Young Mom Gets Surprise of a Lifetime on HGTV's Cousins Undercover

Old Yellow Home With Stumps in Front Yard

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Dilapidated Residence

Elizabeth Brehm, a single mom and teacher, bought this older house so her daughter could be the fourth generation of Brehms to grow up in this community, but the yard was littered with stumps, the roof leaked and the upstairs was unfinished. After being laid off, she couldn't afford to make the necessary repairs.

Outdated Light Blue and Yellow Bathroom With Yellow Bathtub

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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The Cover Story

During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Elizabeth was surprised with footage of Anthony Carrino tearing out the retro blue tile and ripping up the hideous yellow tub in her bathroom. She was told the cousins would only be renovating this one room, but it was really just the beginning.

Unfinished Room With Exposed Insulation and Studs

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Starting From Scratch

The second floor was nothing more than a shell with exposed studs and insulation. The cousins decided to knock out some of the existing studs and rework the floor plan to include a master suite and nursery for Elizabeth's baby daughter, Juliette.

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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All Hands on Deck

A renovation this big requires a lot of manpower. Friends, family members, Boy Scout troops and local volunteer groups showed up to get Elizabeth's home makeover finished in just seven days while she and Juliette were occupied in Disneyland.

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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Divide and Conquer

Moments after Elizabeth pulled away, the cousins divided the volunteers into groups and got to work. John and his team packed up Elizabeth's belongings and noted several leaks and cracks in the ceiling that had to be repaired before demolition could start.

Anthony Carrino Cutting Plywood With Circular Saw

Photo: Chris Amaral. From: Cousins Undercover

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No Time to Waste

Anthony and his team took to the roof, which had to be completely re-sheathed because it was caked in moss and threatening to cave in. The flimsy 3/8-inch plywood was replaced with more sturdy 3/4-inch plywood to protect all the work the cousins would do inside the home.