Builders Care announces next 'extreme home makeover'

All Mary Lou Tanksley wants is a safe and healthy home where she can raise her family. Right now, parts of her house, including the roof, are in dangerous condition because of unrepaired damage caused by an electrical fire. Several areas of the home are cut off from electricity, and an aging plumbing system and lack of handicap accessibility make everyday tasks challenging for Ms. Tanksley.

Ms. Tanksley has had her share of hardships over the years, including the loss of four children. She suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis, and walks with a cane because her home does not accommodate a wheelchair. She cares for two teenage grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, including one with Down syndrome.

On March 3, Builders Care, the nonprofit arm of the Lee Building Industry Association, will begin construction valued at more than $75,000 on the Tanksley home, located at 3719 Michigan Ave. The project begins with a brief ceremony at 10 a.m.

Stevens Construction will be donating construction management services for the project, which is one of the largest Builders Care projects to date. The company will handle the project scheduling, subcontractor coordination, inspections and quality control for the two week restoration.

In a collaborative effort between Builders Care, the State Housing Initiatives Program through the City of Fort Myers, Stevens Construction and local building subcontractors, volunteers will demolish the existing roof and most of the interior, install a new truss roof system compliant with hurricane codes, rebuild interior walls and the bathroom for handicap accessibility, install new windows, replace a hazardous electrical system, add central heating and air conditioning and exterior stucco, replace all interior drywall, paint both the interior and exterior, add new kitchen cabinetry and new soffit and fascia.

"We are so grateful to have builders out there still willing to help, even with the extreme turmoil facing our country," said Heidi Taulman, Builders Care executive director. "It speaks magnitudes about their commitment to the Lee County community."

The new, improved home will be unveiled to the Tanksley family on March 17 at noon.

Contributing companies include Abash Enterprises, Acousti, Action Glass, Cape Coral Plumbing, Crowther Roofing, Doyle Electric Services, HD Supply, HideAway Storage, Home and Hotel, Liberty Aluminum, Mark's Dumpsters, Nemeth Air Conditioning, Nilles Design, Raymond Building Supply, S.A.M. Drywall, Seacoast Supply, Sherwin Williams, Southwest Construction, Stevens Construction, T M Portable Restrooms, Titan, Viking Construction and Wayne Wiles Floor Coverings.

Builders Care is the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association. Its objective is to provide emergency repairs and construction services to elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged people who are unable to obtain home repairs through traditional means. Builders Care enlists the volunteer services of Lee BIA members and leverages grants and donated materials to provide construction and remodeling services to qualified homeowners throughout Lee County.

Donations can be made online at www.LeeBuildersCare.org or to the Builders Care general fund at any Colonial Bank. More information is available at 938-0056.