House Hunters Renovation

Hannah, Todd, and their son Cooper are searching Austin, Texas for a large family home that they can buy and renovate in time for their annual holiday party. But while she's a city girl, he's a country boy at heart. So they need to find a place that suits them both and also has lots of land, a nice master suite, space for entertaining, a farmhouse feel for him, and a midcentury vibe for her. With perseverance their real estate agent Patty Jewell will manage to find the perfect blend and renovations soon begin. With their holiday party fast approaching, they'll need to update their kitchen, create a new master suite, and even add a pond.

Dave and Jessica are searching for a single-family home in Burbank, California. They both want a spacious place with an open kitchen and a yard for their dog. Dave is looking for a bit of retro midcentury flair, but Jessica prefers something with a more contemporary style. Not to mention they also want a two-car garage, a fireplace and a large master bedroom. With the help of their agent Brian Everett, they find a house with perfect amount of potential to fit all their needs. Designer Jocelyn Borys and contractor John Stone tackle a massive overhaul of the kitchen and living spaces, while Dave gets his hands dirty gutting the guest bathroom down to the studs. They'll face a string of budget-busting structural issues as well as some tough design decisions, but when the dust settles, they'll enjoy a vibrant new home that they both can love.

Chicago couple Tommy and Amanda's big Italian families have been close friends their whole lives, so it was almost inevitable that they would wind up dating. But now they're ready to take the next big step and buy their first home together. The problem is they are on very different pages. He wants a raised ranch. She wants a two-story Georgian home. He likes dark woods with a masculine look. She prefers a light and airy vibe that feels more updated. And this self-proclaimed "high maintenance" couple needs plenty of bathroom space to get ready in the morning. But somehow their agent Mario DiLorenzo manages to find them a home they can both appreciate. And to make it their own, they'll quickly dive into a major renovation.

Axel and Nancy are looking for a larger home in California's San Fernando Valley where they can raise their young daughter, Ella. But they also need space for Nancy's parents, since Nancy would like to follow the Chinese tradition of having her aging parents move in with them. Finding a spacious home that the family can all agree on will be a challenge for their agent Elizabeth Marquart. Axel wants a relaxing pool, but Nancy most certainly does not. Axel wants modern, Nancy likes traditional. And they also have to take into account Nancy's parents' concerns about the feng shui of a home. When they finally find the right house, they immediately begin tearing down walls, gutting bathrooms and making over the kitchen. Designer Stephanie Leese and contractor Robert Cortez have their hands full with this project, as Nancy and Axel keep them on their toes with strong opinions and mid-renovation changes.

After traveling the world for the past few years, Jenny has moved back to Southern California to be near family and she's ready to set down roots and buy a home in the area. With the help of her mom Lowry, she's searching for a Spanish home with architectural style and eclectic details to remind her of her travels. Finding her all that plus an updated kitchen, two bathrooms, and a pool close to family will be a challenge for her agent Lindsay Milkovich. But once she finds a place she'll need to put her stamp on it , and with the help of designer Caitlin Murray and contractors Chris Mc Craw and Robert Cortez, she'll face everything from electrical issues to rising costs to the cabinets arriving in the wrong color. It will be a struggle to the very end, but it will be worth all the pain when Jenny winds up with a stunning home that's just her style.

Chicago newlyweds Lindsay and Tyler are searching for a home in the city where they can start a family together. But while she wants a Victorian with vintage charm and an open floor plan, he'd rather have a bungalow with more separated rooms. Finding a place that suits them both that's also close to transportation and in their budget will be no easy task for agent Todd Szwajkowski. But eventually they'll find a place they think has great potential, though it may turn out to be a potential for disaster. They'll face plumbing issues, structural issues, and budget issues, all before they even finish demo. As problem after problem piles up, designer Susan Klimala and contractor Allyson Case will try to drag this project toward the finish line. And in the end, even being wildly over budget won't stop them from loving their completely transformed new home.

Craig, Monique and their young daughter Sadie are ready to get out of their cramped condo and into a single-family home with more space and a yard. Monique loves the charm and cozy feel of a Spanish-style home, but at 6'7", Craig would prefer a modern place with high ceilings so he won't feel boxed in. Even with their $1.3 million budget, their agent Amanda Chapman will struggle to find everything on both their wishlists in the competitive Culver City, CA market. Once they finally find the right house, the struggles continue as they take on major renovations including overhauling their kitchen and creating an atrium in the middle of their home. But with help from designer Breeze Giannasio and contractor Avi Ezra, they'll wind their way through plumbing problems, building code issues, and mid-reno design plan changes to emerge on the other side with a revitalized home that their whole family not only fits into, but loves.

