To Who Moi!!!

Please don't shut up. I agree with what you wrote 100%.

It's all about ratings.

shame on those parents for what they did. They made it harder for other families to get a house.

Now the producers will be screening families and doing even more research to find deserving ones.

Melody

I have to agree that so many more houses could be built out of one that this show does. The families are usually so down and out that any house would be appreciated. We have a wheelchair accessible home that is worth half of what they build. I have thought about sending in an application just to ask for an elevator, that's it, nothing more. Spend the money on those who need it more.

I don't know. Maybe I am just more simplistic in my thinking. I could never be a rich person and fit in because I would still be looking for bargins and giving my money away. That is what makes me happy.

I think maybe they build so big to pump up the builders? It gives them an opportunity to showcase their skills and what they can do?

Same here, Sandy; I've looked into the cost for only a lift / elevator the same as one I've seen donated and installed on an episode of the show. The low-end lift was $8000. Heck, with one of those, I'd be set .

Where did you find a lift/elevator for $8,000? The cheapest I can find for an inclined platform type eevator is $19,000.

Your right though, just figure out a way to get Jim down the stairs without needing someone to help him and we'd be happy. It's all about his independance. As God is my witness, he'll get one someday.

It seems like other families from the show are having the same problems

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080507__Too_much_house_.html

It seems to me, that if the Extreme Makeover team builds a $400,000 house on a street where all the other houses sell for $100,000, WELL SHOULDN'T IT OCCUR TO THEM, that the guy has to pay taxes, and utilities?

I have no respect for this show anymore. If they set you up to fail, then it's all about tv show ratings and profits. and not for the person they build the house for.

Just my humble opinion.

I agree, it's getting out of hand. There's no need to go so overboard on one house when they could easily build three or four for the cost of what they're spending on one.

One thing I just don't understand is the elaborate bedrooms they build for the kids. While I agree that the kids should all have a nice bedroom building a bed that looks like a dinosaur is, in my humble opinion, not a smart idea. The eight year old boy they're building it for is going to grow up - and I hardly think a 16 year old boy is gonna want to sleep in a dinosaur's mouth!

Why not give them something that the parents can easily (and inexpensively) convert to the changing age of the child?

I'm slowly growing tired of this show. It's all about the builder's and sponsors (Sears, Ford, etc.). I know that they've helped many deserving families but there must be a better way to go about it.