04 Jul Texas Flip N Move

In Texas there’s a housing boom going on: building neighbourhoods and buying new homes at break-neck speeds. Sometimes though there are wood and drywall houses that need to be demolished to make space for new houses. That’s where the Flip ‘n Movers come in: instead of the house being demolished, it’s auctioned off to flippers as-is. After perusing the outside of the house (no one is allowed to look inside) the bids begin, and the lucky (or unlucky) buyers have to haul off the house on the same day to do renovations. The goal? Make it attractive to sellers and make some profit after the build.

Two teams are featured in each episode and at the end, their profits are compared with one another but this isn’t really a competition. There’s a bit of friendly ribbing going on but the word ‘friendly’ really encapsulates the way the teams deal with each other. Hell, at the beginning of one episode one of the ‘opposing’ teams gives the other one’s tips on what to do with the house!

After winning the bid, each team goes through their respective house and show us what they have to work with and what they plan to do. The show even goes into a house-plan mode where they show exactly what the plan is so that it’s easy for us to follow. The guy narrating the show, David Richter, does an amazing job: His clear explanations in that classic Texan accent is a pleasure to hear from start to finish.

We get to see the teams discussing ideas, explaining the build processes from insolation to interior decorations and getting their hands dirty as they gradually turn their ugly ducklings into golden-egg laying geese. After the build, we get a tour of the house, juxtaposed with ‘before’ footage, and we get to hear people’s opinions as they line up to bid.

It’s the sort of show you’ll enjoy if you’re into renovation reality shows featuring good-natured people. You might even pick up a few good ideas for your own home.

Fine Living (ch 281) Thursdays @ 21:00 (from 4th of July)