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GREENSBORO — Under a cool rain Friday, volunteers began to transform Melvin Warren’s 50-year-old home off East Lee Street.

They tore out part of the floor in the kitchen to repair joists rotted away by water leaks. They stripped the bathroom, including the sink that Warren, 77, propped up with a piece of wood because it was falling off the wall. And in the next week or so, they’ll tear up the old shingles and give Warren a new roof.

The estimated $12,000 in work is part of “Project Rebuild.” The program pairs volunteers from Guilford County’s eight Rotary Clubs with professionals through the nonprofit Housing Greensboro to help low-income homeowners fix their houses. In three years, the Rotarians have raised more than $40,000 for materials and donated more than 1,000 hours.

“It’ll be good when they get through,” Warren said Friday as he watched “The Jerry Springer Show” while workers scurried about his small house.

The Rotarians began work Friday on three homes, all with elderly owners who could not afford repairs. They’ll work over the next few weekends.

Most of the workers had taken the day off their regular jobs Friday to volunteer to work on Warren’s home.

Slade Lewis, 43, a member of the Guilford Rotary, likes the mission of “Project Rebuild” compared with programs that build new homes.

“Think about how many more houses you can save with a lot less money,” he said. “Plus, it makes you feel good to help somebody in the community.”

Lewis, an insurance broker with Craft Insurance, took part of the day off with his boss’s blessing. Others used vacation time.

A handful of volunteers help out the professionals at each site. They lug around lumber, cut materials, tear out the old and install the new. Some have experience in construction, others learn as they go with guidance from the pros.

Workers planned to have the toilet installed and appliances connected Friday afternoon so Warren can stay at his home while repairs continue.

Warren retired several years ago after working 15 years in sales at Sears and later as a janitor. He still works occasionally as a janitor but said he lives mostly off Social Security.

He found out about Housing Greensboro through his daughter and was thrilled when his application for help was accepted. The work would probably have cost closer to $18,000 if Warren had gone through private contractors, said David Dorich, a construction leader with Housing Greensboro.

Warren said he knew the house needed work, but he just couldn’t afford it.

“You know how high everything is,” Warren said. “That’s just a major thing.”

Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com