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All Episodes Talk: French Country in Texas?


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I really enjoy this show. Love the way the interact with each other and just are goofy and normal. I have seen another show with a couple( the wife reminds me of a Barbie Doll) who remodels/flip houses . I don't like them as much-too much drama. Chip and Joanna just seem so down to earth. Have like some of the houses others not so much..

  • Love 1

I really enjoy this show. Love the way the interact with each other and just are goofy and normal. I have seen another show with a couple( the wife reminds me of a Barbie Doll) who remodels/flip houses .

But if you've ever noticed, they are very respectful to one another too.

 

I kind of think why the religious issue is a sticky wicket  for some is because  you wonder if these people are going to be like The Duggers', sweet and  nice. on TV.. but.with a definite social agenda that want to take away rights from others using their popularity?

 

I'll continue to enjoy their series until some rock is lifted and exposes  the ugly underneath.

Edited by sheetmoss
  • Love 6

Their children are lovely and very well behaved. I liked the episode when Jo was showing them the empty lot where the home of their client had been. She explained about an explosion that destroyed that house and others. The children were curious and empathetic to those affected and made suggestions as to how they could help.

They do seem to have traditional gender roles, but regardless, Jo seems very much an equal partner and Chip respects her work, does equal child care duty when she's busy. They both seem to be trying to instill a good work ethic in the kids, a caring for their pets and farm animals. I've not gotten a religious vibe from either of them. It's nice to see a couple who actually seem to enjoy their children and integrate them into their work lives.

Her style is very one note and sometimes heavy handed but many of her pieces are things I'd like in my own home. Over all I enjoy the show, but hope she can expand her decorating repertoire.

  • Love 11

For people who are waiting around for the next season, I stumbled on a similarly-premised show called Unlivable that you might want to check out. I think it's on FYI network. It features a designer and contractor (not a couple though) who take the homebuyers to see three "unlivable" (fixer upper) houses. The homebuyers choose one and buy it, and the designer and contractor renovate it in three days. The show is set in Los Angeles. I'm enjoying it so far.

  • Love 1

For people who are waiting around for the next season, I stumbled on a similarly-premised show called Unlivable that you might want to check out. I think it's on FYI network. It features a designer and contractor (not a couple though) who take the homebuyers to see three "unlivable" (fixer upper) houses. The homebuyers choose one and buy it, and the designer and contractor renovate it in three days. The show is set in Los Angeles. I'm enjoying it so far.

Sounds just like Property Brothers.

I like this show and I like Chip and Joanna but one of the things that irks me is how they let their kids come over and run around in houses that they're renovating. I have nothing against children, but I really wouldn't want someone else's kids trampling through my home without my permission. If they get injured, I as the homeowner, would be legally responsible. Other than that, I think they do a fantastic job.

  • Love 1

I've been really enjoying this show, for the same reasons you-all cite above. I get so tired of the sour atmosphere of Love It or List It and the predictable structural problems in the Property Brothers.

 

There's a freshness about these shows and the Gaines couple. It doesn't hurt that she's beautiful in an unusual way. The atmosphere of the show is so pleasant, for a change. All that warmth and civility. Cute kids. Adorable animals. What's not to like?

 

OK, so I'm not crazy about her decorating (or Jonathan's or Hilary's). They each have stylistic tricks repeated over and over. But at least the Fixer Upper couple have been renovating houses that start out looking different from each other, unlike the Property Bros. and LIOLI, each of which feature the same houses decorated in exactly the same way over and over. I am very tired of semi-detached Craftsman houses.

Edited by Apprentice Ilisidi
  • Love 6

But at least the Fixer Upper couple have been renovating houses that start out looking different from each other, unlike the Property Bros. and LIOLI, each of which feature the same houses decorated in exactly the same way over and over. I am very tired of semi-detached Craftsman houses.

 

It helps that they're working where they are. Waco has a surprising variety of home types, from Victorian era to current homes.  

  • Love 1

Isn't it interesting how much they can do with the budgets they have, in their area, as opposed to how much renovations cost in other areas of the country?

 

I like Joanna's decorating style, but I have noticed that she does tend to repeat some elements such as white subway tile with dark grout, and a huge over-sized clock on a wall somewhere.  I always wonder if people keep those decorative old books that she uses for accent pieces?

