Is Reality TV Ruining Your Renovation?
I assume you’re here because you’ve either decided to embark on the renovation process or have watched so many renovation shows that you’re starting to become skeptical — but either way you want to know what really are possible red flags and what is exaggerated. For those of you whose lives don’t revolve around the housing industry, the title to this blog is a little dramatic, but we’ve witnessed so many myths, misrepresentation and confusion rear their ugly heads that we’d like to break down how the design and renovation process really works.
To start, I am not going to single out or pick on one single show. They all have parts that are helpful and segments that are harmful for the average TV viewer. However, unlike the average viewer, us interior designers know firsthand that what makes for good reality TV can make for bad reality in the real world.
Let’s start with the planning first
What do you mean hire an interior designer? Why do I need one? I’ve seen it on TV, my contractor or architect do that! The short answer no, they probably don’t. When you are watching a show, no matter which one, they never show the behind-the-scenes part of our role and that leads to a false illusion of what we do and who actually gets credit for the work. It also leaves people with the thought that “having a good eye for it” is good enough to make their design dreams come true, but in reality that may not be the case and could lead to some hefty “hidden costs” in the future — but more on that in a minute.
I am not here to criticize anyone who does have a good eye and have made incredible careers out of their skillset, but I am here to say they have a very education and talented team behind them, I’m sure of it. I would also like to say that it is nearly impossible to understand how you live day-to-day, what your goals for the home are, what walls can/ need be removed, and determine if plumbing and lighting need to change all on a single walk through. Not to mention we haven’t even gotten into the finishes and YOUR design aesthetic yet! It just doesn’t happen that quickly. Interior designers and our process can take weeks if not months (some projects even go on for years) to get to a final design that is perfect for you, not a TV show reveal.
Did you know shows often hire local design firms to complete the design portion of the project prior to them executing? That means on TV the homeowner pays nothing for the design services (as well as having their choices taken away) which make those magically numbers on the screen significantly less. However, in the real world you can easily pay thousands of dollars for the design process that may take a large chunk out of someone’s renovation budget. Many shows have been called out publicly for the work, budgets and process they show and how it doesn’t add up in reality because home owners are left without furniture (staged for TV), with wet paint or unfinished flooring (dramatic timelines) and shotty work (not vetting contractors). It’s also been rumored that the production company pays for the additional costs of the 3D walkthroughs, fly-by renderings and other TV elements that are very impressive when viewing. While I think it’s great that the consumer knows that those options are available to help them visualize, that really creates unrealistic budget estimates when you’re just starting your project and haven’t even swung that sledge hammer yet (which also rarely happens). I know for me personally, it can take me weeks to create a design element of that magnitude and it’s not cheap or included automatically in my pricing. Another personal sidebar, I actually create other drawings like detailed floor plans, custom elevations and moodboards to have my clients understand the design concepts without having them spend a lot of money upfront. It often is enough to convey the design concept without blowing the bank on the design process.
Now, let’s get into the renovation
You can leave your sledge hammers in the garage, basement or still at the store because you probably won’t need them.
Before we get into the budget of everything let’s talk timelines. Timelines are my biggest pet peeve because I think people understand there are a few days condensed down into a 30 minute show, but they don’t comprehend what actually had to go into making those few days run on such a tight timeline.
I won’t get into the shows that go through which house the lucky homeowners select (because that’s not my area of expertise) but once they do lock in on a house and say the renovation is going to take 6 weeks that doesn’t just start the next day. There are many, many things that need to happen to make that timeline run smooth, as well as, many decisions that need to be made prior to demo even starting. Despite what you see on TV the designs for the homes happen prior to filming even begin — gasps! Yes, it’s true and I know it has to be true because it’s rare that everything that you love is in stock or ready to ship. Especially with COVID, things have just gotten worse… much worse.
When you order cabinets, tile, lighting, flooring, appliances, and many other specified products those items needs to be sitting in your garage/ basement/ spare room (or confirmed on order) before most contractors will even consider locking in a demo day. Cabinets on average are taking 6+ weeks, some custom tiles are takes 3 months to come in and we won’t even get into the furniture aspect in this post. So how does this happen so quickly for TV? Well, the honest truth is that the homeowner doesn’t always get to make the selections for their home. If I’m being honest that’s not a big deal to everyone I work with, but to me I think you (as the homeowner) should always have a say in the decisions for the house that you live in, as well as, always being told of the cost, maintenance and consequences of each choice being made in YOUR home. All of these choices dictate your true timeline.
So, you’re ready for the long way? You’ve hired your designer for the perfect plan for the way you and your family lives, you’ve made all your selections and have them on order so you can get a contractor in ASAP and now you start taking meetings with contractors. As you’ve probably guessed (there does seem to be a theme here) as like so many other things on TV, these accommodating, understanding, helpful and knowledgeable contractors are already lined up!
