Bryan Baeumler and Scott McGillivray reunite for a second season of Renovation Resort
They have known each other for 20 years but Bryan Baeumler and Scott McGillivray still can’t pass up an opportunity to rib each other. Asked to describe their relationship, Baeumler quips, “It’s a contractual obligation, a penance I’m paying for some past sin,” whereas McGillivray compares his co-host to a solar eclipse you shouldn’t be staring at but can’t quite turn away from. “We have a very different view on how to tackle certain projects and what needs to get done,” says McGillivray. “Still, at the end of the day, when it comes to the quality of the work, that’s where we’re aligned.” It’s a good thing these friends — because yes, they really are friends — see eye to eye on construction, because on Renovation Resort, they’re not just making good TV. With a financial investment at stake, the two are grateful to have the support of someone that understands the unique pressures of mixing entertainment with real estate development. “It is nice to be able to work with somebody who has those compatibilities and understands that dynamic,” says McGillivray. TV Week dialed up the duo to get their thoughts on the upcoming season of their show.
What is it about this particular show that’s exciting to you as a concept?
Bryan Baeumler: It’s a great opportunity for new talent and old dogs to come together. Quite often we’ll get feedback from viewers that what we do is easy or they could do it better. It’s fantastic to have people come in and really understand the pressures of doing these things surrounded by a film crew. You’ve got a limited budget, a tight schedule, and there’s the nerves as well. You get into competition and everybody — including us in the early days — second guesses their abilities and worth and whether you deserve to be there or not. To see these people come in, excited and scared at the same time, and have that chance to really show us what they can do, is great.
Was there anything you guys learned from season one that you’re implementing in season two?
Scott McGillivray: Season one and season two are very different. The properties are different. We changed up the style of the show. We have different challenges that we call “wrenches” in this series. The scale of the renovations is much bigger. The first season, no one even knew what they were getting into. Now people know what they’re getting into, so they’re a little more prepared and they’re taking it super seriously.
Are these units meant to be rented afterwards or is this just good TV?
Bryan Baeumler: This is a real-world exercise in mixing business with pleasure, with design and construction.
Is it yours or Scott’s money?
Bryan Baeumler: Well, I was smart and let Scott put his money on the table for these ones. We’ve been looking for the right project to partner on together, but the past two seasons, Scott had already acquired the properties. Part of that is fun for me, because I said, “Scott, I’ve been through this, and it’s fun watching you go through this with your money on the line.”
Do you approach a show differently when it’s your money on the line?
Scott McGillivray: Absolutely. One of the hardest things about this show is that it’s very expensive. I do all of the construction for the show. We get the houses watertight: windows are in, roof is on, walls are up, electrical, plumbing are roughed in, and then the competitors come in to finish and modify the properties. So yeah, there’s a lot of money spent building these. There’s a lot at stake for me, because I don’t want the value to erode on these properties. A huge concern for me is return on investment. And if there’s something that the competitors did that wasn’t up to the standard or the quality that was necessary, then there were true challenges of going back and fixing it.
A contractor probably loves nothing more than a challenge called “wrench in the plan.” When you’re building something that’s meant to last, how do you personally feel about the idea of gamifying it?
Scott McGillivray: The gamifying of it is actually more about adding reality into the show. Things like being able to identify tools and being able to upcycle products, these are the challenges that happen in real life. And even working with clients, they change their minds. In real life, you’d call it a change of work order, but these are real things that happen on everyday jobs, and they push our competitors so that they can’t really cheat. They can’t hide behind their social media following or their claims. They have to prove that they know what they’re doing. We wanted to add those elements into the show to level it up in terms of its intensity, but also in terms of its reality.
Bryan Baeumler: Construction is notorious for having unrealistic timelines and there’s multiple stresses. There’s always that sense of rush and urgency. Not only are the stakes high for the competitors, as far as the potential win and a hundred thousand dollars on the table, but the stakes are also high for Scott and I. We can’t just throw these properties up to be ruined.
It’s got to hurt a little when you’re judging challenges and realize, “Before this goes to market, we’ve got to redo some of this stuff.”
Bryan Baeumler: There’s minor adjustments, but in general we hope that everything goes in the right direction. Whether it’s on television or not, there’s always the pre-delivery inspection and a few tweaks and repairs. What we hope for is real-world entertainment: You don’t want too much of a show that you have to go back and fix, but — not that we want to see people fail — it wouldn’t be very interesting if everybody knocked it out of the park on the first try.
What makes a good contestant for a show like this?
Bryan Baeumler: I think you have to be confident in your skills. You have to have the mental fortitude to do [your best] when you’re competing with three other teams. And not only that, having people you’ve watched for years on TV do this, and a crowd of 40 people around watching you as well — that’s pressure well above and beyond the standard renovation project. You’re looking for someone that can keep their eye on the prize and focus — someone that works well under pressure.
Scott McGillivray: We definitely got to see an interesting dynamic of characters. We had a couple just starting a family together. We had a more seasoned couple who have adult children and have been together for over 20 years. We had a father-daughter duo, which I think is really special for the show because we know so many people watch these shows with their children — and it’s how family businesses work in this industry. Then we had our first female-led contractor team. I don’t know any other show that has more of a range of competitors, both in terms of skill and geography.
Some of what is coming this season feels very dramatic, but the contestants also seem incredibly talented.
Scott McGillivray: They are very good. And not only are they good, but this show forced them to be great. The show is definitely more intense than season one. Things get a little more intense than we anticipated, but it comes together. This is still a Home Network show. Everybody succeeds.
Renovation Resort premieres Sunday, March 30 on Home Network