 

I'm really late to the party!  Catching up on shows is what you do when you have time off, and the spouse is working, and it rains the entire time!  Anyway, I really like this show. Chip and Joanna are a breath of fresh air from all of the other reality shows in which couples do nothing but bitch at each other.

 

I've been pleasantly surprised at the cost of renovations too.  Most of them seem fairly reasonable from other shows I've seen.  I'm glad that they tell their clients up front to allow extra money for those unexpected finds when renovating a home, especially if they're first-time homebuyers.  I liked the renovation to the home in which the couple paid the city $25,000 for the house.  Adding in the additional $100,000 for repairs, and you still end up with a fantastic deal.  I also like how they worked around the solarium in the other couple's house.  Having it visible only from the kitchen was a good idea. The herb garden was a nice touch.

 

It seems like on the few shows I've watched, they tend to go with the same paint colors on the interior.  It's pretty (looks like a light shade of green on my TV), but I wondered if the buyers choose all of those things.  I did see where one lady picked out her countertops.  There's no way I could do those kinds of renovations without picking out every last color!  I don't like to be surprised!   However, I would trust Chip & Joanna more than any other home renovation specialist I've seen on TV.  They seem to truly care about the people they're helping and want them to be happy and comfortable in their home.  I'm not a fan of all the letters on the walls, but they did look good in the houses they renovated.  What seems to be popular here in the South are the assorted sayings that are painted on the walls.  I'm not a fan of that either.   Well, maybe one or two, but not walls full of them!  It can be overdone, as with any decorative item.  YMMV.

  • Love 4

I don't suppose the show/homeowners can afford real artwork, or even nicely-framed prints, so the wall writing and other big clunky pieces are an okay compromise to me. Well, ahem. I don't know how the furniture and accessories are paid for in the first place. If they're part of the total renovation budget, the numbers make even less sense. A trip to Michael's or Home Goods can easily be hundreds of dollars just for pillows, area rugs, candles, and other tchotchkes.

 

I did see where one lady picked out her countertops.  There's no way I could do those kinds of renovations without picking out every last color!

 

I'd only have a couple of hard and fast rules -- no puddled drapes ever, and the countertop and backsplash would have to be in coordinating shades of the same color, not contrasting colors. Neutral and harmonious, ahhhh.

Edited by lordonia
  • Love 1

Isn't it amazing how much further the reno budgets go in Waco than on LIOLI or PBro' s? I do have a question. When Jo & Chip show houses to their clients, sometimes the houses are just about ready to fall down. For example, the house they paid $25k for (basically they paid for the property). When they showed the renovated house at the end, they didn't show all of the house. You just know that the other rooms badly needed done as well. So, did they just not show all the work that was done, or they stopped renovating when the money ran out? Most of the clients have a hard budget so do they just wait until they save up more money? You know they got so much more for their money when on the show so when they finally are ready to continue, it's bound to cost a lot more the second time.

I'm sorry if this seems rambling. I just got up the nerve to ask.

  • Love 1

Isn't it amazing how much further the reno budgets go in Waco than on LIOLI or PBro' s? I do have a question. When Jo & Chip show houses to their clients, sometimes the houses are just about ready to fall down. For example, the house they paid $25k for (basically they paid for the property). When they showed the renovated house at the end, they didn't show all of the house. You just know that the other rooms badly needed done as well. So, did they just not show all the work that was done, or they stopped renovating when the money ran out? Most of the clients have a hard budget so do they just wait until they save up more money? You know they got so much more for their money when on the show so when they finally are ready to continue, it's bound to cost a lot more the second time.

I'm sorry if this seems rambling. I just got up the nerve to ask.

 

It's no different than the other programs.  The clients receive what you see during the episode for the stated budget but that's it.  If they want and/or need to continue, it's up to them to finance it.  Agree, they'll receive fewer freebies, although I'm sure the costs in Waco are far lower than in major metro areas.

