HGTV’s ‘The Renovator’ Is ‘Edgier’ Than What Fans Are Used to, Host Marcus Lemonis Reveals [Exclusive]
Entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis, known for his business acumen on shows like CNBC’s The Profit, probably took HGTV network executives by surprise when he filmed one of the most unconventional home renovation series to date.
His new series, The Renovator somewhat springboards off of The Profit delivering common sense, out-of-the-box thinking to boost return on investment (ROI). But this time, instead of helping businesses, Lemonis dives into family dynamics and how interpersonal interaction and relationships can deeply impact how people make use of space.
He encounters a wide range of family issues and taps into home renovations, but most importantly, how communication and honesty can find a resolution – or sometimes not.
Marcus Lemonis said ‘The Renovator’ surprised HGTV
Lemonis told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that his non-traditional approach to an HGTV show may have taken executives off guard. “The network started seeing these episodes and they’ve been so great to me through this process. But they started seeing these episodes and they were like, ‘Wait, what is this?'” he recalled.
“I think the minute they started embrace it and say, ‘Wait a minute. Like I see my own relationship in this episode.’ It’s different for HGTV because it’s a little edgier than we’re used to. It’s not as edgy as The Profit but it’s not far,” he explained.
Marcus Lemonis admits ‘The Renovator’ also surprised him
Each episode of The Renovator is distinctly different from the next and they all confront a range of issues. Despite his tenure making connections on both a personal and business level, Lemonis admitted that the season often surprised him.
“What I did not expect through making the eight episodes is the vast array of family issues that I would end up encountering and the unfortunate tension and drama and conflict that people would disclose while going through this process,” he said reflecting on The Renovator‘s first season.
“Every single episode is dramatically different,” he continued. “So we deal with the loss of a family member and a father and a daughter struggling to move on. We deal with a house that’s so neglected that it’s about to just literally fall down. Like the yard, the house, the walls, the windows are literally collapsing because this woman lost her husband and had to raise three small kids and just couldn’t figure it all out. I dealt with a couple that had been divorced. We got them back together and they’re getting remarried. We dealt with a husband and wife hiding money from each other.”
Marcus Lemonis eyes home improvement ROI
Lemonis not only unearths how relationship dynamics influence design, but he also leverages a small renovation budget into a massive ROI. Each episode begins with the price the homeowner paid. And ends with the current value of the home, which is pretty jaw-dropping – and a testament to how smart design choices can make a big impact even on a small budget.
“I told the network that I’m going to use my business sense to really make sure that the money that the homeowners are spending is smart and that we’re looking to add value,” he said. Lemonis consulted with an appraiser to pinpoint how he can make the best use of the budget. Each case is different and Lemonis strives to deliver a strong return, while at the same time reflecting the homeowner’s personality through design.
He also surprises the homeowners with a gift. He and his wife purchased furnishings for the first family featured in the series. “It was awesome because we’d be shopping at 11 at night,” Lemonis said, sharing how each set of homeowners became a labor of love for his family too.
Does every episode of ‘The Renovator’ have a happy ending?
Many families and individuals in The Renovator Season 1 have happy endings. But not every client rides off into the sunset. “Every episode doesn’t work out,” Lemonis revealed. “The renovations all happen. But sometimes people don’t embrace the changes like you would want them to, and they’re unwilling to make those changes and we are not hiding that fact.”
“Not every emotional and mental and sort of philosophical transformation is going to work,” he said. “The actual renovations all work. But when people won’t disclose their finances to their spouse or they’ll hide things from them or they don’t communicate … I can only do so much. And it was really important to me that the show stays authentic and it’s not always that happy-go-lucky scenario where everything is perfect. The reality is that people have to want to change.”
HGTV in new series The Renovator premieres on Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. ET.
