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Halloween Yard Haunt Makeover

Watch Dave Gugel Transform His Home Into a Haunted House

By , About.com Guide

DIY Halloween haunted houses and yard haunts have replaced full-size candy bars as the big draw in neighborhoods across the United States and other places that celebrate Halloween. Nobody knows this better than Dave Gugel, an extreme DIYer who started transforming his home seven years ago for an annual Halloween party.

Like many home haunters, Gugel began decorating inside his house, using a few props in the yard and entry to set the stage for a Halloween party and to entertain trick-or-treaters.

But Gugel's decorations are more than a tombstone here, a lighted jack-o'lantern there. His creative visions, DIY wizardry and artistic skills turned his Florida home into a local destination on Halloween. Each year, he has built new "attractions," and, including a Haunted Pumpkin Patch and Scare Zone.

Gugel is now the proprietor of Tee Lake Resort in Michigan, and in 2010 plans to turn it into a Halloween vacation getaway.

Step inside Gugel's house and tour the ultimate yard haunt makeover.

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picture of home hauntGugel's Haunted Mansion, Before and Afterpicture of halloween yard hauntDisturb Appealcemetary sign haunted houseDead Oak Cemetary: Planning Stagecemetary sign dave gugel gore n more haunted houseCutting Out the Cemetary Sign
picture of halloween cemetaryDead Oak Cemetary: Open for Businesspicture of a haunted house mummy in the makingHalloween Decorations: Making the Mummymummy for yard hauntDave and His MummymummyAfter: Mummy by Candlelight
picture of griffin monsters on columnsGraveyard Columns with Gryphonsbuilding haunted houseBefore: Endless HallwayWorking Around the Poolhaunted porch gugel's gore 'n moreHaunted Porch: Before & After
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