Extreme Makeover Home Edition, the show that builds houses for deserving families in 7 days, has traveled throughout the United States, building house by house for years. With the help of construction workers, landscapers, designers and many more others, they grant wishes to families who are no longer able to help themselves.

 

The summer of 2007, Extreme Makeover came to Minnesota, to the Swenson family, who were in desperate need of a new home. The Swenson family resided in Minnetoka, Minnesota, in a small home of 2,300 square feet, with three bedrooms, and 2 1/2 bathrooms. Vicki and Erik Swenson, the father and mother, along with seven children were crammed into the small living quarters. In 2006 the family suffered a tragedy, Vicki's sister Teri Lee, and Lee's boyfriend, were murdered by Lee's ex-boyfriend. Vicki and Erik took in Lee's four children, and have been struggling with the tragedy as well as the inadequate space of the house ever since.

 

Extreme Makeover demolished the home and started from scratch. In the end the house was more than double the square footage it was before, being 5,600 square feet, now with seven bedrooms, and five baths. Balsam Millwork is one of the thousands of local volunteers, who donated time and materials. Balsam Millwork supplied the Swenson home with mouldings and coribels.