I don't suppose the show/homeowners can afford real artwork, or even nicely-framed prints, so the wall writing and other big clunky pieces are an okay compromise to me. Well, ahem. I don't know how the furniture and accessories are paid for in the first place. If they're part of the total renovation budget, the numbers make even less sense. A trip to Michael's or Home Goods can easily be hundreds of dollars just for pillows, area rugs, candles, and other tchotchkes.

 

 

I'd only have a couple of hard and fast rules -- no puddled drapes ever, and the countertop and backsplash would have to be in coordinated shades of the same color, not contrasting colors. Neutral and harmonious, ahhhh.

 

Jo's indicated that the items are staging for the show and available for purchase by the homeowners after the taping, if they like.  Most of them are from her store from what I understand.

Edited by BearCat49
  • Love 1
Jo's indicated that the items are staging for the show and available for purchase by the homeowners after the taping, if they like.  Most of them are from her store from what I understand.

 

Ah, that makes more sense although kind of a bummer for the homeowners.

 

When they showed the renovated house at the end, they didn't show all of the house. You just know that the other rooms badly needed done as well.

 

I've also wondered about the rooms we don't see, since most of the the houses are falling to pieces with holes in the roof, rotting floors, unusable bathrooms. etc. It's a little different than most makeover shows where the buyers "need" cosmetic changes that can easily be done later. If FU doesn't even do the necessary structural work to get the others floors/rooms livable, I'm not sure it would be worth it to me as a buyer.

The Gaines' local newspaper (Waco Trib) has done quite a few stories on them since they began their HGTV adventure.

 

One interesting article indicates that the bball coach who appeared (the $24K house) apparently never intended to occupy that home and probably went along with filming the show to please his wife.  Here's the story:  http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/hgtv-fixer-upper-house-soon-to-become-live-in-baby/article_40e120dc-d8d1-5b27-86ae-53baaa08bff7.html

 

And, apparently the Gaines rec'd a tax subsidy ($200K + after requesting about $400K) to renovate an old mill into a retail market plus offices for their operations.  Apparently they filmed and will air the work on the upcoming Season 2 of the show.  Here's that article:  http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/hgtv-stars-get-board-s-ok-for-century-old-cotton/article_48def25b-0055-5356-9173-5e5a768e7a87.html

 

BTW, Waco Trib published many more articles about them.  If you click on the items under "More Coverage" in these 2 articles, you'll link with them.

  • Love 2

Isn't it amazing how much further the reno budgets go in Waco than on LIOLI or PBro' s? I do have a question. When Jo & Chip show houses to their clients, sometimes the houses are just about ready to fall down. For example, the house they paid $25k for (basically they paid for the property). When they showed the renovated house at the end, they didn't show all of the house. You just know that the other rooms badly needed done as well. So, did they just not show all the work that was done, or they stopped renovating when the money ran out? Most of the clients have a hard budget so do they just wait until they save up more money? You know they got so much more for their money when on the show so when they finally are ready to continue, it's bound to cost a lot more the second time.

I'm sorry if this seems rambling. I just got up the nerve to ask.

I have always wondered too what the rest of the house looks like.  The bathrooms, bedrooms etc.  What's the sense in having a nice living room, dining room and kitchen if the rest of the place is a dump?

 

ETA:  There is no need to get up your nerve to post here.  There are NO stupid questions, and we are a pretty friendly lot.  Welcome!

Edited by Honey
  • Love 1

 

Behind the scenes, the “Fixer-Upper” concept works like this: The production company or the Gaineses find people willing to spend at least $30,000 to renovate a home they plan to buy.

The Gaineses prepare a detailed estimate of what the improvements will cost, and the would-be homeowners make payments as each phase of work winds down.

When the transformation is complete, the network pays the Gaineses the 10 to 15 percent profit they would expect to receive on such a task, plus overhead. 

“The dollars we receive are comparable to what we would see on a project for anyone,” Chip Gaines said. “But the exposure is more tangible.”

Meanwhile, the homeowners come out looking good from a financial standpoint “because they are basically getting the work done at cost,” he said.

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/gaineses-to-remodel-more-local-homes-for-hgtv-s-fixer/article_987964ba-d95b-5f8d-bd4d-14d118e36903.html

 

 

There's another article on there that mentions that people who apply to be on the show need to be near closing on the house.  So just like the other shows, the house hunt is staged.