You’ve seen the magic duos: brother and brother, husband and wife, mother and daughter, sister and brother, best friends, they got em all now. But did you know that just like the hosts, some shows actually have traveling crews that go from house to house to do the work? How wonderful would that be?! Sorry to burst the bubble, but in the real world, there is a major labor crisis going on in the construction industry. A lot of industry professionals are retiring and very few are entering the trades so timelines are now longer than ever.
Right as I was graduating college in 2008 the design and construction industry took a huge hit because the economy crashed. A lot of tradesmen were forced to leave the trades and find other work. So, as there continues to be an uptick in the renovations and construction industry, especially because people have been stuck in their homes for a year since March 2020, there simply aren’t enough good, qualified, trustworthy people to do the work. In all honesty, I have had situations in the past few months where I designed $75k renovations that I literally can’t find contractors to take the work for months. Even more so, many contractors have so many large scale renovations (I consider large $50K+) available to them, that they aren’t taking on “smaller projects” like those powder room renovations, closets turned hall trees or simpler bathroom updates. When you do find a contractor open to taking on a new project, it’s not uncommon for their waitlist to be 6+ months out. This goes back to Economics 101 of supply and demand. When there are very few skilled people to do the work, the cost of that work is higher.
It always ends with a beautiful room reveal…
At this point you’ve made it through the renovation, you’ve cut the drama by planning ahead and now you’re ready to make those relocated walls the perfect home to impress your friends, family and be the envy of the neighborhood… not so fast my reno viewing renegades, there are still a few myths to bust and hurdles to clear.
Did you know that shows often buy products in bulk and use them on multiple homes? Not only do they get a much better deal than if they were buying for one home, but that means you don’t get a choice! What you get is what you get — if you even really get to keep it. As many viewers know, through a few Google searches, shows have also gotten called out for staging above and beyond what is in the client’s budget but portraying it on TV like it’s included. The staging for shows is often NOT included, it’s only there for the big reveal. I will give credit where it’s due though and have seen shows start to give an additional total if they included all the furniture before handing the keys over.
One thing I find most viewers don’t know though is that manufacturers donate products. Yup, it’s true, I even now a few vendors who have been a part of that process personally. So how does that work? They are excited about being featured on TV, so they will often donate products, appliances, and furniture to be featured on the show. You know those up close up shots of the Kohler faucet or the GE fridge? It’s an advertisement for that product in exchange for being donated. “The people who buy these houses are getting a steal of a deal because they’re getting hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of furniture and all this extra stuff, top quality materials from the decking to the tile, you name it,” Jonathon Scott told People. “And they’d never be able to get it for that price if it wasn’t for the show.”
My least favorite part about the big reveal (and often times I notice it throughout the design process as well) is that they push the homeowner away — that is big red flag! In my opinion, designers typically have a vast knowledge base so if you don’t know your style, need our input or want a particular look pulled together then that is exactly what we’re here for, but we shouldn’t be controlling each and every design decision without consulting the end user , the person who has to live there in the end, the person paying the invoices — YOU! I believe that the same home can be designed in many different ways, and the perfect way for each person depends on how they live, their goals for longevity and what will make them happy. With that said, I also would like homeowners to know that we make suggestions and recommendations based on our experience and we’ve often made or seen the mistakes that you’re about to make and can actually save you money in the long run.
Another thing to consider, if you’re renovating to sell you have a whole other can of worms on your hands. I won’t get too in-depth because this article has become lengthy enough and I often find that real estate agents and myself differ on some of these topics, but from my experience here are a few times that renovating doesn’t give you the return on investment (ROI) that you think it does. I often find myself yelling at the screen when people think the sellers care that you put a low ball offer in because you need room to renovate — truth bomb, they done care, they care about comps in the neighborhood. The buyers don’t care that you chose the most expensive granite — because it’s not their taste and are going to change it anyway.
Let’s wrap this all up, our best advice to you (the homeowner) getting ready to undertake a potentially costly investment into your home renovation:
1. Start small. Don’t start with a whole house renovation for your first project (especially if you are considering on doing anything DIY). Keep to a face lift that doesn’t move walls, but updates flooring, cabinets, paint, lighting, or other aesthetic features for the pros to handle. If it functions well, but is outdated that’s all you really need anyway.
2. It may seem like a plug, but be sure you hire an interior designer BEFORE your project begins. When I say a designer I mean it, someone who is qualified, has experience with construction and in particular the type of construction you’re about to embark on (kitchen, bathroom, closets, basement, whole house, etc.) and has connections to competent and available trade resources. If you just want it to look good at the end, then you can hire yourself a very talented interior decorator.
3. If you’ve pushed through all the research, tackled the budget, worked through the decisions and are ready to get started then let me offer you some really cool free stuff to help you pick the right contractor: http://www.prbdesigns.com/free-stuff-.html
Long story short, free construction labor, free interior design services, free products, and heavy discounts means that the total cost of renovation is a very small fraction of what it actually costs homeowners in the real world. This makes for a disappointing situation for homeowners looking to renovate, and tough news I regularly have to break to potential clients if they do the right thing and start with an interior designer.
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