Beach Flip - General Discussion

[Shermie]

Daphney (ugh, what is with that spelling?) has the most annoying vocal fry + hick accent combination. Lucy also has a strong hick accent in the confessionals, but when she and Daphney talk to each other while working, their accents aren't nearly as strong. You'd think it would be the other way - strong natural accent when not concentrating, but more measured and professional tones when talking to the camera. Unless the accent is part of their schtick - just a couple of little ol' gals workin' hard.

What is with the weird face on the host woman? With her pregnancy and her big rack, her body looks meaty enough, but her face looks skeletal. Razor sharp cheekbones and skull-like teeth, how is that possible? Her collarbones are pretty jutty too.

So much weird on the show.

And yeah, who wants to rent a beach house filled with cluttery knick-knacks? I hope that stuff is just there for staging and goes back to the store for the actual renting. Note to renters - think about all possible tenants and not looking like a decorating magazine spread.

We rented a beach house last year that was touted as perfect for a large extended family, which we were, lots of bedrooms and bathrooms - great! But the kitchen table was pub style, which was ridiculous for small children and impossible to put a highchair by it. The coffee table had a glass top with sharp corners, we put it in the laundry room and went without. There was a beautiful glass bowl on the table, which also got stored for the week. So it looked great when we arrived, but was not suitable for multi-generational families with young children, as advertised, because of the impractical decor. I think these houses are somewhat the same.

[DownTheShore]

I cannot understand Lucy and Daphney when they are both talking to the camera. It's like they are speaking some alien language that I just can't decipher. I need subtitles for them. I'd probably go mad if I had to listen to them on a daily basis.

As for Nichole, I've always thought that her face looks like a consumptive who's about to expire. I just want to take a cloth and wipe away all that makeup from her eyes.

[mojito]

 

All that moulding and those tchotchkes are dust gatherers

The tchotckes, I would think, would eventually disappear (souvenirs for the renters) and who would know (or notice)? 

 

 

As for Nichole, I've always thought that her face looks like a consumptive who's about to expire. I just want to take a cloth and wipe away all that makeup from her eyes.

Agreed. As my grandmother used to say, she looks like death warmed over. 

[Koffee Kup]

What is up with 3 of the 4 house signs being anchors, does no one have any other creativity at the beach?   

 

Smack down on Lucy and Daphne's smugness soars at the end.  That I never have to hear them speak again was the best result of this show's end.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Koffee Kup

[CN42]

I've never seen so much crying on a home reno show.

Some people can carry off red lipstick, some can't.

David's sunburn looked painful.

The units were decorated for a magazine layout, not for a real world rental.

"Doesn't it suck to have rich neighbors?" Glad the PITAs didn't win.

[Artsda]

So glad Lucy and Daphne didn't win. They grated and annoyed me even more than all the other episodes combined in this episode with their attitude and thinking so highly of themselves that they won. Also all the "you're going down" comments they kept saying over and over, stopped being funny and a joke after the 1st time. Yet they kept saying it and the way Lucy behaved over the nails made me like Daphne so much more, for giving the nails.

 

They barely barely squeaked by Nick and Sarah. Who I  think did great and wished had won. However, I agreed they should have gotten a dining room table for outdoors like the others did.

 

The marriage proposal was hilarious. 

[ByaNose]

I'm okay with Martha (so pretty) & Alex at 30.92% winning. They bugged me the least and their place looked really nice. Although, Martha did annoy me when she wouldn't listen to someone's suggestion. Lucy & Dapney at 28.45% were talented (minus the stupid blue whale) but they did get a little too cocky & entitled. I would have been happy if they had won though. Nick & Sarah at 28.32% came off as really nice people and their place was really beautiful. I was torn between them and Martha & Alex. And, finally and not shockingly Melissa & Mahdi were dead last with 26.44%. They were so out of their league though the whole show and I didn't like them (mostly Melissa). They didn't really have any skills or good time management. All in all, a good summer show. I will watch next summer, if it returns. Maybe, the Jersey Shore or somewhere in Florida could be next.

