Homes Under The Hammer meets First Dates meets Changing Rooms. Effectively a cringefest as two people who don't know each other (and often do not get on) are given a house (often bought too expensively) to renovate and end up doing things that are not needed, lose interest, make a poor job of finishing it and spectacularly fail to make any money, especially given apparently exorbitant fees. A programme so flawed in its execution that it almost becomes a car crash to watch - just record it and skip to the end to see how things have fallen apart and how uncomfortable the presenter is this week.
56 Reviews
Poor presenter needs someone with more empathy
tonynails6 July 2022
Shocking programme the presenter Simon is almost overjoyed when they make no money he comes across as very sly
The budget given is ridiculous the bridging loan makes sure it fails and if that doesn't work the selling time period will get you 😏
The programme needs revamping get rid of Simon get rid of the bridging loan and give them a realistic budget.
Good show where they can make a profit
myykhp11 September 2021
Unsure about all the bad comments as lots have made money if doing it . Just watched one and they made £48k profit .
It can be done if they do it rite . Even if they don't make money they have gain experience and learned new skills .
A must watch if you like house buying shows.
It can be done if they do it rite . Even if they don't make money they have gain experience and learned new skills .
A must watch if you like house buying shows.
Can't give it a rating. No O to rate!
sandjon-1881229 October 2020
Very questionable show. Contestants are more often than not outbid at auction so a 'project' has been bought somewhere else. Budget is totally unrealistic for the amount of renovation required. More often than not the contestants go on holiday half way through? Weren't they informed of the time frame in advance?? Once finished the offers accepted are way below market value therefor diminishing any profit let alone a random £20k of fees for a 6 month flip?? On an £85k house? Rip off show all round.
A hard earned lesson.
johnjuliecarroll29 November 2023
The concept is a really good one but there are some serious problems with the show.
The pairing, sometimes the pairing is really off and creates a strain from the beginning. They pair up a tradesman with some lady who has done nothing more than a bit of painting. Straight away there's an imbalance and the tradesman ends up doing the majority of the work.
Contestants work commitments, some are just too busy to take it on.
The costings, just watched 1 where he paid £210k for a 3 bed in Leeds the price was wildly out. The property needed a new roof, kitchen, bathroom and just about everything. They got a really low budget but the chap with building experience bailed leaving the woman who had no experience to finish off.
Why charge bridging finance costs? Again that is like a millstone around their neck.
The best one was the one in Llandudno, house well priced a good budget and the other costs weren't too high. The two lad were both hardworking and they got a decent amount of help. They made a profit of around £40k.
It's not easy doing houses up I guess the contestants get a valuable lesson at the cost of a lot of their time and labour.
The pairing, sometimes the pairing is really off and creates a strain from the beginning. They pair up a tradesman with some lady who has done nothing more than a bit of painting. Straight away there's an imbalance and the tradesman ends up doing the majority of the work.
Contestants work commitments, some are just too busy to take it on.
The costings, just watched 1 where he paid £210k for a 3 bed in Leeds the price was wildly out. The property needed a new roof, kitchen, bathroom and just about everything. They got a really low budget but the chap with building experience bailed leaving the woman who had no experience to finish off.
Why charge bridging finance costs? Again that is like a millstone around their neck.
The best one was the one in Llandudno, house well priced a good budget and the other costs weren't too high. The two lad were both hardworking and they got a decent amount of help. They made a profit of around £40k.
It's not easy doing houses up I guess the contestants get a valuable lesson at the cost of a lot of their time and labour.
Great show that illustrates how tough flipping can be
noikz3 September 2022
Some of the "reviews" of this show are laughable. People seem to think that the show should increase the budget each time (not realising that this would KILL any profit potential) and yet in the next breath they're saying it's shameful that not every contestant walks away with a fortune.
This is the property game, sometimes you have to work hard and sometimes you make little or no profit, that's how it goes. Each project is not guaranteed to make money regardless of the property you choose or the amount of hard work you put in. Despite this, a lot of people appearing on this show make money and a lot of them make a LOT of money.
Keep up the good work, Simon is a a fantastic, knowledgeable and charismatic host with bags of experience (something these clueless IMDB users are sadly lacking).
This is the property game, sometimes you have to work hard and sometimes you make little or no profit, that's how it goes. Each project is not guaranteed to make money regardless of the property you choose or the amount of hard work you put in. Despite this, a lot of people appearing on this show make money and a lot of them make a LOT of money.
Keep up the good work, Simon is a a fantastic, knowledgeable and charismatic host with bags of experience (something these clueless IMDB users are sadly lacking).
