Rock The Block - General Discussion

[justdoit10]

4 hours ago, RowdyCam said:

N & J: Ideal for multi-generational living, like aging parents or young adult children, just needs laundry. Not ideal for unrelated renters without a better private entry. Also that area may have zoning restrictions that do not allow unrelated tenants.

A & M: Fine, basic, won't take away value

M & B: General rec room/game room would be better. My main objection is the seeming lack of a kitchenette with fridge and sink and microwave.

D & T: God-awful. A major repainting and new backsplash will help. At least that may not be an expensive re-do.

I see how 5 bedrooms adds value, but do most families really need 6 bedrooms? I guess it is good to have options and spare bedrooms can certainly be used as offices.

N&J's had a door to the outside from the room with the murphy bed for  a separate entrance.  Depending on number of kids the extra rooms could be offices since many work from home these days or bonus rooms for kids, to keep their toys out of the main area.

5 minutes ago, justdoit10 said:

The murphy bed room had a door that accessed the outdoors, so they would have their own entrance.

 

[Grrarrggh]

If A&M or M&B win I'm calling foul. I agree with BB, it was shocking no one put in a gym! Maybe gym equipment was a budget buster? Maybe all of them think Georgians are lazy fools who enjoy being unhealthy? 

I'd love to see this competition done and judged by actual designers and appraisers. Not HGTV open-concept/white/grey/shaker/boring obsessed cast members.

[justdoit10]

2 hours ago, BrainyBlonde said:

I am legit shocked that not one single team set up a gym space with all of that room in the basement. I think most people would get more use out of a gym than a game room, home theater, bowling alley, etc. I'm in my home gym every single day and most of my friends are the same, especially now when it's no longer safe to go to health clubs/public gyms. I would love a huge, tricked out home gym with a big TV, great sound system, mirrored wall, and all the equipment. Missed opportunity IMO as that basement could have had the gym and still had plenty of room for the extra bedrooms/bathrooms.

Very happy to see N&J finally get a win. As everyone else has already said, they were the obvious choice and I thought their design in the basement was a lot more restrained and appealing than what they did in the other areas of their house.

I totally support David and Tiffani's love of color as I'm a big fan myself, but lord have mercy, that was a serious pink explosion in their basement. I'm the girliest girl on the planet and I love blush, but that was just way too much. They should have just stuck with making one element blush and then provided contrast with white and black elsewhere.

I also feel like Alison and Mike didn't do much this week. They were resting on their laurels for sure. Kudos to Mike for that pipe lamp though. He's very clever.

I'm glad Mika had her sense of humor back this week and didn't take the loss too hard. Her outburst when they lost the Master Bedroom/Bathroom challenge was SO cringe-inducing.

I like blush also, I actually have some but nowhere close to that amount.  The ping pong table blush, really?  It was way too gaudy.  I also agree I liked N&J design better than their upstairs.   The bowling alley I didn't get why you would want one.  You are right about a tricked out gym.  I think alot of families would like it.  I would.

[justdoit10]

Compared to the upstairs master beds, (I thought they were a bore ) I liked the design of some of the bed decor in the basement better than the upstairs.

[DVDFreaker]

15 hours ago, 3 is enough said:

Thank God Alison and Mike didn’t win again.  I felt for Brian and Mika but I think they have the edge for the whole house.  The bowling alley was fun but I do think the rental suite added more value.

I’m kind of getting a flirty couple vibe from Alison and Mike.  I hope I am wrong.  I am pretty sure he is single but I don’t know about her. I could see a fling, but nothing long term.

Alison has a boyfriend

[BrainyBlonde]

50 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

If A&M or M&B win I'm calling foul. I agree with BB, it was shocking no one put in a gym! Maybe gym equipment was a budget buster? Maybe all of them think Georgians are lazy fools who enjoy being unhealthy? 

I'd love to see this competition done and judged by actual designers and appraisers. Not HGTV open-concept/white/grey/shaker/boring obsessed cast members.