Edited August 24, 2015 by ByaNose

[Gregg247]

Sorry to see Nick and Sarah finish in 3rd (well, tied for 2nd, really).  I think if the "Westside Gang" had painted their building a less neon shade of aqua, their %'s would have increased, and Nick and Sarah could have challenged for 1st place.

 

The 2-lady team got on my nerves even more than usual.  I like confidence, but theirs is just so out of place!  Every single week, they're convinced they're going to win, and they can't imagine any other outcome.  So much for learning through experience.  Then, at the end, one of them said something to the effect of, "This isn't the last you'll see of us."  Really?  Is there such a dearth of home decorators in the US that a team that came in a poor second place on some random HGTV show is gauranteed a future in the entertainment business?  I think this IS the last we'll see of you, ladies.  And good riddance.

[GaT]

Well crap, I don't like Martha & Alex, I didn't want them to win. When the guy was talking about how Sarah & Nick's deck didn't have anything for eating, I really thought they were faking us out & that they had won, I guess I should have paid attention to how they lined them up, since they were standing lowest to highest from left to right. 

 

All that outdoor space & nobody puts a grill there? That would have been my first thought, especially with kids, grill burgers.

[ByaNose]

I thought of a grill, too. I wonder if there is some law/rule that says you can't use grills on the decks in that area?!

[alexa]

I was so relieved, and wanted anyone other than the annoying women to win.  They really did think highly of themselves.  I think their kitchen was the main thing that added $ to their home, otherwise, I think the rest of their rooms were lacking compared to some of the other teams.  And that whale room stood out as an eyesore every time.  I really think that did not help them, and I don't see why they couldn't admit it looked awful.

 

As for the decks/furniture, I don't see not putting the table as making the house worth less--a table can be bought/added at any time.  It isn't like a building element that someone has to manually do to the home.  And we all know that Sarah and Nick had limited money, so they just didn't have much to work with and did well with what they had.

[mojito]

Sometimes, it was hard keeping up with what the purpose of this show really was: 1) renovating a home to increase its market value or 2) decorating a home to increase its attractiveness to renters. Why not having a table on the patio would decrease a home's value, I don't get. That is not real property. 

 

I also don't get why an artist is considered a real estate "expert". What ability does he have to increase property value?

[mecmimi05]

I agree with many of the posters about being marked down for NOT having a table on the porch....ridiculous. The bones of the homes should be what adds value. I liked Martha and Alex's style and the things they did to the home, especially making both bedrooms have a private bath. I also thought Nick & his wife did a good job. The two women had some great ideas, I loved their kitchen, but they were so obnoxious and not changing the dumb whale was  a BIG turn off. I enjoyed this show and hope since they have cancelled Design Star that this will be a permanent summer show.

[laredhead]

I didn't understand one of the appraisers criticizing the lack of outdoor eating space in his appraisal report.  Decor & furniture is not part of the value of a house.  If someone wants to eat outside, the owner can buy a table and put it on the deck like the other houses.  I would not have downgraded a unit because of that.  Also trying to do shared spaces under those houses probably won't be a long term thing because if the same families or friends aren't renting both units in those duplexes, the odds of socializing with the people on the other side are slim and none - especially if they are loud and obnoxious.  The contractor was correct about not trying to build a raised deck.  Even and 18" deck is going to be covered with sand in a few months.  The NY guy was correct in not wanting to tackle that size of a project with only 3 days worth of time.

 

Koffee Kup, I agree about lack of creativity with the signs.  Nice that you can have one painted by David Bromstead, but so many other themes could have been done.  Gee, Lucy and Daphne could have done a whale.  I was pulling for the NY couple to win. 

