Home Makeover TV Shows
78How Realistic Are Home Makeover TV Shows?
With the real estate market on the downward spiral, home improvement has taken on a life of its own. People are now less interested in purchasing homes that already have the features that they want, and more interested in doing it themselves. This is due to the fact that most people do not have the money to buy a new home with all the bells and whistles. They can, however, either afford to fix up their existing homes for increased equity or purchase a “fixer-upper” home at a reduced price and do the improvements and renovations themselves. With a little research, investment, and elbow grease; homeowners are beginning to take the value of their homes into their own hands.
Due this widespread trend; home improvement, renovation, and remodeling media is rampant with magazines, internet sites, and reality TV shows that give tips on everything from decorating updates to complete home rehab. With all the media attention and trend to improve your own home, it’s necessary to ask ourselves how realistic are these home makeover shows? Below, we take a look at what contributes to the average home makeover show in an effort to see how realistic these home makeovers might be for one of the general home-owning public.
Home Experts- One of the most helpful tools that these hundreds of home makeover and improvement shows have to work with is well-paid, well-trained experts. These design specialists and architects have the talent and experience to recognize a home’s positives and potential issues right off the bat. They can choose who they work with and what materials they need, without care for cost, etc. The regular homeowner obviously does not typically have these design consultants and experts at their disposal, and thus, must either hire a specialist to oversee the renovations needed on their home or must do it themselves with a lot less elbow grease than those experts on TV.
Materials- Another predominantly unrealistic aspect of home makeover reality TV shows is their use of materials. Typically, these home makeover shows will get huge discount on the materials they are using to facilitate their home makeovers. Due to this, they can afford to use any kind of materials they want-high end to low quality. If they opt for high end, obviously it is unrealistic that the average homeowner would be able to afford more expensive materials on a home renovation or remodeling project-especially if this is their first try at a particular project.
Tools- Home makeover reality television shows also have a full arsenal of the best brand name tools as well as not just general home renovation tools but also the super project specific tools as well. Again, these shows are able to stock up on the best tools and tool sets because they have tons of money and advertising to do so. The average homeowner, however, is watching the home makeover show-typically-because they want to save money, not invest in a whole assortment of expensive tools that will probably cost more than the project itself. Moreover, many of the home makeover audience are first time do it yourselfers, so the probability that they will already have a whole array of quality tools to work with is slim.
Turnaround- The average home makeover TV reality show shows a home makeover or renovation as something as quick as a day or two. Though the actual length of the project may take a week or more, the cast will make you believe that they were able to get it done within a day or two. In either scenario, this is nowhere near realistic as the average homeowner will typically take weeks and sometimes months-as his/her schedule is necessarily interrupted by obligations, whereas a TV’s only obligation is to get the renovation done and show aired-to finish a renovation large or small on their home.
Team- Besides having a bunch of design and build it experts at their disposal, home makeover reality shows also have a whole team of workers that make the renovation happen so quickly and seemingly so effortlessly. These team members are, of course, behind the scenes and never mentioned, because the show wants you to believe that these home renovation projects are as easy as they portray them to be: cut and dry, done in a quick half hour or hour segment: voila.
Troubleshooting- Another important aspect to recognize when it comes to home makeover TV shows in relation to your home renovations and remodeling projects is that very seldom do home reality shows admit that they have to sometimes troubleshoot. That’s right: it isn’t just you who has to run to Home Depot several times a day because you got the wrong size part or broke your drill bit using it incorrectly. They too, over and underestimate and must regroup. Even with a team of experts, specialists, and workers there are mistakes. The difference is that they can record over the mistakes and situations in which they had to wait on parts or troubleshoot because someone screwed up. Another difference is that they send a runner to Home Depot when they get the wrong part or need more supplies.
Whatever your small and large projects may be for your home, remember to watch home makeover reality shows with a grain of salt. Know that as easy and effortless as it may seem on TV, it isn’t in reality that easy. The home improvement market has been built upon false pretenses that you are just as equipped to renovate and remodel your home as the jokers on television, but realistically: you’re not. Just like the actors/actresses in the media: we do not have the personal trainers, chefs, beauty products, and fashion to look like the real people these mirages are meant to portray. This is not to say that with time, experience, and tools it’s impossible to make amazing renovations like those on TV. You certainly can. It will just not be as easy. You will need to recognize the real side of things: that you need a wide array of tools, expertise, access to materials, a flexible budget, ample time, and friends or consultants to help you carry out the home improvement projects of your dreams.
Links
- Cellar Conversions
Converting your basement could be the makeover your house needs.
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Hi you doing my name is Jeanette an I be watching your show all the time an you really be laying those houses out and i really need something done to my house can yall help me out please i have mold ever were ceiling falling apart cabnets falling off tissue paper walls please help me.
We love to watch these here, good hub.