Edited by Lola16
  • Love 1

Nice couple and enoyable show to watch without the bickering prevalent on so many HGTV programs. They do some really tasteful work, but some of the "accessories" overly clutter any available flat surface and the big letters and clocks on the walls are tiresome.

 

One thing that irks me is the "folksy" way Chip talks about money--referring to dollar amounts as bucks. I think he's a Baylor grad, not some country hick. When something costs $1000, say a thousand dollars, not a thousand bucks. Personal rant ended :) 

 

I would like to add that Joanna is seriously beautiful. I envy her exotic looks and gorgeous hair!

  • Love 3

I like this show.  I don't care what religion they are and I don't think Joanna seems dim.  I do kind of wonder why Chip has one brown tooth.  To keep his country charm and not have movie star good looks?  

 

It's not my design aesthetic but I enjoy the reveals still, having seen maybe eight episodes.  I didn't make it through that many Love It or List Its.  I think for what Joanna does, she does it well.  I also like the lack of drama and the unscripted feel.  

 

And the prices!  And the variety of home styles.  Property Brothers is good but those Toronto(?) homes are all the same old style and so expensive.  

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/gaineses-to-remodel-more-local-homes-for-hgtv-s-fixer/article_987964ba-d95b-5f8d-bd4d-14d118e36903.html

 

 

There's another article on there that mentions that people who apply to be on the show need to be near closing on the house.  So just like the other shows, the house hunt is staged.

Interesting. Can you imagine all the time wasted if they allowed people to actually look for houses, then the people backed out because they couldn't find anything? Which would probably happen a lot.

 

I had assumed they showed them more than the three houses. This makes more sense considering it is a TV program with costs associated with everything. They are good actors though -- I was fooled :)

  • Love 1

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/gaineses-to-remodel-more-local-homes-for-hgtv-s-fixer/article_987964ba-d95b-5f8d-bd4d-14d118e36903.html

 

 

There's another article on there that mentions that people who apply to be on the show need to be near closing on the house.  So just like the other shows, the house hunt is staged.

 

No surprise there.  I assumed that b/c production companies don't have the time and/or resources to stage actual house hunts.  Also, it's highly unlikely that Chip is acting as their realtor - production companies won't take on those risks. 

 

IIRC, according to his bio, Chip's moved on from the realtor function to construction and development.  Sounds like Jo had previously closed down her shop to focus on the kids.  Must have reopened it for purposes of the show.

One thing that irks me is the "folksy" way Chip talks about money--referring to dollar amounts as bucks. I think he's a Baylor grad, not some country hick. When something costs $1000, say a thousand dollars, not a thousand bucks. Personal rant ended :) 

 

 

 

Noticed this, too.  My guess is that the production company set up a character for him to play, i.e. good ol' Texas boy, raised on the farm and so on ...  You know the rest, lol!

 

Unless, he really does speak that way!  Have heard it from TX friends - they get tired of constantly being depicted that way in the media.

Edited by aguabella
  • Love 1

 

 

Noticed this, too.  My guess is that the production company set up a character for him to play, i.e. good ol' Texas boy, raised on the farm and so on ...  You know the rest, lol!

Unless, he really does speak that way!  Have heard it from TX friends - they get tired of constantly being depicted that way in the media.

I doubt that a Baylor grad would actually speak that way. I've lived in the south for more than half my life (Texas, Louisiana, Georgia) and even rednecks don't speak like that. Most of them have more pride.

 

We are working with a contractor right now who's adding a screen room to our house and he and his carpentry crew all speak like professionals. In fact, the contractor has come up with design suggestions that would put HGTV "designers" to shame. And he refers to money as dollars, not bucks.

I doubt that a Baylor grad would actually speak that way. I've lived in the south for more than half my life (Texas, Louisiana, Georgia) and even rednecks don't speak like that. Most of them have more pride.

 

We are working with a contractor right now who's adding a screen room to our house and he and his carpentry crew all speak like professionals. In fact, the contractor has come up with design suggestions that would put HGTV "designers" to shame. And he refers to money as dollars, not bucks.