[chessiegal]

The only reason I can come up with for knocking down the appraisal for not having a table on the deck is that I assume that these homes, being beach rentals, would be sold furnished. We've toyed with the idea of buying a condo at the beach mainly for our use, and almost all of them come furnished. But geez, a table and chairs are not that expensive.

Edited August 24, 2015 by chessiegal

[needschocolate]

Sorry to see Nick and Sarah finish in 3rd (well, tied for 2nd, really).  I think if the "Westside Gang" had painted their building a less neon shade of aqua, their %'s would have increased, and Nick and Sarah could have challenged for 1st place.

 

The 2-lady team got on my nerves even more than usual.  I like confidence, but theirs is just so out of place!  Every single week, they're convinced they're going to win, and they can't imagine any other outcome.  So much for learning through experience.  Then, at the end, one of them said something to the effect of, "This isn't the last you'll see of us."  Really?  Is there such a dearth of home decorators in the US that a team that came in a poor second place on some random HGTV show is gauranteed a future in the entertainment business?  I think this IS the last we'll see of you, ladies.  And good riddance.

 

HGTV could give them their own hour-long show every night at 8 pm and Beach Flip will still be the last I see of them.  

Edited August 26, 2015 by needschocolate

[DownTheShore]

My sister and I are at her shore cottage right now and we watched the show. When we saw Nick & Sarah's deck the first thing we said to each other was "where are they going to eat?" People usually grill and eat outdoors if they are renting, because they want the change-of-pace from eating indoors.

None of them seemed to think of creating a storage space for the outdoor furniture cushions. Those things get wet in the rain and it takes a while to dry out, unless they are made to be impervious to moisture. Otherwise you have to bring them indoors and that takes up space.

As a separator between the downstairs decks, I would have installed a free-standing wooden woven or lattice wall for the illusion of privacy. Not attaching it to the pilings should avoid violating any code requirements regarding fixed walls in a flood zone.

[Bobcatkitten]

Finally saw the finale and it was decent. I thought the outdoor spaces looked pretty darn amazing. If I look at the rooms and overall house independently I would definitely pick the southern women, even though personally they annoyed most of the season. I loved the kitchen and bathrooms so much. And I would just take down the stupid whale.

[ByaNose]

So, does anyone know what the places are renting for? I don't know much about the area. I usually only do the south jersey shore.

[mojito]

 

I usually only do the south jersey shore.

Is the word "shore" mostly a New Jersey thing? I'm thinking it is, and I say this with NO snarkiness, I swear. Other places, it seems, people name specific beaches or islands (think SC, GA), use the world "beach", or say "coast". 

[GaT]

I lived in New Jersey, & it was always called "the shore".

[ByaNose]

Yes, most people (at least, that I know of) go down the shore. Once down the shore you then go to the beach. Basically, my vacation consist of me sitting "on the beach" from noon till about 5pm. I'm 50 and from the Philly area and that's how we (my family & friends) have coined it, phrased it and/or say it.

[CN42]

"Going down the shore" was an intriguing phrase the first time I heard it. AFAIK, it's specific to the NJ area. I'm now learning (thanks, ByaNose) that one goes down the shore but they lay/play on the beach.  I'm from Texas. People here just say "Let's go to the beach" or sometimes "the Coast" (Gulf Coast). I think regional differences and sayings are fascinating. Enjoy your remaining days down the shore!

[chessiegal]

So, does anyone know what the places are renting for? I don't know much about the area. I usually only do the south jersey shore.

 

The RE agency that is handling their rentals is Meyer RE in Gulf Shores, AL. Google Meyer RE Gulf Shores and the name of the unit, and it will get you to the unit. The rent depends on the time of year you rent it. All of them rent by the week during the summer. I checked one unit for a week during the summer, and it was renting at something around $2,200 for a week.