Funnily enough, I live in the 'burbs of Atlanta (about forty minutes from where ROB filmed this season), so I know what people like around here and I can assure these designers that anyone who can afford a 3800 square foot home would absolutely expect a home gym. I live in a neighborhood with a wide range of age groups (everything from singles to retirees) and everyone is very big on exercise. On the flip side, I don't know anyone who has a home theater. If these designers are smart (and have any money left), they'll put pools in their backyards because our summers are brutal and a nice pool/outdoor space would definitely sell a house here.

I forgot to mention that it was fun to see in the behind-the-scenes special last night that Ken Corsini from Flip or Flop Atlanta is the one whose company built the houses for this season of Rock the Block. I've always liked him!

[DVDFreaker]

1 hour ago, Grrarrggh said:

If A&M or M&B win I'm calling foul. I agree with BB, it was shocking no one put in a gym! Maybe gym equipment was a budget buster? Maybe all of them think Georgians are lazy fools who enjoy being unhealthy? 

I'd love to see this competition done and judged by actual designers and appraisers. Not HGTV open-concept/white/grey/shaker/boring obsessed cast members.

Yeah, I was thinking that they did not bother to do a gym room because gym equipment can be very expensive 

[DVDFreaker]

In my opinion, if a contestant is on the previous season, I do not think they should be allowed to return to the show the next season, just because Allison is pissed that she did not win last time does not mean she should return to the show to try to win again to stop being pissed 

[MartyQui]

My sister is in the process of doing the basement in her new home...bedroom, TV area for the grandkids, and a home gym.  They could have done a home gym and thrown a spin bike, a TV and a weight rack in there and called it a day.  

CANNOT stand Alison.  If she wins, I might explode.  

I think they might be setting up Mika and Brian for a win, like Jasmine last year.  I wouldn’t mind, I think they build for the masses.

Agree about the fake criticism for Nate and Jeremiah.  They needed something to say just to maintain a little suspense.  That basement was gorgeous.

I live in an apartment, so my main room is grey and white, with accents of blush (including a Flor blush and white zebra print rug).  So I like pink, but David’s basement was horrific.  And why didn’t they stage the bedroom?  I think they gave up a little.

[GeorgiaRai]

I like the set up of D&T's best - wet bar, basic bedroom, plenty of family/kid hang out space - if only flamingos hadn't thrown up on everything.  They definitely could've done an exercise room since they'd already added the MIL suite upstairs. 

I think N&J's design would be good for families with no small kids, since there isn't any space upstairs (that we've seen) for a game room, play room, etc.  I could see the judge's point about the stove - if you didn't have tenants, the kitchen makes the space downstairs less appealing/practical as a kids' play area. I was happy to see them win, though.

When I was a tween (long, long ago), someone gave us a pinball-type bowling game and we kids were OBSESSED with it. For a couple of weeks.  I think the same will be true of the owners of B&M's bowling alley.  Were those regular bowling balls? They looked like skee balls.

A&M - I just dislike her so much! I didn't mind their basement, but it seems like a wet bar & mini-fridge would've made sense in such a big space.  I was happy to see them not win, though.  

Edited March 30, 2021 by GeorgiaRai
...

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think the bowling alley was Duck pins, not the regular bowling ball that's so much bigger.    After Buddy Valastro's accident at his home alley, I wouldn't want the liability of anyone around the machinery of that alley.   

[absolutelyido]

5 hours ago, KeithJ said:

N&J: Honestly, with that size house and in that area, how much value does a rental really add? Unless you're specifically looking for a house with a rental unit, I think that would just turn off a lot of buyers who have no need for a second full kitchen. Also, what's one of the best ways to make your neighbors hate you? Rent your house (or part of it). And, where exactly is the fridge / freezer?  There doesn't seem to be room for one.

There was a small fridge under the counter on one side. To me that was a more legit criticism than the supposed danger of a gas stove. A tenant will want a full (or at least apartment-sized) fridge. Even if you weren't renting it out, I think a second fridge would have more use, for beverages and snacks, than a second stove which I could only see using at the holidays if you needed an extra oven.

