The Block Main Bathrooms: Former Contestants Share Tips for Success
The Block Main Bathrooms: Former Contestants Share Tips for Success
It’s week five on The Block and with uncertain times come challenging measures.
The challenge is ambitious, with a family bathroom and a kid’s bedroom to deliver in one week. We spoke to past contestants on how to produce an amazing space while juggling another room renovation at the same time.
It's all in the planning
Last year, contestants delivered the biggest Block the competition has ever seen. So it’s no surprise that prioritising planning was crucial, especially when it comes to producing two rooms.
Andy & Deb wish they knew the benefit of clever plan before they started, “When building spaces as quickly as you do on The Block, planning is everything.” Self-confessed poor planners, the couple couldn’t stress enough to get ahead of the game when it comes to planning two rooms in a short period.
Mitch & Mark are all about the quality of your decision making, saying: “Have a plan, work out what you need, make a quick effective decision, stick to the plan and work, work, work.”
Timing is everything
It’s well known on The Block that if you don’t waterproof by Wednesday, your chances of completing your bathroom are slim to none.
With so much craziness on the show, Mitch & Mark found it hard to keep tabs on everything coming in, advising to “double check the order when it’s delivered, everything can move so fast. We made mistakes in quantities and it’s way better to find out early rather than after hours.”
Jesse & Mel believe that making the most of your trades is the key, so “have each trade do the work they have to in each room first instead of going in one at a time.” It’s these time saving tips that helped Jesse & Mel get through the tough double room weeks with a levelheaded attitude.
Andy & Deb had a similar sentiment, stressing the importance of having a good relationship with their trades to stay on track.
“Have trades who understand the situation [so you have] a team communicates well and respects one another – this helped us deliver on time without losing focus or patience.”
Understand the market
Creating a home that feels cohesive from one room to the next can feel difficult as it is but producing rooms to facilitate a specific buyer can add to the challenge. If you’re creating a home for yourself it’s crucial to define you style before the reno. Knowing what you want makes the balancing act of producing two rooms easy.
As veteran house flippers Mitch & Mark have primed skills in this area, their advice is to “try to imagine who the buyer would be and how they would live. When creating a space for themselves the boys get inspiration from design magazines and content online.
El’ise & Matt are firm believers that bathrooms sell homes. “Remember it’s not only kitchens that sell homes, but bathrooms too. Be bold and brave with your choices and make sure you look at all your options thoroughly.”
Functionality is key
Something our 2019 Blockheads can’t stress enough is getting the functionality of rooms correct.
Andy & Deb discuss the importance of good storage, noting that “a great vanity can be a showstopper.” Mitch & Mark understand that the bathroom needs balance, hinting that “a bad vanity and lighting plan can really spoil your bathroom.”
The parents from Perth, El’ise & Matt believe in a low maintenance bathroom. “Select products that are simple to clean,” they say, tying in with their philosophy that bathrooms sell houses.
The renovation game brings with it many stresses, decisions and unpredictable challenges, especially in 2020. No matter the tests the 2019 Blockheads are in agreement that communication is the key to a successful renovation.