[laredhead]

I would be interested in seeing what the owners kept from the remodeling installs.  Bet the whale did not remain, and I would wonder about that hanging loft bed as well.  Might be a liability issue if some renter chose to let a very small child sleep in it.  In 1985 when my friends and I first rented a very nice 3 bedroom/2 bath house in Gulf Shores right on the beach like these, it was $800 a week in August and that was considered high end.  How times have changed.

[meep.meep]

In 30 years, prices of almost everything have tripled.

 

I liked the one "appraiser" snarking on Daphney and Lucy's wood ceiling.  And the whale still looked dreadful - why not repaint the edges you sanded over.

 

Why was David Bromstad crying?  

[jelaine]

 

Why was David Bromstad crying?

Tears of joy he didn't have to deal with Lucy and Daphney again?

[ByaNose]

I didn't get his crying either. Did he like the winners that much? Was he glad he didn't have to be in a realatioship with the long distance couple? Was he crying because he wanted Lucy & Dapnee to win?

Edited August 26, 2015 by ByaNose

[Honey]

I just figured his sunburn was killing him.  ;)

[txvoodoo]

Yes, most people (at least, that I know of) go down the shore. Once down the shore you then go to the beach. Basically, my vacation consist of me sitting "on the beach" from noon till about 5pm. I'm 50 and from the Philly area and that's how we (my family & friends) have coined it, phrased it and/or say it.

53, originally from Philly too. We always went "down the shore."

 

I really miss it. So much. I like Texas, but I hate being landlocked in DFW. I miss being 60-90 minutes from the shore!

[NYGirl]

I'm so happy that the PITAs didn't win.  Yay!!  However, I wasn't fond of Martha and Alex, especially Martha.  I wanted Nick and Sarah to win. It wasn't fair that they got dinged for no table however I still don't think they would have won even if they did.  I think the double vanities in the master bath pulled  a lot of weight.  Clearly the PITAs kitchen was the nicest.  Martha and Alex's was too white.  Even the arguing couple's kitchen was nicer.

 

All in all it was a good summer show to watch.

[mlp]

I finally binge watched the last three episodes and those two women were even more obnoxious that way then seeing them just one week at a time.  I was absolutely delighted that they didn't win.  I was hoping Nick and Sarah would win because I liked both of them but I'd have been OK with anyone but the women - even Martha whom I didn't like very much. 

 

I hope Mahdi has the sense to go back to his coast and leave lazy, self-important Melissa shopping on line on hers.

 

I like David and Josh but I have trouble taking Nicole seriously.  I know nothing about her.  She may be the world's greatest designer but she sounds like she's 12.  Ugh.

[chessiegal]

I like David and Josh but I have trouble taking Nicole seriously.  I know nothing about her.  She may be the world's greatest designer but she sounds like she's 12.  Ugh.

 

 

Nicole isn't a designer. She's a real estate agent who started a business rehabbing old homes. Her show, Rehab Addict, is still in production shown on both DIY and HGTV.  Her thread under Rehab Addict on PTV is an interesting read. To say the least, she is a piece of work.

[Shermie]

Deducting points for no outdoor table makes no sense when there is no outdoor cooking apparati. Sure, if every deck had a barbecue, it would make sense to have a place outside to eat what you cooked outside. But without a barbecue, making such a fuss about the lack of a table is kind of silly. If I'm renting a beach house, it better have a barbecue, otherwise why bother?

Staying at a beach house requires several things: comfortable beds, shower, fridge, beach chairs and a barbecue. The rest is fluff.

[mlp]

 

Nicole isn't a designer. She's a real estate agent who started a business rehabbing old homes. Her show, Rehab Addict, is still in production shown on both DIY and HGTV.  Her thread under Rehab Addict on PTV is an interesting read. To say the least, she is a piece of work.

 

That was enlightening.  Piece of work indeed.  I ended up reading the whole thread.  LOL  I thought while watching Beach Flip that she looks what we used to call "hard."  Now I see that she is.  And more.

