Kirkland home no easy job for ABC's 'Extreme Makeover' team
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KIRKLAND, Wash. -- ABC's hit show "Extreme Makeover - Home Edition" is hard at work building a home for a family in need, but this project poses a challenge that makes it more difficult than most others that have been featured on the show.
The team from ABC rallied the crowd to help them build a new house for Connie Chapin and her four children.
"It's just not a healthy environment to raise children in," said John Littlefield with the design team. "It should be condemned and that's what we are about to do. We're going to demolish it."
But, it turns out, they can't just knock it down.
"We've got lead in there. We've got asbestos we've got to abate. So it's going to be complicated taking it down," said Diamon Doyle, a builder.
The home was made with toxic paint and insulation, which means it must be taken apart piece by piece, then rebuilt, all within a week.
"But our objective is to reuse as much material. We've got a gentleman that's offered to recycle 95 percent of the house," Doyle said.
Weather may be another hurdle for the team this weekend.
"Not looking so good for the weekend. Well, we're going to have mud it out. We'll do what we need to do to get it done," said Paul DiMeo with the design team.
The details of the new house remain top secret. When asked to give just a little detail, a little tidbit of what the Chapins' new house will be like, Michael Moloney with the design team said, "As the interior designer for the house I can tell you that I can't tell you anything. Oh my goodness, it's going to be tight."
Chapin and her kids are in Florida right now, but her brother, Scott Chapin, is keeping an eye on the project. He grew up in the old house, but says he's not sorry to see it go.
"It's not the house. It's the memories and they'll always be there," he said.
For More Information:
Find out how to volunteer or watch the construction
The team from ABC rallied the crowd to help them build a new house for Connie Chapin and her four children.
"It's just not a healthy environment to raise children in," said John Littlefield with the design team. "It should be condemned and that's what we are about to do. We're going to demolish it."
But, it turns out, they can't just knock it down.
"We've got lead in there. We've got asbestos we've got to abate. So it's going to be complicated taking it down," said Diamon Doyle, a builder.
The home was made with toxic paint and insulation, which means it must be taken apart piece by piece, then rebuilt, all within a week.
"But our objective is to reuse as much material. We've got a gentleman that's offered to recycle 95 percent of the house," Doyle said.
Weather may be another hurdle for the team this weekend.
"Not looking so good for the weekend. Well, we're going to have mud it out. We'll do what we need to do to get it done," said Paul DiMeo with the design team.
The details of the new house remain top secret. When asked to give just a little detail, a little tidbit of what the Chapins' new house will be like, Michael Moloney with the design team said, "As the interior designer for the house I can tell you that I can't tell you anything. Oh my goodness, it's going to be tight."
Chapin and her kids are in Florida right now, but her brother, Scott Chapin, is keeping an eye on the project. He grew up in the old house, but says he's not sorry to see it go.
"It's not the house. It's the memories and they'll always be there," he said.
For More Information:
Find out how to volunteer or watch the construction
