Quite a number of people are addicted to home renovation reality shows, myself included. It’s normal. Who in this world is not willing to fantasize about how to remodel their bathroom on a weekend? Who doesn’t dream of developing a perfect home remodel? One with unique sheets and fresh flowers? There is nothing wrong with such fantasies. They actually provide us with new unique ideas which we can implement in our homes.
However, I can assure you that problems come when we try to execute what we watch in real life. Many are unrealistic. If you think that you can remodel a home in a weekend, do new wood flooring yourself, etc. please think again. It is almost impossible. You must be realistic with yourself. Are you interested in learning about the different aspects of renovating a home? You should choose a show that is more informative. Let’s now understand if home renovation shows are fake.
Some home renovation shows are fake.
Some home renovation shows can be fake. The producers of these shows may use actors to portray the homeowners and paid contractors. These characters can create the illusion of a real renovation taking place. The homes shown on these fake renovation shows are usually already in good condition and only require minor repairs. The producers of these shows may also apply editing techniques. The techniques will make it appear as though the homeowners are completing the renovation themselves when in reality they are not.
These fake renovation shows can give viewers the false impression that renovating a home is easy and inexpensive. In reality, renovating a home can be difficult and expensive. Homeowners who attempt to renovate their homes based on what they see on these shows may be disappointed with the results.
Different ways that home renovation shows can be (at least partially) fake.
The different ways home renovation shows can be fake include:
1. Using stock footage.
This is footage that is not actually of the home that is being renovated but is instead footage of a similar home. This can give the impression that the home being renovated is in better condition than it actually is. Stock footage can make it look like the home is in better condition than it is.
2. Using fake before and after photos.
They create these photos in photoshop or other editing software. They can make it look like the home has been completely transformed.
3. Using actors.
These methods can be used to create a false impression of what is actually happening during a home renovation. The methods are used in order to make the home renovation process seem more exciting than it actually is. It is true that home renovations can be a lot of work. However, they oftentimes are not as exciting as they are made out to be on TV. By using these methods, home renovation shows are able to create exciting and entertaining shows. This is not necessarily representative of what actually happens during a home renovation.
This is where people are hired to pretend to be homeowners. These people in most cases are usually not actually living in the home during the renovation. This can make it look like the homeowners are more invested in the renovation than they actually are.
4. Stating unrealistic timelines and false prices
Often, in home renovation shows, the actual fake pieces are how long things happen. And how much it costs to make them happen. It can appear that it all takes days and just a few hundred or a couple thousand dollars. But updating foundation, replacing beams, repiping, rewiring, refacing, new roofing, all these things take a while and require permits from the city and thus an inspection process. Also restructuring the layout of the interior requires permits from the city, extensive framing and drywalling, plastering, etc also takes time. Often the homeowners have gone to a hotel for many weeks and even months during the renovation, not just days.
5. Appearing as if the remodeling idea/decor took seconds to come up with
Often you see in shows like Property Brothers that they mention ideas of how they are going to remodel in a matter of seconds after viewing the space. What follows is an impressive photorealistic animated rendering of the space transforming before your eyes. This just isn’t realistic. In fact, they’ve visited and seen the house already and had other designers and 3d virtual renderers work for a couple weeks on ideas for the house. They just reenact their thoughts about it in front of cameras and the potential homeowners. This editing is fun and entertaining, and certainly makes the remodeling process look easy and enjoyable, but reality is a bit different.
6. One scene covers it all?
In addition, if the show mentions buying a fixer, they do not just make a call to give their offer number and sellers accept it on the spot and off to the races they go remodeling. This also is unrealistic. Buyers have to submit a written offer with a proof of funds to show they can afford the house and this can take a few days of back and forth. After this, the house will take an average of 30 days to close. So congratulations are not due until the buyers sign the closing documents, escrow funds, and title records the closing with the city. Nor would they start working on the house until it closes and keys are in hand.
If you are wondering why they pretend this whole part is so quick and easy, it has more to do with show scheduling, and how they use the time of the hosts. Since a lot of the real estate and remodeling process happens spontaneously – the cameras are not going to be there at all these moments in time. So they reenact all this at once or try to consolidate all these occurrences into a single scene. For more information you can contact us.
7. Real estate is a rollercoaster
In addition, often during a real estate transaction, it can be a rollercoaster, or not happen at all due to lender issues, buyer issues, seller backing out and so forth. These shows appear to gloss over all the drama of buying a house and skip to the remodeling part.
If you are considering buying a fixer or renovating your home, it is important to do your research. Talk to friends or family who has recently renovated their homes, and read articles or watch shows that provide realistic information about the costs and challenges of renovating a home.
Other home renovation shows are not as fake
There are a lot of different home renovation shows out there. Therefore, it can be hard to keep track of which ones are real and which ones are fake. For the most part, though, the majority of home renovation shows are not entirely fake. Most hosts typically have a genuine interest in home improvement. Additionally, the homeowners are usually truly in need of the work that is being done. The producers of the show may stage some scenes and edit others. This is meant to create a more entertaining program, but the overall goal is to provide useful information to viewers.
You should be convinced by this because there is a lot of money to be made in the home renovation industry. So there is a lot of incentive for shows to be real. After all, if a show is completely fake, then people are going to figure it out pretty quickly and stop watching. That means fewer viewers and less money for the network.
Why are these home renovation shows not fake?
The people on the show are usually renovating their own homes. They can also be professional contractors who are paid to be on the show. The homes that are being renovated are usually in need of repair. In this case, the homeowners are usually not aware of the extent of the work that needs to be done. The show usually follows the progress of the renovation, from start to finish, and the homeowners are usually happy with the results.
So, while there may be some fake home renovation shows out there, the vast majority of them are probably real. The hosts of most shows have a genuine interest in home improvement, and the homeowners usually truly need the work that is being done. So, if you’re ever thinking about renovating your home, you can likely find some good inspiration (and tips!) by watching your favorite home renovation show.
Of course, it’s always a good idea to do your own research as well, since every home is different and what works for one person may not work for another. But, overall, home renovation shows can be a great resource for anyone thinking about making some changes to their home.
In conclusion, home renovation shows are either fake or real. It is important to do your research in order to figure out which ones are which. The majority of home renovation shows are probably real, but there are some that are fake. The hosts of most shows have a genuine interest in home improvement. So, if you’re ever thinking about renovating your home, you can likely find some good inspiration by watching your favorite home renovation show.