"Never in a million years," Abbie Ivery exclaimed tearfully Friday as she walked through the front door of her barely recognizable house for the first time in two weeks.

Ivery, 64, was looking at the latest extreme home makeover by Builders Care, the nonprofit agency started by the Lee Building Industry Association in 2006. Its objective is to provide emergency repairs and construction services to seniors, disabled and economically disadvantaged people who are unable to obtain home repairs through traditional means.

She's the beneficiary of 168 hours of work and about $85,000 worth of renovations on her modest home off Hanson Street in Fort Myers.

The work was done by McGarvey Development and several local subcontractors.

Ivery, 64, who's been in the house since 1994, said she couldn't make the repairs on the income from her job taking care of autistic and mentally disabled adults.

"I just was overwhelmed in trying to repair it," she said. "I tried doing it and I just couldn't."

The house's problems were major: Ivery hadn't been able to use her washer or dryer due to aging electrical and plumbing issues in her utility room. Her window air-conditioning units were failing and her lights worked only some of the time.

All those issues were solved as McGarvey project manager Frank Hunter led a team of subcontractors that completely remodeled the house.

"There's still a little bit of your old home in there," Hunter told Ivery half-jokingly before she had a look at her new home.

But not much.

Ivery was astonished as she walked through room after room - they looked nothing like they did two weeks ago.

She was pleased with the results.

"I couldn't have chosen a better color myself," she said as she surveyed the bedroom.

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