After dating for two years, Austin, Texas couple Jamie and Emilee are ready to take the next step in their relationship and buy their first home together. She's looking for a small midcentury modern house with a chef's kitchen where she can show off her culinary education. But he's looking for a larger Craftsman style home with a separate laundry area, since he's very particular about clean clothes. Finding all that plus a big backyard in the city's popular Central Austin area will be a challenge for their agent Rachelle Anselmi. And the challenges will keep on coming once they start renovations and learn that they may have to entirely rethink their plans. With help from designer Sarah Stacey and contractor Cesar Fuentes, these first-timers will learn the renovation ropes. And if the structural issues, budget overages, and frustrations of learning to cope don't overwhelm them, they'll wind up with a transformed home where they can start their future together.

Craig and Lital are expecting their first child and need to find a home fast. After selling their condo quicker than expected, they're living with her parents and are ready to have a house of their own in California's San Fernando Valley. He wants a traditional ranch, but she's hoping for a more contemporary place. And while they both want a spacious kitchen and a large yard, she absolutely refuses to have tandem parking. Hunting down the perfect house won't be easy for their agent Tanya Williams, but she'll find them a place they can make their own. And with the help of designer Kurt Langenhahn and contractor Ken Hicks, they'll dive into an overhaul of everything from the kitchen to the backyard. Budget concerns and design indecision will push them ever closer to their baby's rapidly-approaching arrival, making it all the more rewarding when they finally complete a beautiful new home to share with their bundle of joy.

Heather and Jesse are searching for a Long Beach, CA, house where they can start a family. She wants a cozy Spanish-style place with separate rooms, but he wants a Craftsman bungalow with an open floor plan. And while she would love to see gold fixtures in every room, he prefers a more contemporary look. Their agent Shelley Rocha will have a tough time finding a place with an updated kitchen, a large master suite, and a spacious yard with their first time buyers' budget. Designer Kimberly Winthrop and contractor Tom Bittner will guide them through a major remodel of their master suite as they face everything from wiring issues to layout concerns. With help from family, Jesse and Heather also take on a dangerous kitchen remodel that may leave them permanently scarred. But if they can survive this project, they'll get to enjoy many years of health and happiness in a beautifully transformed home that's worth all the pain.

Kay and Todd are expecting their second child, which means they've run out of space in their current Chicago condo. Todd would like a brick home with traditional style, but Kay wants a more updated transitional Chicago frame house. And while he wants separate entertaining areas on different levels, she wants eveything together in one open floor plan. It will be a tall order for their agent Nicholas Apostal, but he's up to the challenge, hunting down a home that has a lot of what they want and allows them to add what they don't. With the help of designer Erica Lugbill and contractor Damian Szulga they'll overhaul the layout on every floor, reorganizing the bedroom and bath layout as well as transforming the kitchen. Plumbing issues, unexpected expenses, and the general chaos of living through a renovation will threaten to keep them from finishing before the baby arrives. But in the end, the stress will pay off with an almost unrecognizable makeover that is beyond their wildest dreams.

Kim and Troy love the beachfront atmosphere of their Marina Del Rey, CA rental, but they're ready to get into a home of their own. With prices in their current neighborhood out of reach, they've been searching for almost a year to find a house that fits their budget, but still has the scenic views of nature that they enjoy. It can be a Craftsman style home for her or a midcentury for him, but it needs to have an open concept kitchen, lots of light, and preferably have both a fireplace and a pool. Their agent Ellen Philips will somehow manage to hunt down a place that makes them both happy, but they'll face some major work and major problems as they try to make it their own. From structural issues to floods to fire dangers, they'll tackle it all with the help of their designer Kelly Schandel and contractor Bo Siton. And in the end, their new home will be worth the wait as they find themselves enjoying a stunning view both inside and out.

Mariam and Ben are expecting their first baby, so they're ready to get out of their cramped Santa Monica, CA condo and into a home of their own. But even with a budget of over a million dollars, finding a place they can both agree on in the area's expensive market won't be easy. Their agent Mike Springer needs to find a ranch for her, something modern for him, an open concept for her, a closed concept for him, and while he wants a pool, she definitely does not. Which means once they get the keys, they'll need to tackle some major renovations to get everything they both want. With help from designer Rona Graf and contractor Guy Sharabi, they'll face everything from corroded plumbing to catastrophic floors, not to mention, a little girl who makes an early arrival. But if they can survive all the stress, eventually they'll be rewarded with a stunning new home that the whole family will love.