photo by Andrew Rocco

The buzz in Gainesville’s real estate & construction world this week is all about the TV show that tears down houses: Extreme Makeover Home Edition!

Video from Thursday

Here is a video from the site today, the walls are up and the roof is going to be finished soon!

Watch the Spectacle!

Spectators are welcome 8am to 8pm every day – park at the old Ford Dealership on main street and a shuttle will take you to the build site.  Click here for a map.

Spirit of Giving

A while ago Extreme Makeover Home Edition decided to do a show in Gainesville, FL and this week they are doing the filming.  The crew seeks out businesses and people to volunteer their time, money, and materials for a good cause.  The TV crew covers production costs, but the community covers the cost of actually building the home, very impressive! Here is a list of Donors & Sponsors.

Ark Remodeling & Construction is the contractor, and Ricky Strickland was on site today with a smile.  He even brought in his TV to the VIP tent so everyone could watch the live feed of the construction.

“It is an honor to take on the challenge of building a house within a week for a very deserving family in our community,” said Ricky Strickland, President, Ark Remodeling & Construction. “We are committed to taking care of people and making a difference in everything we do. We are proud to support bringing our Gainesville community together and show that even in tough economic times, we can rally together to make a difference for one of our neighbors in need,” said Strickland.

Everything in a Day

Building a house is a big project, but doing it all in one week is an amazing thing to take on.  The crews work around the clock and they have to some some special materials to stay on track, like cement that doesn’t have to sit for a week before you can build on it.

The week started on Dec 2nd with a pep rally for the volunteers.  Demolition day was Tuesday Dec, 8th and ends on December 14th when the family returns to see their new home for the first time.

Keep Them Company

Spectators are welcome 8am to 8pm every day – park at the old Ford Dealership on main street and a shuttle will take you to the build site.  Click here for a map.