photo by Brie Cohen

On the far left, Al Larson, owner of Larson Contracting, stands next to the DeVries family. To the left of Larson is the DeVries home. The family is, from left, Dirk, Susan, April, Derik and Hannah.

Looking back: ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’

Staff

Published Saturday, December 6, 2008

Photo by Brie Cohen

The limo carrying the DeVries family pulls up the new house for the first time. Just seconds later, the DeVries family and the crowds yelled "Move that bus!" and they saw their new home.

Photo by Brie Cohen

Ty Pennington shows the DeVries the butteryfly stone, that Susan DeVries made, they put in the ground near the front door of the new home.

The ABC television network at 7 p.m. today airs the episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” featuring the Dirk and Susan DeVries family. Let’s take a trip through the adventure many local residents experienced when the TV show interacted with Freeborn County.

Sept. 16: The Albert Lea Tribune announced that “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” would be coming to Freeborn County within the next month. Larson Contracting would be the general contractor with the project.

Sept. 23, 8 a.m.: More than 200 area residents gathered at Crossroads Church just north of Albert Lea for a pep rally with “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” executive producer Conrad Ricketts. Ricketts explained that the house would be built in 106 hours.

Sept. 30, 10:30 a.m.: Host Ty Pennington and his design team knocked on the door of the Dirk and Susan DeVries family, 84588 200th St. in Hayward Township, to tell them their house would receive a makeover as part of the popular ABC television show.

Sept. 30, 5:30 p.m.: The DeVries family left their old home for the last time to go to a hotel, after which they would go to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, until they returned to see their new home a week later.

Oct. 1, 7:30 a.m.: Volunteers began clearing the DeVries family home of its belongings to get it ready for demolition.

Oct. 1, morning and afternoon: “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” crews filmed at Hollandale Christian School, where Susan works, and gave the students there new musical instruments.

Oct. 2, 6:30 a.m.: About 300 volunteers began to arrive at the site of the house for the show’s so-called “Braveheart” scene. The volunteers were loaded onto school buses and taped running of the buses and cheering around Pennington and Al Larson, owner of Larson Contracting.

Oct. 2, noon: Excavators fired up their engines and began to tear through the walls and roof of the old DeVries home. About 30 seconds later, a third of the house was torn down.

Oct. 2, late afternoon: Building began at the site of the new DeVries home. Volunteers dug footings for the house, and by 9 p.m. the foundation wall was scheduled to be set.

Oct. 3, 1 a.m.: Crews started setting the floor system.

Oct. 3, 3 a.m.: Crews started tying in the sewer and water lines.

Oct. 3, noon: Crew workers began installing in rough electrical and plumbing and to finish putting rafters in place.

Oct. 3, 3 p.m.: Crews began putting on weather-tight steel roofing.

Oct. 3, 10 p.m.: Crews began hammering siding on the house.

Oct. 4, 3 a.m.: Crews started hanging drywall.

Oct. 4, noon: Landscaping started to take shape around the house.

Oct. 4, 1- 8 p.m.: Crews painted, did tile work and performed interior millwork in the house.

Oct. 5, 2 to 4 a.m.: All countertops were installed.

Oct. 5, afternoon: Final hardware at the house was installed, including bath and toilet accessories.

Oct. 5, afternoon: The Swenson-Lee family, recipients of a home makeover in August of 2007, visited the site of the DeVries family home makeover.

Oct. 6, morning: A final clean of the house was completed.

Oct. 6, noon: Hundreds lined up along the barricades in the spectator area to watch as a few last-minute exterior details were completed. Many were hopeful of seeing Pennington or other cast members.

Oct. 6, 3 p.m.: Production crews began filming as Larson turned the keys of the new DeVries house over to Pennington and the show’s other designers.

Oct. 6, after 3 p.m.: Volunteers began moving in furniture and decorating the brand new DeVries house.

Oct. 7, 10 a.m.: Spectators started arriving in large numbers wearing rain jackets and carrying umbrellas to witness the DeVries family’s homecoming. It was cold and rainy.

Oct. 7, morning: Several popular guests from around the state started arriving at the house to witness the DeVries family’s homecoming. To entertain the crowd and be a part of the filming were the Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders; the University of Minnesota Gophers baseball team, cheerleaders, mascot and marching band; and Mrs. Minnesota, Miss Minnesota and Miss Teen Minnesota.

Oct. 7, morning: Crews began filming the crowds.

Oct. 7, 2:30 p.m.: The show’s crews took a lunch break.

Oct. 7, 3 p.m.: Word came to the security guard that the family arrived.

Oct. 7, after 3 p.m.: Hundreds stood in the rain as the DeVries family pulled up in a limo. Together with the crowds, they yelled, “Move that bus!” and then they saw their new house for the first time.

Oct. 7, late afternoon/evening: Crews were expected to be filming for anywhere between three and six hours. Many cars were stuck in the mud of a former corn field that had been a corn field. Crew members used rented equipment to pull cars out of the field.

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