31 Comments

  1. We have ourselves a contestant named “Toad” here. He’ll design a water feature.

    Jess is one of the most beautiful rtv contestants ever. Prettier than Meghan Markle.

    You win some, you lose some.

    • I quite like the two ex-AFL players. They’re two beautiful fellas. Jared in particular. He’s that handsome, it’s like he was photoshopped.

      • Not sure the blonde (Lee?) is ex-AFL, just ex-footy friend. But Jared Petrenko was a well-known player, even outside Adelaide.
        I agree, he is very easy on the eye.

  2. Hold the phone a second…

    According to Jo, channel 7 paid 1.25 million for the house to begin with … so they dropped more than a million on a ramshackle, run-down, one-storey shack that was barely livable and about the size of my cupboard.

    I think that says very bad things about the Australian property market, and Sydney’s property market specifically.

    • And they paid 1.25million basically for a knockdown rebuild – there was virtually nothing left after demo.

      I agree with Toad. Who would waste their money on such a property where you are living in the pockets of the neighbours?

      • So really the house itself was worthless. It was 1.25M for that tiny patch of land, sandwiched between two other houses.

        I think Toad had the right idea.

  3. At first I thought the new all-together reno was a good idea, but now I am not so sure. A fairer way of determining the prize money is welcome, but this whole reno was almost completely fake.

    The contestants did virtually none of this reno, except choose a few tiles and artwork. And even then, all the artwork was bought from the same place, because it was all equally ugly and mono-themed. All the structural design was predetermined (of course), including the layouts of most of the rooms. Basically it was a just a design challenge.

    Of course, I didn’t really agree with the judging either. They seemed to go out of their way to have the judges arguing, especially LLB and Drew – Drew seemed to be argumentative for no good reason. I agree with the girl on the bottom team that it seems unbelievable that they got the worst score while the winning team was their backyard-sharer. The winner’s bathroom was better, but in the backyard the treed side was much better. Obviously, they took the teams with the two most feisty females and then allocated them the zone that had to be shared = manufactured feud.

    In short, bring on the real renos and let’s see some actual decision-making that show the teams real talent or lack thereof.

    • It was noticeable how little the contestants did. They did some demo, painted and chose some materials, furniture and artwork but little else.

  4. Have to say, though, how welcome it is to see some colour. Now, if we could just get rid of dark grey and black in bathrooms, we might see some nice rooms.

    • I wasn’t sure why there was artwork in the bathroom (or was it the upstairs ensuite?). I mean, even if the wet area was the other side of the room, it’s still going to be a very wet environment in general.

      I thought the house mostly turned out okay.

      • I agree about the artwork in the bathroom (either main or ensuite) – it will be ruined by steam.

        Yes, the house turned out okay – it had to, or else they wouldn’t have been able to sell it. That is why they couldn’t let the contestants do much, in case they made a mess of it. It is okay if they make a mess of each other’s houses, though.

        • Excellent point. Hadn’t thought about that. I’m sure channel 7’s accountants were watching those first two episodes very closely…

  5. Someone finally provided Jo with an age approprate garment that flattered her body size and shape. Yay!

    • But unfortunately dressed all the other girls quite terribly. Why do they treat these reveals as if they are the finale – they don’t need to be dressed in dresses that look like they are about to fall off. Just cleaned up and neat will do for these episodes.

  6. What would they have done if the house hadn’t sold?
    I’m also wondering what the timeframe from house being finished to auction. Had to be a couple of weeks to allow potential bidders to have a looksee etc?
    The house did turn out ok in the end. Although never in my right mind would I allow house rules come reno my place. Way too many styles and ‘wow factors’ in one house.

  7. Jo always looks like she has been dressed with Millers rejects. She is younger than me, but dresses like my grandmother.

  8. Adelaide beats the shit out of The Big Apple, thank you, Ch7.

    “Misinterpretated”~ a new word, educational show.

  9. So of course the first house they renovate — ie, the first couple who have to vanish for a week — are Jess and Jared, aka, the reason we’re all watching.

    The house rules for this reno seem like they’re ripe for disaster. The fact that one of the teams had to look up what “iconic” means is a little worrying, particularly given the New York rule means they’ve got a lot to draw from, in terms of icons of western culture.

    • Wonder if any of these are switched on enough to throw some Andy Warhol into the mix? Then again if they don’t know what “iconic” means, there goes the neighbourhood. Lou Reed. C’mon. Take a walk on the wild side.

      Godzilla hanging off the Empire State Building. Bring us iconic.

      • My first thought was that black-and-white photo of the construction workers having lunch, sitting on a girder, 40 storeys up in the air, with central park behind them. That photo itself fits about three of the house rules.

        One of my desktop backgrounds for my computer is a Lego version of that picture.

        • yes, i thought of that photo too, Windsong.
          so many missed opportunities, they actually aren’t on site that long during the day, they really should be able to spend a fair bit of time planning at the hotel, unless all their phones / ipads are taken off them when not being filmed…

        • My boss has that photo up in our office. As an engineer, he reckons it keeps him “grounded”.

  10. If the renos and decor were less cheap, urban contemporary and more relaxed country farm house or cottage, I might be able to get into this show. I’m more a fan of comfortable old fashioned decor. I would prefer a home to look lived in than knocked up. Must be why I love Escape to the Country.

    When our kids were growing up we had the good fortune to score two great rentals to live in. One was a very old house in John St Cottesloe, the other an 80 year old farm house (now 100 yrs +). Both homes were $25 per week rent, relaxed and homely. 2nd hand furniture, and no pink chairs or beauty rooms. I miss living in an old house.

    • BTW, the house two doors up from me in John St, had hippies living in it. Now Tiggy Forrest lives there so I guess I have been priced out of that neighbourhood.
      I went in that house after they hippies left and it was just cleaned out. Mama, even stripped bare it was gorgeous. Rusticly fabulous.

      • I live in an old house, nearly 100 years . It comes with an interfering, Flo Patterson/Ena Sharples old hag living next door. She’s no Bachelorette. Her son is a Bad Boy Bubby type. freak

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