TV show helping local family avert disaster

TV show helping local family avert disaster

News

By: Jay Gutteridge

On his HGTV show Disaster DIY, Bryan Baeumler usually pokes fun at struggling do-it-yourselfers while helping them fix problems they’ve created.

However, during the episodes he and his crew began filming Tuesday in Gilford, he will likely be a little easier on the person he’s assisting.

That’s because the person is David Paquette, a single father of five whose house, unbeknownst to him when he purchased it in 1999, is poorly constructed.

He discovered problems last year and set about trying to fix them. He realized he had to remove all the drywall on the main floor, but after doing so, found more than he could handle.

“There’s more problems than you can shake a stick at,” Mr. Paquette said.
Even so, he didn’t reach out to the team at Disaster DIY.

It was Reverend Andrew Hamilton and the congregation at Bradford Alliance Church who secretly reached out on Mr. Paquette’s behalf.

“David and his family started coming to the church about three years ago and we learned a little while after he came about his family’s needs,” Rev. Hamilton said. “God brought us David and his family to teach us to love people and David and his family are easy to love.”

The congregation started to help the family by donating what they could and soliciting help from local businesses. One member helped Mr. Paquette get his old woodstove working to heat the house; others helped him locate and install a used water heater.

However, problems with the house were too great for the small congregation to fix.

That’s when Rev. Hamilton and the church elders board decided to seek even more help.

They contacted several media outlets and renovation shows similar to Disaster DIY.

About a half hour after he sent his last letter seeking help, Rev. Hamilton said he received a call from Disaster DIY.

Although the members of the show’s team were initially reluctant, noting the project is much larger than they normally handle, they met with Rev. Hamilton, Mr. Paquette and the kids to determine whether or not to proceed.

Ultimately, Mr. Paquette’s story tugged the heartstrings of the show’s team and they got the go-ahead from HGTV to film a two-part Disaster DIY special.

Mr. Baeumler said the special show will probably mean special treatment for the person he’s assisting.

“I think so. Normally I’m kind of, ‘You bonehead! What have you done?,’ but David’s got more at stake,” he said.

Mr. Paquette is actually pretty handy with tools, Mr. Baeumler said.

However, Mr. Paquette doesn’t have the resources to hire an architect or get the help he needs from professional tradespeople, he continued.

Normally, Disaster DIY films at three sites at once, with each project taking three weeks.

Because of the scale of the project, construction and filming at Mr. Paquette’s house will spansix weeks.

“The guys on our construction crews are pretty dedicated. They’ll do 14 or 16 hour days if they need to,” Mr. Baeumler said.

The crews will also get some help from local volunteers, including members of the Bradford Alliance Church congregation.

Also on board is Greg Liness of AGL Contracting and Renovation Inc., based in Alcona.

He has known Mr. Baeumler for about 10 years and worked with him in the past.
“(Mr. Baeumler) called me up one Sunday morning,” Mr. Liness said.

“At first it was more of a consulting thing.”

However, that evolved into full-scale participation in the project.

Mr. Liness secured the permit from the Town of Innisfil, is helping the show find local contractors and businesses to assist with the project and will be on-site to help with the work.

He also secured the help of Bradford TIM-BR Mart, which will donate most of the building supplies for the project.

“They gave us a list of building materials and we said, ‘Definitely, yes. Whatever you need us to supply, even if it’s above and beyond,’” TIM-BR Mart manager Kevin Gray said.

Mr. Paquette helped keep the news of the Disaster DIY team’s arrival a secret from his children, who range in age from seven to 12. They were set to find out Tuesday after school.

“I know they’re gonna be thrilled,” he said.

As for his own thoughts on the situation, Mr. Paquette said: “I think it’s a blessing, really.”

The episodes will air sometime in the new year. Check The Topic for updates.

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