 

You never know.  We all have our idiosyncrasies.  My education taught me to never assume anything.  If your contractor didn't attend college but is well-read, then he/she may speak very professionally.  Alternatively, for business purposes, he/she might use certain speech patterns to work with some clients and other patterns for different clients.  If someone graduated from college but grew up with parents who used certain speech patterns, then those patterns may continue. 

 

Yes, agree about so-called "rednecks".  As I mentioned above, my TX friends don't appreciate the frequent TX good-ol' boy caricature constantly used by the media.

  • Love 3

I like this show for its low-key quality, even though Joanna's style is a bit too country/shabby chic for me.

 

Their supposed lack of staged "drama" got ruined for me last night though, when Chip claimed that adding GFCI outlets in the kitchen would cost $1,000 (cue the phone call to the owners).  GFCI outlets cost about $10 and one doesn't need 10 of them, as Chip claimed.

 

Now I'm questioning ALL their claims of the cost of remodeling.

  • Love 2

 

GFCI outlets cost about $10 and one doesn't need 10 of them, as Chip claimed.

I have no idea about how much each one costs to install (or if there was other wiring work that needed to go along with it), but Chip said that all of the outlets in the kitchen (or within a certain amount of distance from the sink, or all on the countertops) needed to be GFCI, which seems accurate from a quick Googling. So a kitchen that size having 10 outlets that fall into that category certainly seems likely.

 

I also like this show because of its overall lack of hyped-up or negative drama. And while Joanna's taste isn't necessarily mine, most of the money seems to be spent on major repairs and changes, and the other stuff is just cosmetic. 

I really like Chip and Joanna but I can't believe they are shown doing the same makeover again and again.  Every house looks the same on the inside.  My husband and I bet every episode that there will be a white kitchen at the end and we are never disappointed.  I understand that Joanna has a certain "style" that she likes, but it would be nice to see some versatility in her work.  Sure, there are hints here and there from the homeowners with slightly different neutral colors but the furniture is always a distressed dining room table and chairs and light living room furniture with shabby chic/French country décor.

  • Love 3

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/gaineses-to-remodel-more-local-homes-for-hgtv-s-fixer/article_987964ba-d95b-5f8d-bd4d-14d118e36903.html

 

 

There's another article on there that mentions that people who apply to be on the show need to be near closing on the house.  So just like the other shows, the house hunt is staged.

That makes me wonder about the house their carpenter bought, the one that looked like a crack den?  They bought it for like $10,000 or something.  It cracks me up to think the carpenter and his wife put in a bid on that house, then brought Chip and Joanna to see it to put together estimates, then had to act shocked and appalled when filming their walk through.  I love how that house turned out, but it's funny to think that the carpenter actively bought that home.

  • Love 1

You never know.  We all have our idiosyncrasies.  My education taught me to never assume anything.  If your contractor didn't attend college but is well-read, then he/she may speak very professionally.  Alternatively, for business purposes, he/she might use certain speech patterns to work with some clients and other patterns for different clients.  If someone graduated from college but grew up with parents who used certain speech patterns, then those patterns may continue. 

 

Yes, agree about so-called "rednecks".  As I mentioned above, my TX friends don't appreciate the frequent TX good-ol' boy caricature constantly used by the media.

I agree that you never know. My father is from the north/mid-Atlantic (New York) and has degrees from American University and Georgetown University - both schools with good reputations. But he has a super quirky personality and thinks he is being funny and tends to talk funny (worse than Chip - he makes up words and purposely pronounces some words funny), and we're always yelling at him about it. It is just who he is. Although he does speak differently in different situations and around different people, as Aguabella mentioned. He is also very good at sounding professional and is very well-spoken, articulate, and has a large vocabulary. So Chip may be just be showing who he is, personality-wise. Or it could be encouraged by all the TV people. Who knows? I haven't noticed his vocabulary as much as his other interesting behavioral quirks.

  • Love 1

Well, I am glad to have the show back. I know it's just as staged as all the other shows on HGTV but I find the positive tone lovely to watch. No whiny and entitled clients and no snooty and put-upon designers.

 

As for Chips goofiness - I would guess he is probably a bit goofy in real life but they make him extra goofy for the show.

 

Maybe one day Joanna will get to do a different kind of design. I would like to see her do a Mid-century Modern kind of home - though I assume those kind of homes are probably rare in the area the show is filmed in.

