How is a house, bought by a deceased father for $7,000 and now worth $80,000, appraised, given that one of the sons claims to have contributed financially to the house after the purchase?

The ruling on a son's work in renovating his father's house summarizes into two possibilities: Either he is a volunteer, in which case he has no right to claim compensation from the father or the heirs, and this is the default. Or he is not a volunteer, in which case he is entitled to a fair wage for his work and reimbursement for the money he spent, which should be deducted from the inheritance before its distribution. This is because the house belongs to the father, and the son does not become a partner in it except through a sale or a gift.