Masters of Flip

I think this just might be my favourite of the reno shows when everything is considered. The finished houses are all different, style wise, and they don't always stick to the "neutral" notion that everyone else seem obsessed by. They do things like painting the internal trim a colour other than white (oh no, they wouldn't, the design lemmings scream aghast). They don't always paint everything in "neutral tones", inside or outside. They actually incorporate televisions into the design. They paint front doors orange or turquoise (more screams of protest ensue). They take chances in their designs, their finished houses have character and are often quirky, and I for one like that! I would even want to buy one of their flips and not want to change, repaint everything within a month. Not to dismiss shows like Fixer Upper, Income Property, or the Property Bros, (and others) which I do like, but hey, how much beige and grey and white can one person take.

The discussion on the renovations themselves, are pretty good also. Choices, problems are explained. And they seem to try to keep the extreme fake drama (take that; love it or list it) down to a minimum. What does come up, for the most part, seems viable. The need for certain changes, and building codes are explained with it getting too top heavy (that's what Mike Holmes is for, lol). Sometimes when I watch these reno shows, I have to think the people in charge of inspecting the house had to be idiots that the problems found after demo were a surprise. Especially when it's in the basement or foundation - that should be the first place inspected when first viewing the house and definitely before buying one. I also like that they show the need to go around and take photos near the end of the reno of the bits and pieces that aren't done -- a realistic part of any reno.

Someone mentioned that this show was somehow less because the final staging factored strongly in the final sale price point, but that would be the same with all of these shows. I think this speaks more (negatively) about the potential buyers and their personal lack of imagination, than of the show. It has been shown repeatedly that buyers, that people, are really only interested in the final vision, the pretty picture. They don't really care about what's behind the pretty facade. That behind the nicely finished basement walls or floors, is a crumbling foundation allowing water and earth and critters in, causing untold damage. Let's face it, what's behind the walls isn't sexy (okay, it is to me, but that's another story).

My one huge criticism of this and pretty much all of these reno shows is the unwarranted waste and garbage they create on "demo" day, by their complete destruction of all of the existing cabinets and such. Yeah, maybe it's fun to smash stuff, but c'mon, most of that stuff could be reused, repurposed, by many other people who don't have tens of thousands of dollars to just buy the kitchen or bathroom of their dreams. Or even donate the building materials to places like the habitate for humanity type places. Just trashing all of these potentially reusable materials and creating even more landfill is not cool at all!

Like most flipping shows on these networks, it's mostly nonsense. The costs are unrealistic. We learn nothing about arranging financing or making deals. And we learn next to zero about how renos are done. Plus, the wife's taste in colors is horrible. On the other hand, if you watch these shows as ''couples fooling around with houses'' this is an entertaining diversion. The couple has a good rapport and they have senses of humour. Some of the footage of Dave is like watching outtakes from a Christopher Guest movie. Much preferable to the FlipFloppers with Jerry Seinfeld's lookalike and his 46-toothed Barbie doll wife's 30-minute infomercial for their flipping seminars ''coming soon to an airport hotel conference room near you.'' Less grating than Teeth McGillivray's fantasy reno show. Less obnoxious than Tex and Edna Gaines (&Family) exercise in bad taste. Are there more? I've lost track.

This show would be so much better without 'design assistant' Abbie who is an actress and is only there to show that Courtney has good design concepts and doesn't need help but like to jump up and down with Abbie over shopping. It's the part of each episode that I change the channel.

Courtney and Dave are entertaining and fun to watch. The before and after of the Flips are impressive. They show real problems that occur on many homes.

I really like this show. I love their taste and style and I find it quite humorous.

The banter back and fourth between the couple is great and the other quirky people on the show work. (Although I do miss the old design assistant they had on the show.)

I find this a joy to watch as there is often unexpected things that happen eg, funny high jinks, unexpected renovation work and at the end they present a beautiful house. You get to go through the process with them on finding a house, they pick one out of three, usually they change the layout and/or extend the house. Anyone that says Kortney has terrible style must be old fashioned and stuffy. I find this show quite refreshing its a lot less boring then other renovation shows out there. She isn't styling with beige, brown and cream... its magazine worthy. If you are looking for how to renovate a house DIY show - this isn't it. If your looking for a show to get great tips on style and space and have a laugh - this is the show for you.

I love HGTV and happened to tune into Masters of Flip for the first time. Right from the get go there was arguing between the couple with the wife making a suggestion and the husband giving her a disparaging retort. Upon entering a potential house to flip the husband then hits the wife in the back of the head as she's walking away, first with a football and then a second time (!!!) with a basketball, and not by accident but on purpose! Who on earth would enjoy watching this kind of abuse??? And the wife just takes it! So not cool. This show but is seriously sexist / misogynistic and therefore offensive.