5 hours ago, BrainyBlonde said:

I totally support David and Tiffani's love of color as I'm a big fan myself, but lord have mercy, that was a serious pink explosion in their basement. I'm the girliest girl on the planet and I love blush, but that was just way too much. They should have just stuck with making one element blush and then provided contrast with white and black elsewhere.

Using black & white to offset the blush is a great idea! I think they could have made that look beautiful. The pink and gold looked terrible.

Edited March 30, 2021 by absolutelyido

[MartyQui]

Was the bowling alley candlepins?  They’re a New England thing, and those look like the right size balls.

[LittleIggy]

I’ve been in a house with a full-sized bowling alley in the basement. Of course, it was the Biltmore House...

I loved Mike’s robot lamp made from the pipes. It was so cute.

I like blush pink, but that was waaaay too much pink in David and Tiffany’s house. Why didn’t they stage that one room? 

I’m glad Nate and Jeremiah won. I would live in that apartment. It was beautiful.

[LittleIggy]

5 hours ago, DVDFreaker said:

Alison has a boyfriend

I pity the fool. 😏

[DVDFreaker]

7 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

I pity the fool. 😏

That made me laugh! Sad but true!

[Dawn]

Coming to this one late. I agree with the love for Mike's lamp -- that was awesome. I thought the rest of their basement was really boring, and felt the most "finished basement-y" to me. (I didn't grow up with a basement, and haven't quite managed to warm to them in general.) And I am not fan of her in general, so ...

David and Tiffany - eesh. Granted, that was somewhat less egregious than an all-pink basement could be, but still pretty bad. IMO, at minimum trim shouldn't match the walls.

Brian and Mika's bowling alley was potentially fun, but definitely could be a negative for some people. I liked the rest of their space fine.

I was surprised to read here all of the comments regarding Tamara's caution about Nate & Jeremiah's stove. I had interpreted her comment entirely different from what others apparently got, and I went back and rewatched that part, and still don't get it. As I understood it, it had absolutely nothing to do with being a gas stove, or about children playing around a stove in general. I interpreted it as specifically being about having a full stove in the basement -- that is, away from the adults, in the kids' play area.

This is what she said: "The only con, I felt like, is I've got little kids, I come home and they've made their ramen noodles on the stove top and left it going." So it wasn't about them accidentally turning on the stove while playing, but about them deliberately using the stove, but perhaps this being more dangerous than using the stove in the main kitchen because it's out of sight/has less normal supervision. Am I crazy? Did anyone else get that meaning? (I think GeorgiaRai's comment above was maybe along the same lines?)

I haven't liked some specific things about Nate & Jeremiah's designs (the ridiculous stone bathroom sink and the like), but I love the look of their iron & glass doors everywhere, and am sucker for all of the greenery they've brought into their spaces, and I thought this was a good one for them to win (even though I think they have no chance at the final win, and rightfully so). And like Brian and Mika's expanded laundry room last week, I think the overall judgment of this space can't be done until we see the outdoor spaces (and entrances) next week, regarding its usefulness as a separate unit.

[Captain Asshat]

On 3/30/2021 at 9:23 AM, Fellaway said:

No, Jeremiah, no. Comparing it to the Spanish Inquisition is not a beautiful way to describe your design aesthetic. Do you even know what the Spanish Inquisition was? Yeesh.

Maybe they design BDSM dungeons on the side? I didn't even notice this gaffe. I did, however, have a WTF moment at Nate thinking 10,000 Maniacs was a heavy metal band. If Natalie Merchant watches this show, she had to be laughing her ass off.

[LittleIggy]

Nate and Jeremiah’s basement wasn’t a kids’ play area. It was an apartment. BTW, maybe Tamara should supervise her kids better if they do 💩 like that.

