Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Mid-Michigan
Extreme. That word describes the experience of being chosen to get a brand new home with all the bells and whistles.
Imagine opening the door and seeing Ty Pennington there with a camera crew, a design team and the promise of giving you the home of your dreams! That was what happened to a family in mid-Michigan this week.
On Friday, September 26, 2008, Arlene Nickless, of Holt, Michigan, and her family got the wake-up call to become the next family to be on ABC’s hit show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition!
The house, which was built around the 1860s, was supposed to be the dream home that the family would fix up slowly but surely. However, the dream was cut short by the death of Arlene’s husband Tim last January. Tim was the craftsman in the family, and his passing meant that there was only Arlene to keep the dilapidated house from falling apart around her and the couple’s three young sons. With the arrival of Ty and his crew, the family could now have a fresh new start without having to worry about the pipes or the wiring inside the house.
I am a fan of this show, and I’m so excited that I can now see for myself just how they can build a house in just 5 days, or exactly 106 hours! That’s right, it’s just an easy drive from my house to Arlene’s neighborhood. So I scooted off today to take a look for myself, and be able to bring you, for this week, a glimpse of how the show’s crew is able to do the impossible.
Friday was when the family started to pack for their vacation to Disney World, which is paid for by the show. If you’ve seen previous episodes of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, you know that the family is sent away for the entire week of construction. They also went through their belongings with the crew to let them know which they wanted to keep.
The schedule of jobs for the rest of week is roughly:
- Saturday (September 27): Move-out family’s belongings. The family leaves for Disney World.
- Sunday (September 28): “Braveheart” march of volunteers to the site. Demolition. Foundation is put in.
- Monday (September 29): Utilities; basement; house framing, plumbing and electrical jobs; second-floor deck; windows; roof trusses and shingles.
- Tuesday (September 30): Drywall; siding; ceilings; cabinets; exterior trim; painting.
- Wednesday (October 1): HVAC; more plumbing and electrical work; doors; appliances; hardwood floors; garage doors; closets; more painting.
- Thursday (October 2): Sprinklers and landscaping; furniture move-in; interior decor; final cleaning.
- Friday (October 3): “Move the bus” to welcome the family to their brand new home!
Now, how is all this going to be done in only a week? The secret is in the volunteers. Or rather, the hundreds of volunteers. For this project, 1,500 volunteers signed up to help. They will be working in shifts 24 hours a day to finish the job. The volunteer efforts are being organized by local builder Mayberry Homes. Local companies have also pitched in by donating materials, time and skills.
Next up, photos of the house and Saturday’s progress.
(10-01-08 Update) Schedules: Spectators are welcome to visit the site. Shuttles will be available on Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., from the K-Mart parking lot on South Cedar St. On Friday, the shuttles will run from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. ‘Move the Bus’ is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday. Spectators are urged to get to the site hours before the 2 p.m. reveal. “Up to 6,000 people are expected” according to this LSJ article.
image from personal collection
Tags: Exreme Makeover, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, home improvement, home TV show, Mayberry Homes, Ty PenningtonRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Home Improvement TV shows
27 opinions for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Mid-Michigan
Bill Robin
Sep 28, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I am very excited to have the show come to this area. I will be heading over tomorrow morning to check it out. I create copper and slate wall fountains and other art that I will be taking over in an attempt to donate. When people help others in need, I think God smiles down on us.
Maricar
Sep 29, 2008 at 9:36 am
Hi Bill, I share your excitement. :) Donating your art is a wonderful idea. The Nickless family has a pretty big yard and I hope the designers will be able to find a place for your art. Good luck! Let us know what happens.
natashia
Sep 29, 2008 at 2:39 pm
does anyone know they address to the place? i want to be there for the showing of friday.
Maricar
Sep 29, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Hi Natashia, the site is at 2376 Eifert Road in Holt. If you want to see it, you’ll have to use one of the shuttles from the parking lot of either KMart or the Holiday Inn on South Cedar. The drop-off/pick-up point used to be at the Holiday Inn, but they might have moved it to KMart. It will be easy to spot, though, with a white tent and volunteers in blue shirts.
stephanie
Sep 29, 2008 at 9:43 pm
what time on friday are they moving the bus?