A honest homes under the hammer
terrymsweeney23 March 2024
Whatched quite a few episodes of this series now having only recently come across it. Far better then the BBC'S Homes Under the Hammer in as much as they do not just gloss over the costs, such as legal fees and other expenses. After watching a episode of Homes Under the Hammer it makes property development look like a licence to print money where here you get the true story and if anything it prepares you for the realities of dabbling in the property flip market. One thing that does stand out from the episodes I have seen is that Tayo Ogungbenro comes across as someone who does not know the first thing about property development. I am sure it's the producers that chose the property and participants but he often says "looks like they have bitten off more than they can chew" when on the face of it he buys a overpriced property gives them the budget and timescale then in effect blames them for not making a profit? Odd really as the episodes with Simon O'Brien seem to be more "we're all in this together" not sure why the producers set it up like this.
Here's a fiver fix up this dump
stevensmart128 October 2020
I really like the idea of this show however having watch 4 in a row 3 couples have been given ludicrously small budgets for the amount of work required, I know their expected to do as much as they can themselves but there is a line which is far in the distance. Work your socks off for 6 months for nowt & then get patronised seems to be what it's all about
Veronicas episode
outwood8 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode was the best one so far and that includes last series. In fact this series seems to have small changes and a new presenter who did well in yesterday's episode. But today this girl blew me away she was amazing . She deserved every penny of profit and she has certainly done her late dad proud .well done Veronica.
Shameful
avrilbarrett26 October 2020
Kids coersed to take part in this program and are set up to fail. Today subsidence, another day a Chappel.. These properties are for professional builders.. Not DIY kids.
I've never felt so angry about a program on TV.
Shame on you
Great programme
mellison-2262330 March 2021
OMG
pbodenham27 October 2020
What a totally stupid programme and a waste of these poor peoples life. They work so hard, and give so much for so little or nothing at all. They give so much time many have jobs but trying to make a little bit of money to buy their own houses. The houses that are selected for them to buy need so much doing to them, its not until they start work that all the problems are identified. I don't think they are supported, just put down for what they didn't do.
So far I have not seen anyone make a profit, only losses and by a massive margin they have given a tiny budget and then the buyers are blamed. The houses are then put back on the market or auction selling some properties at a major loss even after all the work 🤔
I am not watching it anymore
Complete shambles.
tonylawleruk29 October 2020
I know some of the participants are not all Totally committed but the ones who give it 100% are left with either nothing or a derisory amount for their work. O'Brien does not know how to buy, the budget is ridiculous and the fees are extortionate. Not only that, but a very short time frame for selling before it goes to auction. I think somebody needs to do their homework before buying a property and explore the market for the area first. Secondly, the participants need to be better matched. Great concept for a programme but it mostly ends in tears and wrecking people's dreams of getting on the property ladder. I feel so sorry for the ones who give it their all and walk away with nothing.
Addictive
jacquilydia7 November 2020
Set up to fail.
pmjferroni2 November 2020
The poor contestants are set up to fail from the beginning. Deliberately poor matching of couples and deliberately selecting houses that are way beyond a beginners capability suggests that some plank of a producer thought this would make good TV. Wrong. Very wrong.
I mean the episode with the church?? Come on, really! And as for the smug presenter, shame on you.
Pretty good with some flaws
yekcim-9387619 November 2020
It isn't as bad as some reviews suggests, but it isn't without its problems.
I don't feel any couples are being ripped off and faced with an impossible task (perhaps, maybe, the chapel episode).
The couples tend to be the architects of their own downfall... as in spite of Simon's advice, they usually end up getting carried away and ripping out perfectly useable kitchens and bathrooms. This is why most fail, not because of the budget. But these couples do need more assistance... in future, it would be better if Simon took on a stronger advisory role.
That being said, the 10 minutes allocated to finding and bidding on a property is pretty pointless - as they typically don't get a property at all and end up with some random property they had not seen before. It would be much better to just give the couple a property early on in the show and go from there.
In summary, this programme is a more realistic and brutal version of Homes Under the Hammer (it always annoyed me that legal and sales fees are never factored in) and it's a good watch overall - especially when they DO make profit (which does happen, despite what some reviews suggest)
That being said, the 10 minutes allocated to finding and bidding on a property is pretty pointless - as they typically don't get a property at all and end up with some random property they had not seen before. It would be much better to just give the couple a property early on in the show and go from there.
In summary, this programme is a more realistic and brutal version of Homes Under the Hammer (it always annoyed me that legal and sales fees are never factored in) and it's a good watch overall - especially when they DO make profit (which does happen, despite what some reviews suggest)
Appalling programme.
hollyberry-9074828 October 2020
I'm quite shocked at Simon O'Brien wanting to be associated with this.
It's shameful. Today a house with missing floor, missing ceiling, no kitchen, rain pouring in, no damp course -- and a budget of £14k. Even with free skips and friends to help I reckon you're looking at £25-30k renovation costs for decent materials alone, never mind the specialised tradesmen ( or women!!) you need to pass building regs.
Property is fickle
eimear-681201 November 2020
I think the show makes it seem like they work a lot more hours than they do, and some people here seem to think they are working 24/7. The experience is invaluable. They get to make mistakes on someone elses dime and decide if it's something they could do again. As a viewer I've learned so much about window installation, plastering, flashing, tiling, plumbing and electrics that I always thought would be too difficult for me and has me thinking I could give DIY a go more than I have in my life. The property game is fickle and losses are so easy if you go over budget...hence the small budget.
I agree that the people matched up could be better at times and should have some experience each...none of them should be completely inexperienced which has happened a few times. This isnt fair on the partner who has experience. This seems to be for the entertainment factor which doesn't interest me at all, I dont care about personal relationships I just want to learn and see the renovation.
Overall it will highlight to people how difficult house renovations are and hopefully some lessons are learned by the public without having to lose loads of money
Cringefest of a programme
marion-8054628 October 2020
Felt so strongly about this that I signed up to comment! It's an awful programme, exploiting young people with busy lives and limited to no building / renovation experience. The presenter with his team which turns up at the drop of a hat is smug and judgemental beyond belief. There is a lot unexplained about where the money comes from and who covers the losses. The only good thing is that it gives the lie to Homes under the Hammer on BBC1 where almost everyone shown seems to make a profit. Here, almost nobody does.
A new twist to the property development format
kathrynnolan-7651711 October 2020
Really enjoying this show. How the two strangers try to find a way to work together, or not, is fascinating. Simon is a very good presenter. Knowledgable and hands on. Only half way through the series so looking forward to next week. Can't understand why it's a day time show. Would be suitable for 8pm evening viewing.
Exploitative - shameful
openside-7659128 October 2020
As many others have said, these poor young people are set up to fail, it's an impossible task from the outset
It is very possible to buy at auction, houses that need just cosmetic works done before resale, but no, the producers always buy in wrecks that need vast amounts of work done, then provide minuscule budgets
The young couple then slave away for 6 months, dragging in family and friends to provide huge amounts of yet more free labour, yet instead of getting the house deposit they desperately need, end up with a pathetic one or two thousand, along with a sanctimonious and dismissive send off by the presenter in today's episode of - "they should have done better"
Disgusting
It is very possible to buy at auction, houses that need just cosmetic works done before resale, but no, the producers always buy in wrecks that need vast amounts of work done, then provide minuscule budgets
The young couple then slave away for 6 months, dragging in family and friends to provide huge amounts of yet more free labour, yet instead of getting the house deposit they desperately need, end up with a pathetic one or two thousand, along with a sanctimonious and dismissive send off by the presenter in today's episode of - "they should have done better"
Disgusting
Great insight into house renovation!
elneil-9550422 October 2020
Really enjoying this programme, a great insight into house renovation for anyone thinking of taking those first steps. Simon O'Brien as personable as ever, I do like Simon, ever since Brookie! Very watchable, realistic TV.
What a mess
sjpad29 October 2020
I really enjoyed this
aldertek9 November 2020
For a start, the properties, the Auctions and the participants, are definitely genuine - I know one of the people who was on the programme, and I know how hard they had to work. This makes a refreshing change to the usual, contrived programmes, that aren't always what they seem.
If you are not used to renovating properties, there are things you can learn by watching programmes like this, as its ordinary people, encountering all the problems that you would expect (or maybe never thought about) when renovating a property, so well done for making this show. I look forward to the next series.
Simon is very good at interacting with everyone, and I'm told by the person who I know, he genuinely cared about helping people out and trying to make sure they were successful.
I would like the 'costs' to be clarified at the beginning (once the purchase has taken place), so that the participants know exactly what costs need to be covered to make a profit, instead of dropping this as a bombshell at the end, when people have worked their socks off. If this was sorted out, I would give it a 10!
Its a great programme, and I hope to see more episodes in the future.
What a scaml
brian-904-5006628 October 2020
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