[LBS]

I liked N&J’s the best so was glad they won.  However I just didn’t get most of the basements.  I wish that one of them would of thrown in a stackable washer/dryer.  If you are making an in-law suite/rental/extra bedroom, that would of added value.  Plus I hate laundry rooms on the second floor because I fear flooding in case the washing machine malfunctions.  The bowling alley was cute but stupid.  Same with the movie theater room and ping pong tables.  Great for the novelty but will most likely only be used a handful of times.  I totally agree about the home gym.  What a missed opportunity!  That and a nice, functional home office seems to be key now.  I know after a year of WFH and not having access to gyms, I’d look for that more.

Also Allison, a bedroom in the basement is not a ‘Chicago’ thing.  Most of our basements are dank, cold, and prone to flooding.  The cool ones looked like this: 

[pasdetrois]

My county doesn't allow basement stoves for safety reasons. It's a code violation.

I like N&J's design aesthetic. The others seem to be trying to design to catch production's eye? Not for real life.

[Grrarrggh]

5 hours ago, pasdetrois said:

I like N&J's design aesthetic. The others seem to be trying to design to catch production's eye? Not for real life.

It seems the exact opposite to me. It's as if too many of the teams are stuck in some sort of "HGTV open concept white/grey shaker" universe when a lot of viewers and buyers are outside. 

[MaryHedwig]

On 3/31/2021 at 1:52 PM, LittleIggy said:

Nate and Jeremiah’s basement wasn’t a kids’ play area. It was an apartment. BTW, maybe Tamara should supervise her kids better if they do 💩 like that.

I have a gas stove in my kitchen and, believe it or not, my cats can turn it on. I bought toddler-proof plastic covers for each of the four knobs at Lowe's for $7.50 total. I have not had a problem since. I can't be the only one who knows about this. I think she just had to criticize something to help build up the suspense.

Edited April 2, 2021 by MaryHedwig

[CruiseDiva]

3 hours ago, MaryHedwig said:

I have a gas stove in my kitchen and, believe it or not, my cats can turn it on. I bought toddler-proof plastic covers for each of the four knobs at Lowe's for $7.50 total. I have not had a problem since. I can't be the only one who knows this. I think she just had to criticize something to help build up the suspense.

My kitchen ceramic cooktop is electric and I when I was shopping for it I wanted digital controls instead of knobs. I was concerned that the cats (we have three) might be able to step on the digital keypad and turn it on... so, I went with Bosch, which was the only brand with a "lock" function to make it childproof. It's cat proof and even husband proof as well. 😄

A long time ago I had a 20-something roommate who left a pan on the electric stove burner when she heated something up for lunch. Thankfully, the element was on low and there was about an inch of liquid in the pot or she might have burned down the apartment.  When I got home after work the sauce pan was ruined.

If that judge had "little kids" what were they doing cooking ramen noodles unsupervised? That statement didn't impress me as good parenting.

[MartyQui]

52 minutes ago, CruiseDiva said:

If that judge had "little kids" what were they doing cooking ramen noodles unsupervised? That statement didn't impress me as good parenting.

We were allowed to use the stove unsupervised starting at 10 years old.  We made rice after school and put food coloring in it.  My mother had 5 daughters under 10, I think she just figured we’d figure it out.  We never burnt the house down.

[Kip1]

I didn't get the stove criticism either. If you're worried about kids cooking unsupervised, that's going to happen in the regular kitchen too (as it did with Tamara). A parent could be upstairs or outdoors and the kids turn the stove on. (To prevent smaller children from turning on stove knobs, there are covers to prevent that.) If the basement unit was going to be used as part of the family's living space and the stove wasn't going to be used, just unplug it or flip the circuit breaker if it's electric, or turn off the gas.

I would think that a bowling alley could potentially be a hazard to young kids. 

Anyway, I'm glad N&J got the win.

[carrps]

On 3/30/2021 at 7:23 AM, Fellaway said:

No, Jeremiah, no. Comparing it to the Spanish Inquisition is not a beautiful way to describe your design aesthetic. Do you even know what the Spanish Inquisition was? Yeesh.

