At some point in life, nearly all of us have faced the same struggle: hiring a plumber, contractor, or other “essential service” worker, only to be overcharged, misled, or left with more problems than when we started. Whether it’s a crooked contractor who disappears mid-job or a repair bill that somehow triples overnight, dealing with home maintenance often feels less like a service and more like surviving a modern-day pirate attack.
That’s the storm Kenny and Shari Rudolph found themselves in, and lived to tell the tale. In Abandon House: How to Survive a Home Repair Fiasco—a raw, witty, and eye-opening three-part memoir—the author and his wife relive five grueling years of botched repairs, shady contractors, and pandemic-era chaos after a small leak in their kitchen windows snowballed into an unwanted demolition.
What starts as a simple fix quickly spirals into a never-ending battle with an entire cast of five-star-seeking, one-star-service-providing characters: licensed contractors who disappear, slick lawyers, robot-like insurance adjusters, and mercenary laborers just trying to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Rudolphs try to reclaim their home and sanity, their journey becomes something readers will instantly relate to, especially those who have ever tried to renovate, repair, or hold on to their home without getting taken advantage of.
Kenny Rudolph media veteran, songwriter, and author of Under Hemingway’s Michigan Sky—brings his signature humor and honesty to this story. Rudolph's co-star throughout the survivors' tale is Shari, his wife, who adds her sharp insights, leadership experience, and Canadian charm to the mix. Late Summer 2025, the couple will co-host and launch Abandon House Pod, a 10-part companion podcast series featuring behind-the-scenes stories, guest experts, and lessons learned from their long, leaky journey.
So why read Abandon House? Because even fiascos can be funny, and if you own a home, or have been danced dizzy by an underperforming service provider, you might recognize yourself in the chaos. This book is a comedic, cautionary tale, a survival guide—photos included!—and a reminder that you're not alone in the madness of modern home repair.
Now available on Amazon and wherever you buy books. Grab your copy, learn from the Rudolphs’ hard-earned wisdom, and hopefully avoid your own Capital-F Fiasco.
Media Contact
Company Name: Fawcett Publications
Contact Person: Max Cater
Email: Send Email
Phone: 1 (224) 357-1019
Address:5250 Old Orchard Rd Ste 300
City: Skokie
State: IL
Country: United States
Website: https://www.fawcettpublications.com/
