DENTON, TX — What began as a simple weekend project for 47-year-old accountant Greg Halvorsen has spiraled into what neighbors are calling ‘the most overbuilt birdhouse in county history,’ complete with load-bearing walls, a permit from the city planning office, and a consultation fee paid to a licensed structural engineer.
Halvorsen, who purchased a $12 birdhouse kit at his local hardware store, said he simply wanted the finished product to ‘last a while’ and ‘maybe support the weight of a slightly larger bird, hypothetically.’ Three months and $4,300 later, the birdhouse features reinforced steel joists, a poured concrete foundation, and what Halvorsen describes as ‘a really solid roofline, if I do say so myself.’
‘He called me in a panic because he was worried about wind load on the roof of a structure meant for a single sparrow,’ said structural engineer Dana Whitmore, who has visited the property four times. ‘I told him the birdhouse could technically survive a Category 2 hurricane. He seemed relieved but then asked if we could also make it earthquake-resistant. I said sure, for another eleven hundred dollars.’
The city’s building inspector, Carl Pruitt, confirmed that Halvorsen’s birdhouse is the first accessory structure under two square feet to require a full electrical inspection, on account of the small solar-powered heating element Halvorsen installed ‘just in case it gets a bit nippy out there.’ No birds have yet moved in, though Halvorsen insists this is simply because ‘word hasn’t gotten around the neighborhood yet about how nice it is.’
Halvorsen’s wife, Carol, said she has stopped asking questions about the garage, where he has reportedly begun sketching blueprints for a doghouse he describes only as ‘load-bearing, obviously.’