Andrea
Sep 30, 2008 at 12:41 am
I think that it is absolutely AMAZING that this is happening for a family in our area. I am extremely interested in attending MOVE THAT BUS.
What time should we meet at the K-Mart, in order to catch the shuttle?
Thanks so much,
Andrea.
Maricar
Sep 30, 2008 at 10:31 am
Hi Stephanie,
‘Move the Bus’ starts at 2 p.m. on Friday.
The schedule for shuttles for spectators is 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. from now until Thursday, from the K-Mart parking lot. Once I find out the schedule for Friday, I’ll post it here. I’m also updating this post to reflect this information.
Keeping The Castle & Extreme Makeover
Sep 30, 2008 at 12:28 pm
[…] is the writer of Keeping the Castle here at […]
BJPython
Oct 1, 2008 at 9:06 am
We plan on comming to see the makeover friday afternoon… I see in here, the shuttle only runs till thursday.. How can we get in to watch it on friday if they dont allow walk thru the police standoffs or cars?
Maricar
Oct 1, 2008 at 7:22 pm
There’s no official word yet about the schedules for Friday. I’ve heard that they will limit the size of the crowd at the reveal. Considering the number of volunteers who have signed-in, they might not even not allow spectators (non-volunteers) on Friday. So if you haven’t been to the site, try to go on Thursday while you can.UPDATE: I just got it from the Lansing State Journal that spectator buses will run from the KMart on South Cedar St. to the site on Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and then on Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. You need to use these shuttle buses to get to the site. If you’re going on Friday, plan to get there hours before the 2 p.m. reveal. “Up to 6,000 people are expected” according to this LSJ article:
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081001/NEWS01/810010374&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
Megan
Oct 2, 2008 at 8:53 am
Does anybody know when this episode will be airing on TV?
Maricar
Oct 2, 2008 at 9:43 am
Megan, It will be in about six to eight weeks.
Megan
Oct 2, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Great. Thank you so much!
Greg
Oct 2, 2008 at 2:42 pm
What time would anyone suggest being there on Friday for the first shuttle? I bet people are going to be there way before 7:30AM don’t you think?
Maricar
Oct 3, 2008 at 12:26 am
As early as you can. :)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Photos)
Oct 3, 2008 at 12:49 am
[…] are some of the photos I took at the site of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Holt, Michigan yesterday. Landscaping has started, and most of the work on the home’s […]
Greg
Oct 3, 2008 at 5:29 pm
They finally moved “that bus” at just after 4pm today.. very long day but it was great!
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - The Reveal!
Oct 4, 2008 at 1:20 am
[…] was the day! At the site of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Holt, the crowd was huge, excitement filled the air, shouts of “Move that bus!” rang […]
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - Design Team Photos
Oct 5, 2008 at 1:27 am
[…] ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is popular for its concept of choosing a deserving family and building a new home for them in one week. A team of talented designers travel with the show to provide direction for furnishing and decorating the home. […]
Paige Hemmis of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Oct 6, 2008 at 2:06 pm
[…] is the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team member who wears a pair of pink boots, pink work gloves and a pink tool […]
Rib Hillis of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Oct 6, 2008 at 2:12 pm
[…] Hillis is the new hunk member of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. His carpentry experience goes back to college, when he framed houses and did demolition and […]
Ty Pennington of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Oct 6, 2008 at 2:20 pm
[…] Pennington, the host of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, combines an art education (specifically graphic design, painting and sculpture), carpentry skills, […]
Jamshed
Oct 19, 2008 at 8:46 pm
How we can apply to have such beautefull house?
Andrea
Oct 20, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Maricar,
I would like to use this, and another one of your articles for a research paper about EM:HE. Would you allow me to do so? Also, Where do you get all of your information?
Thank you,
Andrea
Maricar
Oct 20, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Hi Jamshed, you can apply directly to ABC’s Extreme Makeover:Home Edition. Here’s the link to the application page:
http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=apply
Michael Moloney of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Oct 20, 2008 at 6:10 pm
[…] Moloney is one of the members of the design team that worked on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition house for the Nickless family in Holt, Michigan last […]
Judy Carmi
Nov 3, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I have this couple that goes to my church Chris and Cheral Milligan thay just lost there son in a car accident. I would like to see there house made over I would like to help to. Cheral went throuh hard times through the years from having bad headaches.
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