This caught my attention, because I just watched an episode of Brokenwood Mysteries (enjoyable NZ show) just now which featured an antique Spanish garotte chair. A very unpleasant torture device. 

[MaKaM]

On 4/1/2021 at 11:36 AM, pasdetrois said:

My county doesn't allow basement stoves for safety reasons. It's a code violation.

Hope it isn't a code violation where I live or my basement renter will have to microwave cook only!

23 hours ago, MaryHedwig said:

I have a gas stove in my kitchen and, believe or not, my cats can turn it on. I bought toddler-proof plastic covers for each of the four knobs at Lowe's for $7.50 total. I have not had a problem since. I can' be the only one that knows this. I think she just had to criticize something to help build up the suspense.

I have an electric stove that has knobs on the front that I can turn on by bumping into. I was going to get the plastic covers but then figured that if the knobs come off to put the covers on, I would just keep the knobs off and in the drawer next to the stove and put them on when I need them. 😉 That said, I'm pretty sure every stove has a gas shut off valve. If you are *that* worried about your rugrats toasting marshmallows on the basement stove because you didn't rent the space out, cut the gas to it. et voila!

I think Brian and Mika have the best chance of winning followed by Allison and Mike. Nate and Jeremiah are going too "European Country" when they are in southern USA country...might not be the best reading of a potential buyer pool. I think David and Tiffany know they have no chance with all their suuuuper taste specific colors that don't seem to have a unifying theme across the house and are just doing it as a rebellion against the endless black, white, gray that HGTV features nonstop these last 10 years. They could have done color and wallpaper and made it work if it was gorgeously and tastefully done, but basically none of their choices totally work. The pattern scales on their wallpaper have all been off for me and when they do color, they go overboard. There is nowhere in that pink basement for your eyes to rest. The house is going to need a repaint before anyone moves in.

Edited April 2, 2021 by MaKaM

[Fellaway]

On 3/31/2021 at 3:33 PM, Captain Asshat said:

Maybe they design BDSM dungeons on the side? I didn't even notice this gaffe.

It was in the behind-the-scenes ep they aired before the regular ep.

2 hours ago, carrps said:

This caught my attention, because I just watched an episode of Brokenwood Mysteries (enjoyable NZ show) just now which featured an antique Spanish garotte chair. A very unpleasant torture device. 

Yes, seriously, there was nothing "beautiful" about the Spanish Inquisition. I'd give Jeremiah the benefit of the doubt and think maybe he just heard "Spanish" and missed the "Inquisition" part, but, yeah, no. Pretty sure he just doesn't know what the Spanish Inquisition was.

[deirdra]

23 hours ago, Fellaway said:

Yes, seriously, there was nothing "beautiful" about the Spanish Inquisition. I'd give Jeremiah the benefit of the doubt and think maybe he just heard "Spanish" and missed the "Inquisition" part, but, yeah, no. Pretty sure he just doesn't know what the Spanish Inquisition was.

Back in the day it was Monty Python that inspired us to learn more about the Spanish Inquisition. 

Edited April 3, 2021 by deirdra

[deirdra]

On 4/2/2021 at 3:25 PM, MaKaM said:

I have an electric stove that has knobs on the front that I can turn on by bumping into. I was going to get the plastic covers but then figured that if the knobs come off to put the covers on, I would just keep the knobs off and in the drawer next to the stove and put them on when I need them. 😉

I had an electric stove that had knobs on the back, near the wall, but I also had rescue cats that occasionally jumped on the counter to check things out and rubbed their cheek and back on the knobs.  So for 22 years I kept the knobs off when I wasn't cooking.😉  One of them liked to rub herself against the water temperature control on the hot water heater (always in the direction that made it colder), so I had to keep a couple of bricks in front of that knob for 16 yrs.  Until I witnessed her doing it when I was in the laundry area, I would have thought someone was pranking me while taking showers.  One can always find ways to keep homes safe for kids & pets.

Edited April 3, 2021 by deirdra

[LittleIggy]

7 hours ago, deirdra said:

Back in the day it was Monty Python that inspired us to learn more about the Spanish Inquisition. 

