Hi everybody! I thought I would just let you know that the Extreme Home Makeover show that is on this Sunday (it's a two hour show, starting an hour earlier than normal) is about a house that was build about a mile down the road from us.
This area was in total upheaval for over a week! All the roads even close to the house were blocked off, which made getting to the post office real fun. The house is real pretty...part of the landscaping has washed away since we are on our 26th day of rain...that's a bummer!
Anyway...just thought I'd let you know incase you'd like to watch!
I'll be sure to check it out. I wondered how chaotic it was around the area where they are working on a house. I usually watch this show each week, but have missed a couple this season. Now I'll be sure to get myself back in the habit.
Well, I tell ya, Teresa...it was a bit too crazy around here for my liking! There were so many of the roads blocked off that we had to find other ways to get to where we were going. Fortunately where I work is in the opposite direction of where the house is so it didn't effect my commute.
The son of a long time friend of mine owns a roofing company and he was hired to do the roof. He said he didn't have a big enough crew and had to bring in another local roofing company to help out.
My hubby is a contractor and said he would not even want to work on a house with a one week deadline. Everyone is working around everyone else and it really gets insane. Of course, they don't show you that part!
According to my friend's son, the 'design team' was seldom there. Though in the tv show it looks like they are there for the entire thing!
I wonder how this new home will effect our property taxes for this year. I would guess it's worth to be at least $500,000. This is a very rural area with a lot of old farms and mobile homes so this could really have a bad effect on people's taxes. I hope not...b/c we live fairly close. We'll see...
It will be interesting to me to see the inside of the house since I've already seen the outside, many times.
You raised some really interesting points there. It would be interesting to see how these things effect the lives of the others in the area. What we see on tv is that everyone is happy for the families and want this for them. I would think that maybe there are people who are either sort of bah humbug about it or really don't like the recipients. I would like to know how it affects your taxes, if at all. We are having a lot of building in this area, and the prices of housing are going up, even if we don't do a thing to our current homes.
Let us know. It will be interesting to follow this up.
The people who live across the road from this family just remodeled their cute little cottage and landscaped a couple of years ago. When this was all done, their entire yard was all torn up and muddy! I noticed that there were people out working on their yard the week after the unveiling and now it looks like they have brought in sod and have a lawn once again. I would've been mad ! To have gone to all that work, which they did by themselves, and then have it destroyed like that. grrr
The property next to this home was vacant and was rented (we know the guy who owns it) for $1500 for the week. But the guy said it's just such a mucky, muddy mess now that he's just going to leave it until spring. Plus think about this...since they were working on this place 24/7 there were all kinds of huge lights on all night. Out here in the country it gets real dark at night and for a week these neighbors had to live with daylight like conditions every night.
The family seems to be real nice and I imagine they felt bad for the inconvienence it caused their neighbors. But still....
Another thing I wonder is this, most of the families that get these homes are far from wealthy. How are they able to afford the upkeep on the home/property and to pay the property taxes? Are they able to afford to live in these homes for the long term or are they at some point forced to sell? There is a town up north of us, still in Kitsap County, where a lady and her daughters lost their home to fire. Home Makeover came in and built them an awesome new home. The last I heard, the gal said that people treated them way different (some were very resentful) than they used to and that she was considering selling the house b/c she couldn't afford it.
All kinds of questions about this in my brain!
I would think the lights being on all the time would be awful. As for the taxes and upkeep-This season and I think last season a lot of the contractors or mortgage owners, etc, have been giving the family either money in a fund to be used for taxes and upkeep, or else a home warranty or something of the sort. I think this came about because they DID have the problem of families not being able to afford the taxes on the house later.
I'm watching the show now and interested to see how it comes out.
This is an interesting perspective on the show..... I've never been a big fan. I've watched it and think it's great that these families that need it are getting the help, but it just seems to me like with the money they're spending on an "extreme" house, they could help so many other families. And from what you're saying, in the end it seems to cause some problems for the ones who are getting the help
I was so happy to see the contractor give the family that paper that said the mortgage was paid off! It would be awful to have to pay on a home that no longer existed.
Don't know them personally, but they sure seem like a great family. I'm happy for them and hope it all stays rosy!
Having seen the outside of the house every time I go to the post office it was neat to get to see the inside. And boy, did it ever rain that week! It's amazing it all got done.
It would seem that any damage done to the property across the street was probably paid for by ABC. I am sure they were legally responsible for it. Frankly, I think $1500 for a week's rental on a vacant lot is a pretty fair deal. It's not like he had a cash crop growing there, and from the amount of rain I saw coming down, ......
Living in Florida, I have seen some where some of that toxic mold has gotten into the houses, and they are a total disaster area. You are lucky that ABC came in and got it out of there. The spores will spread airborne, and they are nothing to fool around with. There have been houses here that have had to have haz-mat teams in. I can just imagine how bad it was, after seeing it on television.
I knew it rained alot in Washington, but darn! As far the rest of it,.....I think I could live with the lights and the confusion for a week. They are building a house across the street from me. There have been big trucks, backhoes, a humongous crane, noise, dirt, dust....you name it....and then they started building one a block behind me. All the dogs in the area bark in concert with the banging. I would love to see it take one week, be able to shout, MOVE THAT BUS....and have the block party.
I watch the show almost all the time, and while I agree that it helps a lot of families, for $500,000, they could have built at least three fairly nice houses. They do go a bit overboard on decorating rooms, in my opinion.
Still, the whole idea is good-hearted, and it is nice to see a show about people helping other people, instead of the usual TV fare.
Today I met the mom of the home makeover family! I took a housewarming gift over to them from all the gals on my two golden retriever forums. She is such a sweet, genuine lady. We chatted for a few minutes on her porch and when I got ready to go she said, "wait, I have something for you." She came back with one of their picture Christmas cards for me to share w/ my groups. We shook hands and she said, with tears in her eyes, "Thank you so much for your kindness."
So, I will share the picture with you...they seem to be such a fine family and if Mrs. Kirkwood is any indication, they really are!
They look very happy, and nice to know that they will stay healthy now that all of the mold is gone. The kids seem like they are really sharp. It's good that they got this help, and that they really appreciate it.
Kathy I think its great you did that. I fell in love with the whole family while watching the show, especially the kids and most especially the 12 year old. She has incredible talent and a wonderful spirit. I'm glad you got to meet them and see they were as genuine as they appeared on TV. Wouldn't it be cool if they eventually added a Golden or a Doxie to their family???
I think I'd vote for a doxie...only b/c it's a brand new home and as much as I love my big gold boy...he is SO hairy! He sheds like crazy and that's w/ me brushing him a couple times a week! lol :wink: