Featured on the Show:

• Only Girl On The Jobsite Course

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Why it’s crucial to get a breakdown of costs a budget of a project

• How to notice red flags and listen to your gut when you keep seeing them

• The importance of knowing the people working in your home

Are reality television shows really REAL?

If you’ve been listening to me for a while, you know that occasionally I bring up my dislike for home renovation television shows. The reason is that from my experience, I know that they are more for entertainment than based on actual reality. Since this is what I do for a living, it’s relatively easy for me to watch these shows and know that what they show on TV doesn’t compare to what happens in real life.

With the new Magnolia Channel recently launching on television, there have been some rumblings in the media that a certain design team, who host their own home renovation show, got into some hot water with claims from a few of their previous clients.

Three women have come forward with stories of their horrific experiences working with this design team.

With budget discrepancies, multiple deadline delays, sporadic communication, and not hearing from the design team for weeks at a time, there were so many red flags I couldn’t believe all that I was reading!

With the budgets and timelines they set for these projects, things just don’t seem to add up in my book.

Please know, I am not blaming the women that were brave enough to come forward with these accusations. My goal is for you to learn from their mistakes and feel empowered to stop a project, take a pause, and regroup when you see or feel any red flags pop up.

In part one of this two-part series, I am sharing some of the details of these stories and the red flags that these homeowners did not pay enough attention to early enough in their projects. I want to show homeowners how to protect themselves in situations like these.

Takeaways from this episode:

• Make sure you are communicating properly, within business hours, and have a way to keep track of it all

• Know your budget and have regular check-ins about where you stand with your budget

• Have weekly meetings to prevent these types of disasters from happening

• Make sure the people working in your home are licensed and insured

I am not trying to ruin the entertainment value of these home renovation shows.

I just want you to watch them through a different lens. Take these shows for what they offer, which are design ideas and suggestions. But when it comes down to timelines, budgets, and the nuts & bolts of a project, tune all that out. Because as we can now see, these shows aren’t based on reality.

Be sure to listen all the way to the end of this episode, as I recorded a brief update. Things seem to be moving very quickly, and I wanted to make you aware of the latest happenings surrounding this story.

Don’t forget to tune in to part two of this series, where I go over things from the interior designer’s point of view and what lessons can be learned to make your projects successful and smooth and come in on budget and on time. You don’t want to miss either of these episodes.

If you have a topic you’d like me to discuss connect with me on social media @devignierdesign or send me an email at renee@devignierdesign.com.

Like this Episode?

• Be sure to check out Episode #26: Trust Your Gut When Hiring

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