2017 Winner


Before

Before

2017 WINNER: Allyson Dardis of Hopkins

Allyson and Mike Dardis’ basement bathroom had a toilet and a sink, but no walls. Mike had torn them down a few years earlier in preparation for a remodel, but the project was delayed. That’s when the couple heard about Operation: Rescue Room.

“My mom, who’s a realtor, found out about the contest and told us,” says Allyson Dardis, of Hopkins.

The $1,000 prize for winning the contest would be just the boost they needed to start the remodel, she says. So they submitted.

Despite heavy competition, the unsightly scene of an exposed toilet and sink in a dark corner of an unfinished basement with a floor covered in cracked linoleum earned the most votes to win the 2017 prize for worst room in the West Metro.

“We were surprised we won, but happy,” Dardis says, adding that she would definitely recommend others enter the contest. “It’s easy to submit. Just describe your situation and take some photos.”

The seventh annual Operation: Rescue Room contest is now open for submissions through Feb 5. Submissions will be judged and voted on by visitors of the annual Home Remodeling Fair, Feb 11. Get rules and entry forms at http://homeremodelingfair.com/fair-day-activities/operation-rescue-room/.

After

After winning last year’s contest, Mike put the prize money to use and started the remodeling project right away. Now, less than a year after earning the title of worst room in the Metro, their bathroom sports a sleek, modern design with a new shower, revamped sink and toilet, fresh paint, a new window, tiled floors and, most importantly of all, walls.