Advertise on podcast: Abandon House! How to Survive a Home Repair Fiasco

With Borg gone and the Castle still very much unlivable, Kenny and Shari do what any exhausted homeowner would do: they roll the dice again. Enter Joe, a new general contractor who seems like he might be the hero the Rudolph’s have been searching for - just a Regular Joe with a plan, a crew, and the promise of forward motion. That optimism doesn’t last long. Deadlines slip. Costs creep. Subcontractors appear and disappear like fog. And then there’s Mareno - the madman foreman whose creative interpretations of his duties sparks one of the Castle’s most infamous moments yet: Cabinet Gate. What should have been a straightforward step forward becomes another lesson in how chaos thrives when accountability is optional. To widen the lens, the Rudolphs welcome kindred spirits Mike and Michelle, who share their own home repair horror story from the 2021 Texas freeze. Their experience - sudden disaster, compounding failures, and the emotional toll of fighting for basic repairs - mirrors the Castle’s journey in unsettling ways, offering hard-won lessons about preparedness, persistence, and knowing when to push back. Kenny also debuts his original song, “Go Sell Crazy Somewhere Else,” turning a tagline of defense during the Rudolph’s fiasco into an anthem for anyone trying to stay on the high road. Kenny, Shari, Michelle, and Mike discuss: What happens when a “fresh start” contractor isn’t actually a resetHow missed deadlines and vague scopes quietly derail projectsThe danger of side hustles inside major renovationsWhy Cabinet Gate became a breaking point in the Rudolph’s fiascoLessons from surviving multiple Texas freezesFinding humor - and resilience - when everything feels out of controlNext time: Episode 10, Madmen Moreno - Treasure Hunter. A new expert appears. Old mistakes resurface. Timelines are “locked in” (again). And the Castle inches closer to an answer to the question that’s been haunting it from the start: will this house ever be whole - or is abandonment the only real option? 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 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 and Go Sell Crazy Somewhere Else were 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

We return to the Rudolphs to find them still standing in the wreckage of a job that was supposed to be “six weeks, tops.” Instead, it’s October 2020, the kitchen is still a construction crime scene, and Borg’s excuse factory is running three shifts a day. The mysterious Brothers Tran have vanished. Again. The windows still leak. The contract still doesn’t exist. Just when it seems like momentum is building, Borg’s latest “solution” shows up carrying red flags, backdated invoices, imaginary property ownership. The Rudolphs are forced to say the quiet part out loud: they are worse off now than when this all started. But wait - the insurance cheques actually clear. Real money hits the bank. Hope flickers. Borg scrambles. Isaac returns demanding payment like a landlord in flip-flops. Tempers flare. Lines are drawn. In the midst of the chaos, we also pivot to that rare quality that the Abandon House! guests all seem to have in spades, in spite of it being absent for the majority of the fiasco: competence. Kenny and Shari welcome Michael Fournier and Doug Reid from SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology), creators of Trades Take 10 and educators who actually explain how things are supposed to work. Together, they unpack: Why the skilled trades shortage is very real (and very fixable)How apprenticeships are equivalent to university degrees — without the soul-crushing debtWhy soft skills matter just as much as technical onesHow trades can be a launchpad for any dream (including rock stardom)And why the future of housing depends on training people who actually know what they’re doingIt’s a rare bright spot in a saga defined by demolition dust and broken promises - proof that good people still exist in the system, and that not everyone asking for money is running a long con. Next time: Sidehustle Joe and Mad Man Moreno descend upon the castle - and if you thought the last batch of pirates were bad…honey, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Go sell crazy somewhere else! 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 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

Down came the rain…and with it, a team of licensed catastrophists. When Isaac and his Planet Eden crew arrive to perform what’s been generously labeled a “discovery process,” Kenny and Shari watch their functioning kitchen get stripped to the studs in record time - no signed contract, no clear scope, and no guarantee anything will ever be put back. Cabinets vanish. Appliances hide in plain sight (right where the car is supposed to be in the garage). A plastic zipper wall turns the kitchen into a private demolition club, and the Rudolphs are not on the guest list. What began as a leaking window has now escalated into a full-blown kitchen apocalypse. As invoices multiply and reports drift dangerously close to creative fiction, the insurance pirates circle, Borg’s promises wobble, and the Castle enters its submarine era: six months without a real kitchen, a microwave in the garage, and just enough hope to keep everyone hanging on. Then, finally, our long-awaited window expert appears (no, it’s not Moby). The Rudolphs welcome Terry Adamson, Technical Director (and former President) of Fenestration Canada, the national trade association in Canada for windows, doors, and glazing. Terry brings decades of industry knowledge, plain-language explanations, and something the Castle has been missing for years: clarity. From flashing and envelope failures to real-life examples like the infamous “Vancouver leaky condo crisis,” Terry explains what went wrong, why the whatever-you-want-to-call-it sky wall likely failed after 14 years, and how homeowners can avoid ever living through this kind of fiasco. Actual answers. Real standards. No smoke. No mirrors. No Jedi moisture meters. Kenny, Shari, and Terry cover: What fenestration actually means (and why consumers never hear the word)Why flashing is non-negotiable - especially in rain-heavy climatesWhat test reports homeowners should demand before buying windowsThe importance of window and door maintenance (yes, that’s a thing)How to find real experts instead of confident guessersNext time: Borg’s excuse factory goes into overdrive, a mysterious window sensei appears, promises are broken (three times), and the Rudolphs inch closer to the moment every homeowner dreads: realizing they may need to walk away. 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 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

