RALEIGH - The clatter of hammers, the whir of electric saws and the whoosh of nail guns formed an unlikely orchestra Saturday. Together, they created an inspiring piece of music that might be called "The Homeowner's Symphony."

Their driving cadences brought a wide smile to the face of Johnnie Mae White, who will make the house off Poole Road her first home after it is finished this week.

"This is like a dream come true for me and my two daughters," said White, a 45-year-old teachers assistant at Daniels Middle School. "We've never had a place we could really call our own."

By the end of the week, 14 other families across the Triangle -- and 263 around the nation -- will become homeowners thanks to Habitat for Humanity's Home Builders Blitz, which got under way Saturday.

The nonprofit organization is working with thousands of professional contractors and building supply companies across America who are donating the labor, materials and expertise needed to build homes from the ground up in just one week.

Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 250,000 homes around the world, including 319 in Wake County.

"It usually takes us 20 to 22 weeks to complete a house because we rely on volunteers who mostly work on weekends," said Nancy Arne Jones, director of development and communications at Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. "It's great to see them go up so quickly."

Now a national program, the builders blitz has local roots. It was the brainchild of Tom Gipson, a Raleigh builder who in 2002 convinced his colleagues to build homes fast and for free.

This week's blitz in Wake County -- the fourth so far -- is being spearheaded by the 29 members of the Triangle Builders Guild, an association of custom home builders. In addition to donating their own services, they have recruited an army of subcontractors and suppliers.

"I've been amazed by the response," said Dave Hawley, owner of Timberline Builders, which is overseeing construction of White's two-story home. "Everybody we asked for help said yes without a moment's hesitation."

The effort offers builders an opportunity to do what they do best for a good cause.

"I've seen athletes visit hospitals to cheer up kids and thought that's something I'd like to do," said Owen Williams, an owner of Williams Realty & Building Co. "But I don't think the kids would be too thrilled to see me. This gives us an avenue for giving back to the community and to people who deserve a break."

White had always assumed that because she works two jobs in her 11-hour day -- at Daniels Middle School and the Jordan Center day care facility in Raleigh -- she couldn't qualify for a Habitat for Humanity home. Then a co-worker told her such stability is a requirement.

The homes may be built at no cost, but they are not free. Habitat for Humanity usually buys the land and has other expenses. So, after contributing 250 hours of sweat equity and making a $1,250 down payment, White will carry a 20-year, interest-free mortgage from Habitat for Humanity with monthly payments of $550.

As she watched her first home rising before her eyes, White said she is happy that her teenage daughters will finally have their own bedrooms. The longtime apartment dweller is looking forward to being able to paint her walls "whichever color I want" and not having landlords "with keys who can come and go as they please."

She does have one concern: "I only have indoor plants and not much of a green thumb," she said with a laugh. "The yard, I don't know."

Still, as the air filled with the songs of construction, she smiled at the suggestion that even the lawn mower's growl might sound like sweet music to a homeowner's ear.