  • Love 2

 

As for Chips goofiness - I would guess he is probably a bit goofy in real life but they make him extra goofy for the show.

Eating a roach and lifting his shirt weren't simply goofy. Those two things were disgusting. Producer driven or not... ewww.

 

The show really should concentrate more on the houses and reno work/design decisions and spend less time on the Gaines family and dorky stuff.

 

Joanna is getting on my nerves by calling people "guys," Once again, does Baylor produce grads that are so poorly spoken? I don't think so. Producers, get a grip--southerners don't all talk like that and we're insulted that you think those terms are "folksie."

  • Love 1

Just watched the latest episode. The young couple with the coffee shop. Once again, the final product looked great. It had the usual dark floors, white blacksplash and a lettered sign. That said, I really liked it. I like Joanna's aesthetic mixing the country with the cozy with the little unusual thrown in. It was a small house but looked really nice. You can't beat a price for a house under $90,000.

 

Joanna is getting on my nerves by calling people "guys," Once again, does Baylor produce grads that are so poorly spoken? I don't think so. Producers, get a grip--southerners don't all talk like that and we're insulted that you think those terms are "folksie."

The use of 'guys' was on steroids this past episode  to the point of it being a candidate for a drinking game.

 

Noticed Chip has had some dental work too, his teeth were whiter and the miscolored one was gone.

  • Love 2

 

Producers, get a grip--southerners don't all talk like that and we're insulted that you think those terms are "folksie."

I don't think that Joanna's use of the word "guys" is producer-driven, nor is it a term commonly used in Texas (although many people from other states use it all the time).  Joanna uses "guys" and "y'all". The thing that makes me wince is hearing Chip say that a house is "twelve hundred square foot". I hear that a lot in these parts.....

 

As far as Joanna's style, I'm guessing that it's this style that people want and that's why they seek out the Gaineses. I like how the coffee couple listed trees and big yard among the list of must haves. Didn't mention the Holy Trinity. Those people might  seek out a different designer.

  • Love 2

I have two master's degrees from universities more prestigious than Baylor, and I would still speak exactly like these two if I moved home to small-town Texas and opened a local business.

 

My Texan friends and I love watching this show because it reminds us of home. I like that they wear "Waco" T-shirts and Cowboys boots and say "y'all." I do those things, too.

  • Love 15

I say 'guys' a lot and 'bucks' at times and I've lived all over, except never the south.  And I have graduate degrees.  I don't say 'y'all'.  

 

Tonight's episode the reveal/decor was so colorless.  I want HGTV to step in and say, "enough with the white subway tile with dark grout, the pokey metal wall coffee cup holder, the wooden pendant lights and the pooled draperies.  And add some COLOR for god's sake!"  I'm also a little tired of carrera marble and hardwood floors.  I'm pretty sure there are Texans who also like tile floors.  And art that didn't come from a barn.  

 

Ok, maybe I want this show to alternate Chip and Jojo with Emily and Brian Henderson.  
 

Who knew Waco was so cute and cheap?  Too bad it's in Texas.  

You should also drink every time there is a shot of a random farm animal.

 

I really love the work that carpenter does for them.  The table and benches for the back patio were really great.  I also like how he dumpster dives at times, although I really wish Chip would address saving lumber with his crew-at least have them put it next to the dumpster until the carpenter can pick through it.  I'm always terrified he's going to get a rusty nail through his foot when he's in there.

 

 

 

 

  • Love 2

 

Who knew Waco was so cute and cheap?  Too bad it's in Texas.

 

When I think of Waco, I think of Baylor. When I think of Baylor, I think about how, in 1996, they finally allowed dancing on campus. From that angle, I'd have to say yes, too bad it's in Texas. Wanna take it off our hands? I can throw in a few more towns if you'd like.

I grew up in PA and spent my Freshman year of college in Arkansas. My female friends from the South kept asking me why I referred to everyone, male and female, as "guys". It's just the way we talked at home, seemed natural to me. So hearing it on this show is not in the least bit out of place to my ears.

 

I really enjoy this show. I think for a staged reno show, it's well done.

  • Love 7
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