Extreme Makeover - Home Edition

TOPS BBQ

TOPS BBQ

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They are in Fresno & I was selected along with many other restaurants and caterers to provide food for the work crews. No pay. This is strictly a donation on everyone's part. I only have to serve 100 people, so it's not too bad. I just might get my logo to flash for a nano-second on the show.:roll:

Wish us luck, we're serving the 2 am shift on Sunday morning :shock: We're providing a Tri-tip & chicken dinner.
 
Its a good thing that you are doing. couple years ago when they did one here my little brothers company did all finish work on out side of house...siding, gutters, trim, and all lettering and logos were taped over...not allowed none of it. All vehicles were masked off.....only ones allowed were the actual company (builders) that took over the project. Non of the subs.
 
How did they find you? They did a few episodes locally and I didn't know until after the fact. I would of loved to have volunteered in any capacity
 
The Pigman said:
Its a good thing that you are doing. couple years ago when they did one here my little brothers company did all finish work on out side of house...siding, gutters, trim, and all lettering and logos were taped over...not allowed none of it. All vehicles were masked off.....only ones allowed were the actual company (builders) that took over the project. Non of the subs.
Click to expand...

My brother in Law has his own Kitchen remodel company and did the rebuild on a Extreme Makeover home doing the remodel of the kitchen , cabinets, counters the whole thing in San Francisco. Extreme Makeover treated him and his crew like second hand chairty sub contract workers adding that when his crew finished up the remodel of the kitchen the " Extreme makeover Crew" would come in and act like they were finishing up the job for the camera to make it look good.

Don't get me wrong they do good things for deserving people, but they fail to show appreciation or recognize the REAL people doing the job for little bit of nothing.
I hope they give you props, but dont hold your breath...
 
Thanks for the heads up. I doubt very much that we are going to be on TV whatsoever.

The way I found out, was thru a friend that is friends with the actual builders responsible for getting everyone together. The builders setup a page on their website soliciting volunteers. I got my name on there and crossed my fingers. They contacted me this past Sunday evening for this weekend. I didn't even get the location until it was announced yesterday. I found out later that my neighbor's family was making all the contacts ahead of time.

They requested my logo for advertising purposes, but I don't think they are going to plaster everywhere. Besides, I'm only donating a small bit in this whole thing. I'm just trying to do my part is all.
 
Excuse me for being a bit cynical here .. but, doesn't the show make TONS of money from the TV networks? Why do they then not pay the people doing the work?
 
I belive the big payback comes from the work these company (sub contractors) get afterwards. When they come into town they get ahold of the distribotors say the siding distribotrors for the material, It is the distribotors that line up the subs and when my brother did it the work he got from the distribotor and the Construction company was overwelming. He put on another crew to handle it. So yes you dont get much credit on Tv but afterwards it more then makes up for it. And his grew was on the Tv alot with the cast.
 
I hope it does not happen everywhere but the girl they built a house for about an hour and a half south of me around Virginia Tech had to give it up with in two years. I don't know the cirumstances.
 
HogBack Mtn Comp BBQ Team said:
I hope it does not happen everywhere but the girl they built a house for about an hour and a half south of me around Virginia Tech had to give it up with in two years. I don't know the cirumstances.
Click to expand...

It's happened more than once, some people on the receiving end of the makeover have borrowed money against their upgraded property and have not been able to repay the loan...
 
thats a great thing.. and your gonna have a blast.


We had one around here a few years ago, about a mile form my house. They took over the entire block for a week. Turned an old cape into a mansion. Added extensions, a built in pool, a nature walk thru the large yard. It was amazing.


But the family we had here in St james had the same problem as others after the makeover. It was a single parent who lost the spouse(police officer) to a shotting in the line of duty. i think it was the dad that was left behind, with 3 kids.

After the makeover, the original 40 year old tax assesment nearly quadurupled when the house got reassessed with 2006 rates. The real estate taxes went up so high, they could not afford the home any longer.

Just to put things in perspective regarding the taxes around here.

The tax bill in that area of Saint James, NY on new homes with 1 acre plots is about $14,000-15,000 a year. Old homes, same area, with old assessments were in the 6-8K range.
 
Robert, It is a good deed your doing.

They did a house about Three blocks from me. It was one of the first homes they did. Place came out beautiful the only problem was that they take over the whole block and make noise all night. I had a job on that street and they will not let me drive to it. It is like screw you kind of attitude. I have to admit it was the rent a cops that gave me the attitude.

I noticed lately though that it looks like they are doing more rural areas. Not so many neighbors effected.
 
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Your doing something good for people in need.
I'm sure the family will be very thankful for all your efforts, ever if they never meet you.

Your a good man.
 
Well, TOPS BBQ came thru for the event. Here's the biggy...I arrive with my crew at 9:30 pm to begin my shift for the 2 am dinner, Sat and the head of Food Organization comes over to me to tell me that the 10 pm food vendor bailed out on them. She asked if there was anything I could do to feed their people by 10:30 that night (1 hour!). I jumped on it while I sent one of my guys to get more wood and one of the organizers purchased more meat for me to cook. We pumped out over 100 chicken dinners for the first slot. The second got tri-tip & chicken dinners.

We recieved a whole lot of compliments. This wasn't even the best I ever put out, considering I had to grill it, instead of smoking it. One of the Extreme Makeover production heads came over to us and said that we saved the day. She asked for my card and told me that she would try to give me some more credit. Not sure what that entails, but no cameras came over to record us. I ended up getting home at about 5 am. Long night, but well worth it.

Here are some pics: http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s39/topsbbq/Extreme%20Makeover%20-%20Home%20Edition/?albumview=slideshow There's not much, because we ended up being busy in the begining. Hopefully I can get pics from other people.
 
Just to add; The area was an old neighborhood. They blocked off a lot of streets with staff security and Fresno PD volunteers. Everyone was actually great to work with. We we're not required to remove/cover logos. The lot itself is somewhat on the small side. Definitely going to have to be two-story.

Thanks for all the kudos!
 
Great job. They just did a house here a few weeks ago about two miles from my house and had all the kids from the high school out there when they moved the bus. Glad it worked out for you.
 
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