After weeks of wrangling with Overlord Surety Bond, Rounders Insurance, and Swizzle Stick Claims Management (yes, all names have been changed to protect the innocent and the incompetent), Kenny and Shari decide to bring in Borg of Clydesdale Construction as their Bigfoot contractor to finish the job. Borg promises superhero-level expertise, industry muscle, and negotiation skills that will free them from the administrative doom-loop they’ve been living in. And to kick things off…Borg no-shows their first meeting.

When he finally appears, he brings Chuck - a man who actually seems to know what he’s doing - and Isaac, a one-man Middle Eastern hurricane who bursts onto the scene wielding a moisture meter like a Jedi lightsaber while shouting “Cut the jive!” It is unclear whether they’ve hired salvation, or started a subplot in an action-comedy.

But then: a breath of actual expertise.

The Rudolphs welcome into studio Nick Svaikauskas, owner of Calgary Custom Concepts, and host of the Constructive Conversations podcast and Nick Svaik Youtube channel. Nick is a Red Seal carpenter, former firefighter, and the contractor’s contractor: a human antidote to every grifter, ghoster, and Google-less “expert” who passed through the Castle. He brings clarity, candor, and deeply practical advice about vetting contractors, spotting red flags, preventing scope creep, and surviving the reno industry’s lack of regulation. A contractor who actually cares? Believe it.

Kenny, Shari, and Nick cover:

• What a Red Seal carpenter actually is
• How to spot shady contractors before they disappear (again)
• The questions you should ask any contractor before you start a project with them
• Why scope creep can ruin both homeowners and builders
• Nick’s recommended Calgary service pricing (a homeowner’s dream) https://calgaryhomeservicesblackbook.com/

This podcast is the official companion to the book series of the same name Abandon House: How to Survive a Home Repair Fiasco. Book 1 is available wherever you buy books, and at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Abandon-House-Survive-Repair-Fiasco/dp/B0FJYRFYKT

Next time: Sledgehammers are swung, prices are pulled out of thin air (and then raised…and then raised again…) as work finally gets underway to FIX THAT WINDOW! But will the repair actually get completed before someone walks away? And who will crack first: Borg, or the Rudolphs?

Abandon House! is produced by Jess Schmidt: https://www.jessdoespodcasting.com/

Our editor is Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/

The Abandon House! theme song was produced by Jeff Gerke with music and lyrics, vocals and guitar by Kenny Rudolph: https://abandonhousepod.com/

Additional music graciously provided by Eden's Journal: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC28z4W9e04lGdr0GWL-DK2A

Spring 2020 brings rain, leaks, and a new level of chaos to the Rudolph house as Shari and Kenny continue their fight to fix their sinking California castle. In this episode, the couple faces a fresh wave of insurance pirates, robotic adjusters, and legal run-around as COVID restrictions complicate everything. But amid the absurdity, a new hero emerges: they let rip their new lawyer, Rip.

Kenny unleashes their Rip-informed defence on Rounders Insurance, only to be met with form letters, denials, and a settlement offer so insulting it’ll make you laugh out loud when you hear the amount (we lifetime guarantee it). Shari breaks down the emotional toll of repeatedly reliving their story for every new adjuster who enters the arena.

Then: a breath of fresh, competent air. The Rudolphs sit down with Zach Ogden, co-founder and lead project manager at HiveMind Construction, a Philadelphia-based construction cooperative known for transparent and ethical practices. Zach brings empathy, insight, and straight talk about contractor bids, bad builds, and what homeowners should be asking before they sign anything. He also shares tales from the trenches - including a renovation disaster that rivals the Rudolph’s endless window leak.

Back in California, Kenny and Shari take their lawyer’s advice and begin the hunt for the impossible: a contractor who can fix what Brady Windows destroyed once and for all. Enter: Bigfoot. Or…Borgfoot? His partner Isaac arrives unannounced, waving a moisture meter like a Jedi lightsaber, shouting “Cut the jive!” and issuing the prophetic warning, “Sometimes small jobs become big jobs.”

Is Borg the solution? A grifter? A miracle worker? A man addicted to eating takeout out of Styrofoam containers? The signs are unclear.

What is clear: the battle isn’t over.

Along the way, Kenny, Shari, and Zach discuss:

• The cascade of insurance adjusters who ran through the Castle
• COVID-era construction protocols
• Legal wisdom from Rip, the SoCal lawyer of dreams, including where to sniff out the above board contractors in California via the State Licensing Board website
• A deep dive into co-op construction with Zach Ogden of HiveMind Construction
• The highly dramatic entrance of Borg and Isaac to the Castle
• And the ongoing search for Bigfoot…aka, a contractor who can actually finish the job

This podcast is the official companion to the book series of the same name Abandon House: How to Survive a Home Repair Fiasco. Book 1 is available wherever you buy books, and at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Abandon-House-Survive-Repair-Fiasco/dp/B0FJYRFYKT

Next time: Whether Isaac could see the future, cast some kind of a spell, or had Borg’s number…this small job is indeed about to become much, much bigger.

As Kenny and Shari recount their eighth - yes, EIGHTH! - failed repair attempt by Brady Windows, they reveal how frustration, fatigue, and a global pandemic finally pushed them to take back control. From the tyranny of lifetime guarantees to the power shift that comes from saying “You just bought our house!” the Rudolphs dive deep into what happens when good intentions meet bad workmanship - and what it takes to stand up for yourself as a homeowner. We also hear from Karalynn Cromeens, a construction attorney, author, and host of the Quit Getting Screwed podcast who brings legal clarity and practical advice for homeowners and contractors alike to unpack what went wrong, what to look for in a contract, and how to protect yourself from construction nightmares.

Along the way, Kenny, Shari, and Karalynn discuss:

• Making “the machine dance”, aka what it takes to change the picture
• The COVID-19 pandemic’s surreal overlap with the Rudoph’s personal house fiasco
• How to get out of a broken contractor relationship and more helpful legal insights from dynamite construction attorney Karalynn Cromeens

This podcast is the official companion to the book series of the same name Abandon House: How to Survive a Home Repair Fiasco. Book 1 is available wherever you buy books, and at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Abandon-House-Survive-Repair-Fiasco/dp/B0FJYRFYKT

This episodes features an excerpt from the song "Everybody Wants" by Eden's Journal.

Next time: Kenny and Shari hunt for Bigfoot - a new contractor willing to take on the mess Brady left behind - and what “red flags” to watch for before signing your next home repair agreement.