We watch thesse types of shows, too. Fans
To whom it may concern
This is probably the hardest letter I have ever written, mainly because it concerns my daughter. My daughter Lynette Seagraves is the love of my life and I wish I was responsible enough to help her myself, but I’m not. I am her father and retired, she had a sister at one time (Shelly) who was killed in an auto accident, one of many disappointments she has been through
Lynette is married and is the mother of two boys. Her husband Aaron is an apprentice plumber and she works part time as a server in a catering business. The reason she can not hold a full time job is one of her sons, Lance, he is deft, autistic and also has turrets. He attends a special school for the deft and is often asked to leave school for his uncontrollable behavior. She can not afford a baby sitter, mainly because she can not find anyone who will actually want to stay with him. She has tried on several occasions, but no one ever returns. She finally managed to get some help from the state. They have a very helpful program that consists of sending a college student out to her house, to work with him on his sign language, and his hyper aggressive attitude. The girl has done wonders with him. The state has prescribed some medicine to keep him calm. The reason I’m writing to you is she needs some help with a home make over. She is renting a house that was built in 1935, only because she loves the 1940’s look and decorates her house with this look, she also is in to the Rock- a- Billy look. Every one that knows her loves her because of her up beat personality. She doesn’t hesitate to help anyone, but I just wish that someone would help her to get her own house or fix up the one she lives in, which is
6961 Valencia St Riverside Ca 92504.
Thank You
Fred Stepp
10451 Lynn Circle # G
Mira Loma CA 91752
cell 714-276-5135
Thanks everyone for the comments, I love these programs too and they always motivate me to improve my own home.
Fred - thanks so much for your heartwarming letter. I'm afraid I have nothing to do with the TV shows, just a big fan. However, if you still want to nominate your daughter, the page is here: http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edit
I hope things start looking up for her soon.
Victoria
i love george clarke!!!!!!!!!! he's soo hot!!
My name is Denise Lanier and I live in Jacksonville N.C. I am a single parent of three childre, 22 in Graduate school, my 19 year old is in her third year at Purdue University, and my 11 year old is in middle school. I am in great need of a home makeover. I work as a teacher assistant, which don't make very much money. I am behind in some of my bills, let alone trying to do home improvement. I could not afford to keep my termite payment up, so guess what happen? I ended up with termite damage to my home. The little money I get I try to pay what I can and send some money for food to my daughters in college. If all possible can someone please help me. I can be reached at 910-545-3345.
Sincerely,
Denise Lanier
Haha aimeeeeeeeeeeee! Me too, he's flippin' lovely :)
Denise, if you want to apply for EMHE, you need to go here: http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edit
All the best
Hi ,I always watch your show.I am very impressed to you .I have house,I want to makeover to my house .but right now we are in a big problem,like we can't afford the house.I saw in your show,you help people.you makeover the house and you paid of the house to.can you help us please.Allah(God) Bless You .
To whom this may concern My name is Marco Robinson and I’m writing you about my cousin Arlee Martin. She is a hard working single mother taking care of 7 children 2 sets of twins Jason & Jessica who are 2yo, Rachel & Raven who have just turned 4, Holly 8, Cearra 10, and Brianna 13 all are in school except for Jason and Jessica whom I or her sister watches while she at work. They love to be on the computer but can’t seem to share so she got the internet shut off and the television they can’t agree on what to watch so they fight over the remote Arlee is a beautiful, strong hearted and caring person who loves her kids more than anything in the world and when she do get time she will take them out to eat and to chucky cheeses. Arlee has helped me out a lot and I’m trying everything in my power to pay her back. She has her own home located in Michigan and she really wants’ to move back into her home but she have no room for all of her children. Her home has only 5 bedrooms and 1 bathroom that the three older girls argue over constantly, a nice back yard for the kids to play in but she’s afraid to let them out to play because she thinks that they will run out into the street. I love my little cousins dearly and nothing would make me happier then to see my cousin and her children happy. It would be so nice to see a smile on my cousins faces. If I had one wish it would be to see her and her kids happy.
Arlee Martin
616 S. Webster
Saginaw, Mi, 48602
Thank You
Marco Robinson
(313)704-4943
Hi my name is Mandy i have 4 kids and my husband has 1 we live in a 2 bed and 3 bath home the my grandmother left for me it is not big enough 3 kid in one room 2 kids sleep in the front room my husband drive truck and i work at a gas station is so hard rasing a big family but we do the best we can we not wish we had enough room for everyone please us bulid on we live in a little town in Ohio (Wellston) please help us we have had a heard life lost a lot of people in the last few years and had to watch my child who is now 8 fight cancer at 6 mo and now is in remission all i want is my family to be healthy and every one have there own bed plesae help my family 740-418-4663
where do I get expense help for remodeling my house since I'm declared disabled due to brain tumors then stroke. Steve W. P.O. Box 1388 lake arrowhead ca 92352
do you buy homes that need to be remodeled for other families?
Could you guys please come to Holland make over our home?????
would you guys plz cometo louisiana and make over my moms home they really need it
melissa shepherd 2 years ago
I have seen so miny of your show,s and what you have done for pople