by Mike Sever
Record-Courier staff writer
When the latest extreme kitchen makeover was revealed April 25 on the Oprah Winfrey show, Streetsboro contractor Brian Markham was able to sit back and say, "I did that."
The job on a 1953-built house in Shaker Heights was a 12-day race from start to finish and cost $186,000. The actual remodeling took place in early April, Markham said.
"We put $22,000 worth of appliances in there. It has a Kitchen Aide dual fuel, eight-burner stove with two ovens, two dishwashers and a 42-inch Frigidaire refrigerator," he said.
Counter tops are 2.5 inches thick marble, and the floor is a marble mosaic as is the backsplash. The wall behind the stove is covered in stainless steel.
The remodel involved taking out a wall to an adjacent sunroom and adding it to the kitchen space as a cathedral ceilinged breakfast area, said Markham.
"I'm extremely happy with the job. [Nate] Berkus, Oprah's designer, he said it's the best he's ever done for the show, Markham said.
The show aired April 25 on WEWS Channel 5.
Markham was recommended for the job by Lowe's Home Improvement, which sponsors the Oprah Show makeovers.
Markham, who's worked for Lowe's for seven years, was named an Installer of the Year in 2004, out of 19,000 installers nationwide.
When he got the call, Markham said he thought he was just doing the cabinets.
"'Oh, no,' they said. 'You're the general. You're doing the whole job.'"
"Here it is Sunday, I'm sick to my stomach because I agreed to do it, and Monday the job starts," Markham said.
When demolition started Monday morning, he started making calls. By mid-afternoon he had his electrician, plumber and floor guy lined up.
The work pace was intense, he said.
Markham said it took him "196 hours in 12 days and about three cases of Red Bull" to get the job done.
At one time, Markham said, "there were three electricians, two plumbers, three laborers, me and the film crew" all in the same 600-square-foot space.
"Everybody got along and just got their work done," he said.