People Who Participated In Home Renovation Shows Share Their Post-TV Experiences
Some people call it "trash" TV but we call it reality TV gold. From keeping up with celebrities and rich housewives, survival competitions, to extreme home makeovers — we truly are in the golden age of reality television.
It's mind-numbing entertainment with a sprinkle of drama that ends in an hour or less. The popularity of "unscripted" (wink, wink) reality shows skyrocketed in the early 2000's thanks to shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and American Idol.
One of the products of this semi-new genre is home renovation shows. Although they have different premises the format of these shows is basically the same.
The shows look for a family or person in need of help improving their home after doing it themselves, losing all their money, or because they simply deserve it. Then the show's hosts, who happen to be interior designers or contractors, step in to help the people in need.
After a few days of work, et voilà! The new and improved home is unveiled for the whole world to see and scrutinize.
We'd be lying if we say that we didn't shed a few tears along with the homeowners when their new room or house was gifted to them. We also secretly wished that our own homes were renovated by surprise, free of charge (mostly).
That is the magic of reality TV. However, our curiosity doesn't end there, we now wonder after so many years, what happened to the people whose homes were renovated?
One inquisitive redditor asked the same question and was not disappointed with the answers
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1. Sign the NDA's promising you won't tell anyone our decision not to grout the tile for aesthetic caused a major headache after filming
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2. The 'Arabian Nights' inspired room does NOT spark joy
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3. The locals love and recognize the old name, why change it? Because TV that's why.
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4. From fairy woodland truned to the Forbidden Forest real quick
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5. The show stapled curtains to the wall. They also stapled cardboard boxes together, shaped them into a box-sit thing, and covered it in fabric in time for the big reveal.
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6. "We already got the ratings we needed from you. Now shoo!"
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7. In the UK, it's a different and happier story. The term rogue trader or cowboy builder is basically a con-man who does a subpar job and runs away with your money.
8. There were a few mentions of Extreme Makeover where homeowners couldn't afford to keep the house due to the increase in property tax.
9. They only show the pretty areas they renovated and even that area doesn't stay pretty for long because of shod construction.
10. If people have money already, then the house is properly maintained for a long while.
11. Great job on the renovation itself but all the drama was fabricated for entertainment.
12. The TV people took out the personality of a restaurant and turned it bland
13. Reality TV home turned into a passive income
14. In Brazil, the newly improved home was robbed of all the electronics
15. Creating an accessible home for a person with disability and it's still awesome years later? Where are the godd*mn tissues?
Of course, who can forget these memeable moments in apartment/house-hunting shows?
We love to make fun of these "trash" reality shows but they are an undeniable source of entertainment. At least, some of these home renovation shows do actual good for the people they help.
Whether you're a TV snob who hates these types of shows, there's an undeniable charm to them. So grab your tissues and ready your Pinterest board before the next episode comes out.
