What begins as a long-awaited home repair turns into a comedy of errors, a masterclass in patience, and a crash course in the perils of “lifetime guarantees.” In this chapter of the Rudolphs’ ongoing home-repair odyssey, Kenny and Shari finally hire a contractor to fix their leaky sky wall (Halleluja! It has a name!!) What follows: multiple failed repair attempts, shattered windows, leaking warranties, and an ever-expanding cast of contractors - each with their own excuses and a new kind of goo. Along the way, life keeps rolling (sometimes literally), from mountain-bike collisions to big career moves and family health scares. Plus, insurance expert Mike Connolly of ClaimsPro Canada offers a sharp, enlightening look at how insurance systems really work North of the border - along with what homeowners should know before disaster strikes, and how to advocate for yourself when the fine print gets slippery.

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

• The “Lifetime Guarantee” Trap: When a company’s promise of perfection turns into years of callbacks and excuses.
• The Power of Documentation: Why keeping records, photos, and notes matters when repairs go wrong.
• Insurance Wisdom: Guest expert Mike Connolly of ClaimsPro Canada explains how claims, adjusters, and contractor networks differ in Canada vs. the U.S.—and how to protect yourself as a policyholder.

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: Foreshadowing disaster, this chapter closes just in time for the holidays…and strange whispers of a new virus making news overseas…surely that won’t be a problem, right?

After their first storm damage claim turned into a comedy of leaks - combatted only by our heroes’ bravery and their pots-and-pan ballet - Kenny and Shari finally receive their insurance settlement check for just over $4,000. Relief is short-lived, though, as they realize the payout is meaningless if they don’t have a contractor to actually do the work…and that the cheque might not be enough.

Enter Doug Quinn, an insurance-industry-insider turned consumer advocate, who joins the show to explain what really happens when a claim gets adjusted, why so many homeowners end up underpaid, and how to fight back. Doug’s story of losing his own home in Superstorm Sandy reveals the darker side of an industry built on trust - and the critical role of public adjusters, self-advocacy, and persistence. His advice gives homeowners a playbook for pushing back when the numbers don’t add up.

Meanwhile, back in California, Kenny and Shari’s “minor” kitchen window leak turns into a multi-month odyssey through contractors with reality-show egos, vanishing estimates, and escalating quotes. As they chase down “Screwdriver Slim” and “Hammer Dan,” personal storms brew, too: Shari’s father receives a devastating cancer diagnosis, forcing them to ask where they really belong.

Along the way, Kenny and Shari share (with Doug’s help):

• How insurance claims really get handled behind the scenes
• The difference between private and public adjusters
• Practical steps for homeowners to self-advocate after a denied or low claim
• The emotional toll of home repair limbo…and the moment grief changes everything
• The beginnings of what would become the Brady Windows saga

Even the smallest leak can expose how fragile the promise of protection really is - and how important it is to understand your rights before disaster strikes.

Find the links discussed in this episode here:

American Policyholder Association website

APA How to Self Advocate in an Insurance Dispute resource

United Survivors Disaster Relief

Bonus content: See photos of the real pots and pans ballet and other images from the fiasco at abandonedhousepod.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: The search for someone - anyone - to fix the dreaded “what-are-those-called?” skywall windows begins. Two bids in, the insurance estimate is STILL a joke…so the Rudolphs fight back, appeal the decision, and actually win.

It all started with a drip.

In this very first episode of Abandon House: How to Survive a Home Repair Fiasco, Kenny and Shari Rudolph take us back to February 17, 2017 when a rare Southern California storm turns their dream “castle” on a hill into a battleground: against the elements, and a slew of pirate foes in the forms of contractors, crews, and insurance agents. Their leaking kitchen window (or is it a sky light? maybe a sky wall, or an atrium?) was combatted with the first of many renditions of what would come to be known as the “pots and pans ballet”...which they didn’t yet know would mark the beginning of what would become a five-year adventure into the half-a-trillion-dollar industry of home repair and restoration.

Along the way, Kenny and Shari share:

• The shock of discovering that their “invading raindrops” weren’t a one-time problem
• The hilariously desperate (and very wet) improvisation of catching leaks with cookware
• How their “castle” became the stage for unexpected chaos and comedy
• Their origin story as a couple - from elevator roulette and “non-dates” to long-distance love and finally moving into their fixer-upper together
• The first frustrating encounters with their insurance company and a surfer-dude adjuster

This episode sets the stage for the saga to come: a mix of comedy, cautionary tales, and hard-earned lessons about the pitfalls of homeownership.

Bonus content: See photos of the real pots and pans ballet and other images from the fiasco at abandonedhousepod.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: Kenny and Shari’s spray-and-pray search for a contractor takes them from skylights to shantytowns, while their insurance “solution” falls apart.