Are Home Renovation TV Shows Lying to Us? Let’s Take a Look...
We can all picture the scene. A big bus or makeshift partition blocks the eager homeowners from seeing what is on the other side. They are bursting with anticipation as the countdown begins..3..2..1! And like magic, they have a home of their dreams that appears to have been completed overnight.
While home reno shows are great for entertainment, the smoke and mirrors required to pull it off is proof that in reality, a renovation project looks a lot different. Today I am going to take you behind the curtain to show you what it’s really like when the film crews aren’t around.
Detail #1: The Design is Set Long Before Demo Day
When we watch a home renovation show it seems like everything is happening all at once. For example, the kitchen is being gutted while the designers are making flooring and tile selection. Under normal circumstances, all of the design decisions are made far advance to when the sub-contractors begin their work. This means that designers spend many hours planning, selecting, and pricing a design project prior to any work starting in the home. By setting the design scheme far in advance, we go through every effort to insure there are minimal hiccups along the way and that the project stays on schedule and budget.
Detail #2: The Timeline is Reasonable & Well-Thought-Out
In a statement issued by HGTV, they admitted that they “may abridge and adjust timelines to help manage production and time constraints.” In essence, they fudge the timeline to suit the story they’re telling. And while TV shows portray massive crews working around the clock to meet unrealistic deadlines, that is not real life. Actual projects involve real people working hard for you during normal business hours and with much smaller crews.
Detail #3: The Investment is Inclusive of All Materials & Labor
One of the biggest lies home reno TV shows tell is over how much a project actually costs. Aside from the networks receiving heavily discounted labor and materials through partners and sponsors, they’re notorious for using cheap materials and rushed labor to drive down costs. When you’re making the decision to invest in a new kitchen or family room, you want it to look as good in twenty years as it does the day it is completed. In order for that to be the case, it is imperative to choose high quality materials and finishes.
While it might seem like I’m trying to scare you out of embarking on a home renovation project, I promise I’m not! Creating a new home for yourself and your family can be a wonderful and exciting time. If you’re doing it on your own it can certainly be stressful, overwhelming, and very time consuming. That is where the value of an interior designer comes in. Aside from having the talent to turn your vision into reality, we work day in and day out on projects of all sizes so we know what to expect and how to project manage. Think of us as an insurance policy that your home will be everything you hoped for and more!
If you’re ready to chat with home pros that have your real-life best interest in mind, please reach out. We can’t wait to hear about your project!
Until next time,
Donna