What do you do when the pirates are quiet, the castaways are safe, and Christmas is finally over? You open the mailbag. In this special bonus holiday episode of Abandon House! Kenny and Shari Rudolph answer listener questions sent in from around the world - letters to the Rudolphs, if you will - reflecting on love, loss, creativity, homeownership…and how a home repair disaster became a three-book series, a podcast, and even a theme song. Kenny, Shari, and their producer, Jess Schmidt, discuss: How Kenny and Shari managed stress, grief, and chaos as a couple - and why they still insist Abandon House! is a love storyThe losses, professional upheaval, and pandemic pressures that unfolded alongside the home repair disasterWhy revisiting the story felt impossible at first - and how distance and time turned the fiasco into perspective (and humor)How a stack of records, absurd emails, and a story that wouldn’t go away became a memoir, then a trilogyThe creative journey behind the Abandon House! theme song The “back catalog” of castle catastrophes you’ve never heard before, including:A biblical swarm of bees living inside the wallsEarthquakes that turned the pool into a wave machineA near-house fire caused by an overheating AC unitWhether the fiasco changed how they feel about homeownership (spoiler: skylights are cancelled)Why self-advocacy, documentation, and the right experts make all the differenceAnd finally…how the story ends (hint: it’s a trilogy for a reason)As Kenny so aptly puts it: “What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” This episode is about walking through it together - and learning how to laugh once you’re safely on the other side. Coming up next on Abandon House!, Episode 7: Licensed Catastrophists, featuring Terry Adamson of Fenestration Canada. From the Rudolphs to you, dear listener: Happy Holidays, and may your New Year be fiasco-free! 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

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 isHow to spot shady contractors before they disappear (again)The questions you should ask any contractor before you start a project with themWhy scope creep can ruin both homeowners and buildersNick’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. 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 CastleCOVID-era construction protocolsLegal wisdom from Rip, the SoCal lawyer of dreams, including where to sniff out the above board contractors in California via the State Licensing Board websiteA deep dive into co-op construction with Zach Ogden of HiveMind ConstructionThe highly dramatic entrance of Borg and Isaac to the CastleAnd the ongoing search for Bigfoot…aka, a contractor who can actually finish the jobThis 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. Abandon House! is produced by Jess Schmidt: https://www.jessdoespodcasting.com/ Our editor is Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ The Abandoned 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

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 pictureThe COVID-19 pandemic’s surreal overlap with the Rudoph’s personal house fiascoHow to get out of a broken contractor relationship and more helpful legal insights from dynamite construction attorney Karalynn CromeensThis 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. 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

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? 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

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. Along the way, Kenny and Shari share (with Doug’s help): How insurance claims really get handled behind the scenesThe difference between private and public adjustersPractical steps for homeowners to self-advocate after a denied or low claimThe emotional toll of home repair limbo…and the moment grief changes everythingThe beginnings of what would become the Brady Windows sagaEven 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. 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

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 problemThe hilariously desperate (and very wet) improvisation of catching leaks with cookwareHow their “castle” became the stage for unexpected chaos and comedyTheir origin story as a couple - from elevator roulette and “non-dates” to long-distance love and finally moving into their fixer-upper togetherThe first frustrating encounters with their insurance company and a surfer-dude adjusterThis 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. 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

Welcome to Abandon House! How to Survive a Home Repair Fiasco, where Kenny and Sherry Rudolph share their harrowing five-year journey through the half a trillion dollar home repair industry. A companion to Kenny's 3-part memoir of the same name, this 10-part limited series will bring you practical advice (from more seasoned experts than us, even), laugh-out-loud moments amid the chaos (our first insurance adjuster really did ask us for our fish taco recommendation), and a story that at the end of the day reminds you to hold those you love close (hey, if we can get through this - we can truly get through anything.) Subscribe now for essential do's and don'ts every other week to help you avoid the fate that we met…which left us crying, laughing, and screaming: “ABANDON HOUSE!” 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

Join Kenny and Shari Rudolph as they recount their five-year home repair fiasco, battling insurance bandits, unreliable contractors, and a whole slew of home repair pirates who did their level best to capsize their house - and bring their relationship down with it. Each episode of this 10-part limited series will include essential do's and don'ts from their experiences, expert insights, and exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses into Kenny's 3-part Abandoned House: How to Survive a Home Repair Fiasco book series. Subscribe now to share the tears, laughter, and knowledge dropping onto the feed in fall 2025.