NH family's home chosen for 'Extreme Makeover'

Lyme – Jay and Elena Marshall have been chosen as winners of the second "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" project in New Hampshire.

The announcement, made by WMUR this morning, means that the Upper Valley family's residence will be repaired by the popular ABC show's crew of paid professionals, supplemented by local volunteers.

The Marshalls have eight children ranging in age from 3 to 17. Their 10-year-old son Cameron has leukemia.

Their home is interfering with his treatment. It has problems ranging from carbon monoxide leaks to mold and rotting wood.

Construction will begin on Wednesday and will finish up by Sunday night.

Trumbull-Nelson Construction of Hanover will lead the rebuilding effort.

The "Move That Bus" portion of the show, when the family is welcomed to their new home, is scheduled to be filmed on Oct. 5. No broadcast date has been announced.

The Trumbull-Nelson construction firm of Hanover is coordinating local efforts.

More details will be posted later today.

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YOUR COMMENTS

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The makeovers are financed through the show and its advertisers and sponsors... the more people who watch, the more money comes in which is used (in part) to build the houses and help people. If they built average houses, fewer people would tune in, hence there would be fewer funds to build houses with. The huge gaudy houses and the mind blowing reactions the families have to them is what rakes in the viewers, that makes the show (and the houses) possible in the first place.

This isn't a welfare charity - I don't believe in spreading the wealth around as if it's an entitlement to anyone. But I certainly am not going to be critical of a charity that is self-sustaining and chooses to use some of that profit to help people, thus driving the purpose of their show.

It seems like some on here are just eaten up with wealth envy and would rather whine about it like little liberal zombies are taught to. Guess what: I didn't get an extreme home makeover either. Instead of whining about it, I get off my rear end and work for a living as everyone else should. If you're going to complain, please just do the rest of us a favor and go get lost in your Michael Moore communist entitlement welfare cesspool.

- Jonathan, Bedford

To Mike in Concord and Dan in Manchester, you are both spot on correct. Typically I do not agree with many of the comments on this site, but in this case I will most certainly make an exception. I live and work in the upper valley (on the Vermont side of the border) and the Extreme Makeover show has been the talk of work for the better part of two weeks now. Iâ??m another one who would like to see the wealth shared and see a few houses or an entire neighborhood revitalized instead of throwing all this money into just one home. I also wonder whether or not these folks understand the true tax implications that follow these home makeovers and I hope they have hired an accountant to help them through the tax process. Itâ??s guaranteed that their property taxes will go up after the makeover and if they donâ??t know all of the tax laws there may even be an outside chance that they will owe the IRS taxes as well. And I completely agree that shows like this are also ways for big companies to get their names out there even more. After all, the sponsors have to make their money too. If they really were in it for the charity, they wouldnâ??t plaster their name over everything and just donate the materials and take their writeoff. I, for one, will be staying as far away from the makeover site as possible this weekend. This is also why I'm glad I don't have TV anymore.

- a.t., Vermont

I do hop this family has the land to build on unlike the family in Manchester who had a postage sized lot. That house is so out of place for that area. Wonder if that increased the value of the other houses in the area. Wonder if they're keeping the house maintained. Wonder if they're paying their newly increased tax bill on that property?

- Lennie C., Manchester

These 600k homes that they build on Extreme have upkeep and taxes to be paid. Wonder if the other family in NH is up on that?

Good for the family in Lyme. Heard it's a pretty time of year right now up there!

- Bethany, Manchester

Good for them!

Lyme is just so much different than Hanover, which is right down the road.

- Devin, Concord

Goodwill is priceless.

- R, Raymond

While I don't disagree with the sentiment, making 'regular' houses would make for boring TV. The main goal of this show, like ALL TV programming, is to sell ads. It's NOT to help people (much like radio/tv talk show hosts are simply ad salesmen - the more controversial they are the more ads they can sell). The helping is simply a feel good by product of the main aim of the show. It's not mean, shady or below board. It's simply what 'tv' is.

- Mike, Concord

I too second the thought that it would make more sense to have an affordable house in terms of taxes and upkeep. Instead of spending 600K on a single house, what about spending 100K on six houses? What about revitalizing a neighborhood or an entire downtown?

- Dan, Manchester

If this were a cable channel show, they could get away with making a nice, live-able, home for these people. But to make it on the big networks, it's got to be "Extreme". It's sad that network execs feel they can't just make a feel-good show. The bottom line for these people is not to go out and do good. Their bottom line is $$. And I would guess that, at $600K, plus production costs, it's still a cheap deal to them.

- Marc, Derry

Great point Daniel.. I'd also like to note that the home still needs to be maintained - oh and let's not forget about the taxes that have to be paid. I think ABC does a wonderful thing for families, there is no question... but I'd like to see more families helped and put into more "affordable" homes.

- AS, Merrimack, NH

It's great to see that a family who needs the help, gets the help. But my biggest question I would have is why do they have to take the house that was probably worth $100k and turn it into a $600k. I'm sure they could be quite comfortable in a lesser priced house. Take the money saved and put it in a cd or college fund for the kids!! Just sayin... and yes enjoy the vaca!!

- Daniel, Plaistow

Enjoy your vacation, and congrats!!! I hope the naysayers keep away ...

- Catrina, Manchester

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