[JasmineFlower]

I finally watched the finale, I was out of town when it aired last week. Lucy and Daphne weren't my favorite, but their place looked great minus the whale room and the living room ceiling (which looked great, but really was too dark). I think they likely added the most value and have a hard time believing they fell off numbers wise to the degree they did since the first appraisals were done prior to the bathroom renovations and all the realtors loved what they did with them. I feel like I'm missing something here. Not that they didn't win. I don't care about that, but it seemed like their value jump really greatly diminished during the second appraisal and the others really jumped. Comparatively speaking, their bathrooms and outdoor area did look good, so not seeing how they suddenly didn't get as much of a return as the other teams.

 

Martha was the person I liked the least on the entire show. So I wasn't happy to see her win. I did like Alex though. I also, didn't care for a lot of their "touches" and since apparently we're including furnishings as part of an final value, I found theirs the most taste specific. Way, way too much Americana. I guess that plays well on the Gulf Shores though? Not sure, it would be the wrong direction most places I go.

 

But, I'm not surprised they won. Figured they would win very early on in this show. Maybe I'm just cynical, but they seemed to like Martha a lot more than I did, constantly showing this, "pretty blonde" they considered camera ready. They acted like her snark was cute, when I found her rather stuck up and entitled. Even if it didn't play with me, they kept showing her, over and over again. The show never got highlighted their major misses like they did with other teams. When Martha acted like the only challenge they weren't in the running was the bathroom because they didn't finish, completely glossing over the lounge room and them sticking an air mattress in the closet, that was never pointed out or reflected on, merely glossed over. They showed Alex as fun loving and silly, but handy. Do I smell a show in the future? I wouldn't be surprised, something I didn't ever see them giving to the two middle aged women.

 

Also, and this is a small thing, maybe it's specific to areas I've vacationed in, but I don't think so. Alex and Martha would not have gotten a ton of additional value for having 2 master bathrooms when there is no other bathroom in the house. They seemed to say that's what they were doing during the bathroom challenge. I assume that's what they did. If so, that's not a value add when there is no other bathroom in a beach house. It means when you have 8 people staying during a week, you always have to go through a bedroom to access a bathroom, including tracking water and sand into the space. Beach areas that I know, the more bathrooms the better and free access is key to avoid major messes.

 

My vote was definitely for Nick and Sarah's place. Although I definitely get what they mean about the outdoor dining area, the realtors were acting like it was a make or break deal for the place. Either it's a sale or it's a rental. They gave us sale prices. So, even sold furnished, it shouldn't hinge on them not having an outdoor dining table since the new owners can come up off $1000 to refurnish their own outdoor area if they don't like the setup.

 

I agree with others, if outdoor dining is going to be weighed heavily, then all the teams skipping an outdoor grill was something I would have put more emphasis on, especially for Lucy and Daphne and Alex and Martha, who had money to do it instead of those sad looking firepits. They really should have been crystal clear on what the evaluations were based on. Hardworking Mahdi and do-nothing Melissa should have gotten much more credit for their third bed in the room because it was built in. Maybe they did, but it seemed like they got no more credit than someone who put two twin beds in a room.

 

Also, none of the realtors mentioned it, similar to the grill. But the biggest miss was not adding an outdoor shower, especially for Lucy and Daphne who had the huge budget going into the finale. The bathroom situation in these houses is not ideal. You are tracking in water and sand up two levels. Outdoor showers have to be a common thing there if this is the case, instead of having to walk in the house and up to the second floor before you can wash off your day at the beach. Surprised it was never mentioned.

[Honey]

Lucy and Daphne had enough money left that they could have added a bathroom on the lower/outdoor level.  Guests out at the beach wouldn't have even had to enter the house to use the bathroom.  Or, at least they could have added a nice outdoor shower area.

 

ETA:  That'll teach me to read all of the posts before replying.  Lol

Edited September 2, 2015 by Honey

[Intuition]

I read this was coming back this year but I haven't seen any premiere date yet.