Operation Rescue Room: 2013 Winner Tackles Major Home Project
Nobody likes to tell their neighbors: “I have the ugliest bathroom in the west Metro.”
“That’s not exactly an honor,” says Susan Bloyer, of St. Louis Park, winner of last year’s Operation Rescue Room contest. “But you don’t always have your dream house when you’re on a budget. We did the best we could when we bought the house, and there was one particular element of it that had not been done well.”
And that was the home’s only bathroom.
Bloyer lived with it for several years. The un-even fixtures. The hole in the wall-tiles leading to water damage. The broken towel racks. The un-finished bathtub. The out-of-date toilet and sink. And the color that just never worked for her. It took time, but she saved money to remodel the room and with the $1,000 cash prize from winning Operation Rescue Room, she finally had the budget to make it happen. “It’s more than 100 percent better now,” Bloyer says. “I’m much happier with it now.” The wall damage is fixed. The room looks new again. And it’s been modernized with a dual-flush toilet and water-conserving shower head. “I’m sure in 10 years it will look dated again, but that’s life,” Bloyer says. For now, she says she’s glad she submitted to the contest and recommends others do as well. “Get over your embarrassment and just do it,” she says.
Entrees Accepted Through Feb. 16
This year’s Operation Rescue Room contest will award another $1,000 to the homeowner whose room is voted most in need of help by visitors to the 2014 West Metro Home Remodeling Fair, Feb 23. A showcase of pictures and descriptions of why the rooms need remodeling will be displayed in the Fair's Idea Center, where fairgoers can vote on the room they think needs the most work. Get 2014 contest rules and entry forms at www.homeremodelingfair.com/rescue. Entrees will be accepted from now through the end of the day Feb 16.