa Kerbs, the best part of owning a home will be that her young sons will have their own rooms for the first time.

Kerbs beamed as she gave a tour of her partially built home Saturday. While she glossed over her downstairs bedroom - currently storing an uninstalled bathtub - she was eager to put out the upstairs amenities, slipping through the framing to highlight the bathroom that's big enough for the two boys to share.

"They'll have two sinks, which is nice because they won't have to fight while they brush their teeth," Kerbs said. "It'll be a nice change for them."

Kerbs, along with long-time Steamboat resident Marissa Jaime, are the two recipients of homes in a duplex being built in West End Village by Routt County Habitat for Humanity. Kerbs, an employee at Yampa Valley Medical Center, has two sons ages 10 and 8. Jaime, the front desk clerk at The Antlers in Ski Time Square, has six children ranging in ages from 9 to 20.

Two teams of local realtors and others affiliated with the real estate industry descended on West End Village on Saturday, donating their time, effort and $1,000 to the construction fund.

Although the Affiliate Partnership Council of the Steamboat Springs Board of Realtors has been around for several years, Saturday was its first community service day, and the members hope to make it annual tradition, said Kathryn Pedersen, who works at First National Bank of Steamboat. Pedersen helped install windows at the duplex during her shift.

"We've focused more on helping realtors and doing stuff for them, and we wanted to branch out," APC President John McCollum said.

Since construction of the duplex began last year, crews have varied from church teams, to local businesses, to unaffiliated families and individuals looking to volunteer their time. No construction experience is required, since construction professionals are on-site to delegate tasks and supervise.

"I just inventory peoples' skills and interests, see what they're comfortable with and line it up with what needs to be done," said construction manager Leif Myhre, as he advised a volunteer on a malfunctioning power tool.

The APC crew was mostly made up of self-described construction "rookies," whose experience before Saturday consisted of little beyond minor home repairs, McCollum said.

Construction of the duplex is due to be completed later this year, hopefully in time for Mother's Day.

Homes built by Routt County Habitat for Humanity are sold to low-income families at cost, with a 30-year, zero-interest mortgage held by the organization. To qualify for a home, a family must earn less than 60 percent of the area median income.

Recipients, along with friends and family, must donate at least 350 hours of sweat equity to the building of their homes.

Participating in the construction has been an enlightening experience for Kerbs.

"I definitely have a newfound respect for construction workers," Kerbs said, as she moved siding at the site. "I'm wiped out after a day here."