Day 1 - Friday
We arrived at the Holiday Inn in Cheyenne this morning to an impressive sight: production, designers, catering, security, etc. – with all their vehicles – are in the parking lot. We got our first introduction to Ty and the gang, in addition to various producers, directors, and their teams. After a group meeting and rally, we formed a convoy and headed out to do the “Door Knock” on the Miller family. Our convoy traveled to the build-site, with Ty’s bus bringing up the rear of the procession.

The bus continued up the drive as the rest of the vehicles hid in the trees. We watched the “Door Knock” from our hiding place, before we met the family. The Millers are terrific people, but we are thrilled to see them off in a Hummer stretch-limo to embark on their vacation.

Now comes the fun part. It’s REAL now. And… we’re off and running. The rest of the day is dedicated to staging equipment and supplies, putting up tents, etc. A group of volunteers stayed late to help move all the family’s belongings into storage.

Day 2 - Saturday
Prep site-work and move set-up. We spent the day catching up and finalizing our schedule. Volunteers stained and finished interior doors and trim off-site; assembled hundreds of hard-hats; and organized supplies and staged them off-site as well.
The on-site circus continued to grow as all the trailers, tents, campers, catering, etc. were placed and ready to go. It’s really something to see, and brings to mind the overnight construction of a small town in the middle of the prairie.
We’re excited for tomorrow’s “Braveheart”, and curious to see how many show up to help!

Day 3 - Sunday
Volunteers showed up early to check in for the “Braveheart”, where this army of volunteers groups up and parades down the road to the house. We marched with the big excavator machines behind us and everyone waving American flags, up the hill to the house, where we formed a circle around Ty and the designers to rally all the volunteers. Then we headed down the hill to cheer on the demolition from a safe distance. We watched the experts set the charges… and then they blew the house into the sky. Pretty incredible.

After LCFD made sure the fires were completely out and the site was safe, the next step was demo clean-up… debris everywhere! Then came excavation of the foundation, with the Cats and a steady stream of dump-trucks working for hours on end. Overnight, the concrete work was done: form and pour footers, form and pour foundation wall, begin install of radon protection, backfill foundation.
It’s almost daylight-bright out here with the powerful lights… more tomorrow!

Day 4 - Monday
A new foundation awaits an army of framers at daybreak. A hundred workers begin building the first floor deck, then walls go up all around, followed by the second floor deck.

After moving a wall, the roof trusses finally start to form up. Within a single day, an entire – HUGE – house is framed. What began as bare ground is now, less than forty-eight hours later, a sight to see from miles around. There’s no time to admire the accomplishment, as more workers appeared.

By midnight, the entire roof is sheathed and shingled!! WOW!

Day 5 - Tuesday
The stone masons started on the exterior cultured stone as soon as the roof was done. Siding began, and then another fury of activity. Electricians, heating/air-conditioning people and plumbers began installing rough piping and wiring, and flatwork concrete was poured in the garage. Work continued into the night in preparation for sheet-rock, painters and trim carpenters who anxiously await their turn!

Excavators installed new septic and water lines, and the ground was leveled, ready for the morning light. Sheetrock started inside, and the house was stocked and, by early afternoon, ready to paint. Painters, tile-setters, hardwood installers and trim carpenters went to work. More work continues on the exterior. The main focus into the night is getting the tile set, painting a variety of colors, and building closets and shelving. The ceiling and floor trim was installed, then cabinets started going up. The entire inside of the house was lit up bright as day! 60 hours into the build at 12:00 a.m. Wednesday.

Days 6 & 7- Wednesday & Thursday
After a big storm that sent our outside crews home, we gathered the volunteers that stayed and any new people, and went to work getting the area surrounding the house clean of any trash, tools or materials. The excavators and landscapers would be showing up in the morning and we wanted to be ready for them. By about 1:30 a.m. we had everything pretty clean and ready for the next shift, while inside they continued their work on the trim and cabinets. Entertainment centers went up in the living room and all the small trim details were being finished up.

The painters were putting up wallpaper everywhere, it seemed, and continued to paint. Granite counter tops showed up and were installed in no time flat! Morning came and so did our group of dirt movers and landscapers. Trucks brought granite road base and fill dirt. Others brought trees, sod, rock and decorative boulders. We were in the final phase of finishing the house!! By late afternoon it was time to turn over the keys! Although touch-up and changes were still needed, the house was done! Then it was time to move in the new furniture and hundreds of furnishings. Volunteers carried lamps, mirrors, candles and a great variety of items into the house. It seemed like enough to fill ten houses, but it all went into just one “Extreme Makeover Home”!!!

Day 8 - Friday
More and more items are placed around the house. Everything imaginable is done to make each room unique and “extreme”. House cleaners start the task of cleaning room by room, steadily closing off rooms as they are done. Designers put their touches on all the different artwork and set to the task of putting up blinds, draperies and pictures. By late afternoon, it was finally time to “move that bus” and welcome the Millers to their very own new “Extreme Home”! We spent time getting ready for the minute they got to see their home.

Production took over and ran several trial takes with a “fake family” that volunteered from the gathering crowd. Then all eyes turned to a long limo coming down the road, and the next thing we knew, we heard the unmistakable sound of a big diesel engine starting to move a huge bus… The look on their faces was priceless!! “Compassion, teamwork, community” are the three words that sum up all that brought everyone together for a single purpose. Wow. WE DID IT!