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! 😆

[CrazyInAlabama]

So N & J won the landscaping/outdoor challenge?   And next week is the finale, and they all visit each other's houses.     

[alexa]

I was surprised the one team did a putting green and thought that would win it for them.  And that large golf ball?  Anyway, I think the right team won.

[Grrarrggh]

I don't get what the judges had against M&B's pergola? It was way better than a putting green. But I do agree any outside area that's safe from bugs wins. 

[Giuseppe]

Man, this is the third time I thought Mika and Brian got robbed. I felt like they should've won the kitchen and the master bedroom/bath suite as well. Theirs was the only exterior that I looked at and thought, wow that looks really nice. But I'm probably biased because I love Craftsman style homes. Didn't really mind David and Tiffany's pseudo-Tudor home, but they were silly to think they could just rely on their lake view to carry the back of the house. Mike and Allison's exterior was SO BLAND. It was like the very definition of builder grade. And the putting green was off-putting (ha) to me. Don't know why they thought that was a winner.

I liked Brian and Mika's pergola, but maybe instead if they had screened in that upper back porch, they'd have pulled out a win. I like a screened in porch (another Atlantan here, and agree about the bug issue), but not at the front of the house. Most of the time when I watch flipping shows, if a house has a screened in front porch, they tear that sucker right out and open it up, so Nate and Jeremiah's was kind of weird for me. Aside from that, I liked that they did an all brick house, but I hated the color of the brick. I just don't like brown brick/stone color...it looks so generic. I'm glad that they used dark accents to contrast the brown. It made the brickwork more palatable to me. But I really disliked that front yard "patio" or whatever they called it that was surrounded by potted plants. I thought at first they just hadn't gotten around to planting them. I would not want a bunch of potted plants sitting out at the front of my yard by the street. Doesn't feel safe somehow, and it looked unfinished.

I hope Brian and Mika win the whole thing. It looks like Ken and Anita will be the guest judges next week? Their style seems more in line with Brian and Mika, so maybe they stand a chance.

Edited April 6, 2021 by Giuseppe

[Pattycake2]

I liked the Pergola. I thought the putting green and golf ball were really stupid. You can’t let the dog out in the back. And I’m not fond of Pea gravel sidewalks. It gets on your shoes and you track it everywhere. Does Mike ever get to make a decision?

Seems to me that each of the teams is aiming at a different kind of buyer.  M & B - big family, M & A - pink polo wearing country club, N & J - the sophisticates, D & T - quirky and fun.

[justdoit10]

53 minutes ago, Giuseppe said:

Man, this is the third time I thought Mika and Brian got robbed. I felt like they should've won the kitchen and the master bedroom/bath suite as well. Theirs was the only exterior that I looked at and thought, wow that looks really nice. But I'm probably biased because I love Craftsman style homes. Didn't really mind David and Tiffany's pseudo-Tudor home, but they were silly to think they could just rely on their lake view to carry the back of the house. Mike and Allison's exterior was SO BLAND. It was like the very definition of builder grade. And the putting green was off-putting (ha) to me. Don't know why they thought that was a winner.

I liked Brian and Mika's pergola, but maybe instead if they had screened in that upper back porch, they'd have pulled out a win. I like a screened in porch (another Atlantan here, and agree about the bug issue), but not at the front of the house. Most of the time when I watch flipping shows, if a house has a screened in front porch, they tear that sucker right out and open it up, so Nate and Jeremiah's was kind of weird for me. Aside from that, I liked that they did an all brick house, but I hated the color of the brick. I just don't like brown brick/stone color...it looks so generic. I'm glad that they used dark accents to contrast the brown. It made the brickwork more palatable to me. But I really disliked that front yard "patio" or whatever they called it that was surrounded by potted plants. I thought at first they just hadn't gotten around to planting them. I would not want a bunch of potted plants sitting out at the front of my yard by the street. Doesn't feel safe somehow, and it looked unfinished.

