Many hands make light work – especially when you have a crane.

A team of union apprentices and instructors assembled recently to help Habitat Greater Boston get five families one step closer to becoming homeowners in Malden.

Over two weeks in September and October, Nappy Crane Service in Everett provided a crane and operator to lift preassembled roof trusses into place atop the five-townhome building where they were installed by apprentices from the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund. 

Trusses are triangular supports that form the structure for the building’s peaked roof. The size and length of the building made using traditional rafters impractical, but installing the hulking trusses required special skills and equipment.

That’s when the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund and Nappy Crane Service stepped in to help out.

“It was a lot of work that would’ve taken our staff significantly longer to complete,” said Gerry Patton, Habitat Greater Boston’s director of construction and real estate development, adding that help from the union apprentices and crane company were game changers for the project. “They have a real commitment and a strong desire to help and do good in the community.”

Installing the trusses is also an important milestone in the construction process. With them in place, the next step is installing the roof and buttoning up the exterior so work can continue throughout the winter.

The five partner families selected for the Malden homes have been working hard alongside Habitat Greater Boston staff and volunteers and are looking forward to finally becoming homeowners.