I hope Brian and Mika win the whole thing. It looks like Ken and Anita will be the guest judges next week? Their style seems more in line with Brian and Mika, so maybe they stand a chance.

Craftsman and Victorian chick here, all the way. Agree with you on N&J brick color.  I hate brown, sandy brick.  I would never buy a house that color.  I also thought the plants should have been in the ground.  That was strange.  Allison and Mikes was a borefest.  I thought David and Tiffany had a house that caught your eye, along with Mika's and Brian's.  I would look at those.  The screened in porch seemed to be the deal breaker.  

[justdoit10]

56 minutes ago, Pattycake2 said:

I liked the Pergola. I thought the putting green and golf ball were really stupid. You can’t let the dog out in the back. And I’m not fond of Pea gravel sidewalks. It gets on your shoes and you track it everywhere. Does Mike ever get to make a decision?

Seems to me that each of the teams is aiming at a different kind of buyer.  M & B - big family, M & A - pink polo wearing country club, N & J - the sophisticates, D & T - quirky and fun.

I had pea gravel in front of my house for an extra parking space.  I hated it because it did get everywhere.  Had the area paved.  And I don't recognize this Mike from HOLMES and HOLMES.  He normally is outspoken and takes control.  Very weird.

[disconnected]

If Mika and Brian win overall after not winning any of the spaces, I'll know this contest is rigged. Their lack of interesting design and weird concepts show their builder background. I thought it was going to be a toss-up between Dave & Tiffany and Alison & Mike when the show began. But now it appears it's between Nate & Jeremiah and Alison & Mike. D & T still have a chance because of the mother-in-law suite and mud room. I hope either N & J or D & T win because Alison is being such a brat.

[DVDFreaker]

34 minutes ago, disconnected said:

If Mika and Brian win overall after not winning any of the spaces, I'll know this contest is rigged. Their lack of interesting design and weird concepts show their builder background. I thought it was going to be a toss-up between Dave & Tiffany and Alison & Mike when the show began. But now it appears it's between Nate & Jeremiah and Alison & Mike. D & T still have a chance because of the mother-in-law suite and mud room. I hope either N & J or D & T win because Alison is being such a brat.

I do not know about rigged because Mika did not win any of the spaces and still lost at the end last year but if Mika and Brian wins at the end then they deserved it since they added value to the house by adding a laundry room and other stuff

[justdoit10]

12 minutes ago, DVDFreaker said:

I do not know about rigged because Mika did not win any of the spaces and still lost at the end last year but if Mika and Brian wins at the end then they deserved it since they added value to the house by adding a laundry room and other stuff

That was Mina from Good Bones last year, Jasmine, and Leanne. and Icky Allison.  Mika wasn't in it.

[3 is enough]

Alison didn’t paint the entire exterior black?  Color me shocked! She did continue with her love of putting greens though.🙄

[buttersister]

1 hour ago, disconnected said:

Alison is being such a brat.

Real real. Asshat. "Hello, boys" tells you she thought she had some golfers approaching and who would admire her cleverness. Mike? Mike? Blink if you need a ride out of there. I think all his energy is going into not walking off (did I hear him say something about that?). 

N&J may not win this thing, but aside from the glass shelves (never!) and not-the-world's-best-main-closet, I hope they do! The plants in pots garden was very European, in keeping with their theme. As far as someone flying off the porch and killing themselves (?!), hey, New Show Guy, the porch is enclosed. And if the floor is wet, put down the French-style mats, k? Screened porch, older parents/young adult moves home mini-apartment (nobody's renting) with separate entrance. Some pretty gorgeous, if fancy, stuff. (Maybe the editors are playing, but I heard a promo comment about expensive-looking things being a turnoff--hey, appraiser, the buyer already knows the price of the house!).

I can see that Brian thinks they're winning--but maybe he says that so that Mika's head doesn't explode. Also I see that he's more than happy to pimp the new guys as "experts" before their new HGTV series airs. I'm still wondering why they built their own house on what looks like a flood  magnet in Florida.

Edited April 6, 2021 by buttersister

[Kip1]

2 hours ago, disconnected said:

If Mika and Brian win overall after not winning any of the spaces, I'll know this contest is rigged. Their lack of interesting design and weird concepts show their builder background. I thought it was going to be a toss-up between Dave & Tiffany and Alison & Mike when the show began. But now it appears it's between Nate & Jeremiah and Alison & Mike. D & T still have a chance because of the mother-in-law suite and mud room. I hope either N & J or D & T win because Alison is being such a brat.

I don't think it will mean it's rigged. The weekly challenges seem to be as much or more about design as about adding value. The first week, what tipped the balance to Allison and Mike winning was their bowl made from melted Mason jars. For the final all-around win, appraisers come in and appraise the homes. David and Tiffany won the living room challenge, but they may get dinged some because some of their choices won't appeal to a wide base.

Now...to tonight's show. A&M's putting green was like M&B's bowling alley. It will appeal to some people, but it will turn others off. I thought M&B's pergola was a nice feature, but I can see the judges' point that the style didn't fit the house. When N&J were putting in the marble tile, I commented to my husband that they'd be really slippery if rain blew in. I know some designers often remove screens from front porches, but if I were going to use a porch in Georgia, i'd want it screened. T&D's front yard looked good. Their backyard does have a great view, but they totally neglected it. I agree with whomever commented about not liking gravel walks. They're dusty and you can't walk on them with any kind of a heel.

These houses have huge front yards. I wonder why they were build so far back from the road. Most people would rather have more back yard. And I wonder if codes prevent fences in the front yards. N&J had all that grass and talked about kids playing on the grass in front since there wasn't really a back yard, but in that case, it would be nice if the yard was fenced.

[DVDFreaker]

5 hours ago, justdoit10 said:

That was Mina from Good Bones last year, Jasmine, and Leanne. and Icky Allison.  Mika wasn't in it.

I meant to say Mina, sorry, Mina and Mika have similar names so I screwed up, thank you for correcting me

[Miracle Maxie]

I don't suppose none of them could have won? I thought each design had a deal-breaker. M&A - the putting green. D&T - the first-floor exterior seemed to belong to a different house than the ground floor. B&M - the weird horizontal and vertical siding in front, and the pergola, which was a long way from Craftsman. N&J - the marble death-trap. And the potted trees. And... well, I just don't much care for them as a team and haven't liked anything they've done. I'd have probably given the win to B&M. I was expecting them to win so that each team would have had at least one win going to the finale. Now I'm suspecting they'll win the whole thing.

[CruiseDiva]

I thought M&B had it for the win with that pergola and the "ceiling" that could be closed to keep rain off the deck. I live in Georgia and screen rooms are very popular here, but are most often on the back of the house. 

Edited to add.. M&B also added stairs from the back yard to the upper deck. To me, that was a big PRO. I didn't agree with "the pergola isn't Craftsman" since it was on the back of the house. So what? All the deck needed was to be screened in to make it the perfect Georgia Room.

Edited April 6, 2021 by CruiseDiva

[Kip1]

Maybe I'm naive but I don't think the winner is going to be a set up. IIRC, last season they brought in two or three local appraisers and averaged their appraisals. Jasmine's house was only $15,000 more than Mina's - a drop in the bucket on a million-dollar house. The more "designer" houses - Allison's and Leanne's were in 3rd and 4th - they clearly got dinged for not appealing to a wide audience. The design vs value couldn't have been more apparent than in Leanne's kitchen. Leanne took down a wall of cabinets and put up a rock wall. I couldn't believe she won the kitchen challenge. Yes, it looked great but it was totally impractical in terms of lack of storage and being nearly impossible to clean. I'm sure the appraisers devalued it.

[Pattycake2]

I just checked out Pics of N&J’s flooring.  The tiles are not highly polished. These types of tiles have been used for hundreds of years in Europe.  My sister used marble tiles on her bathroom floor and she has no problems with slipping.  So no big deal.