What HGTV Doesn't Tell You About Renovation Costs

If you're among the millions of Americans looking to update their home to increase resale value or simply for personal enjoyment, getting HGTV to help with those renovations may have crossed your mind. The home media giant is perhaps best known for its renovation television shows, in which homeowners (and sometimes prospective homebuyers) get to experience their remodeling dreams come true. But if you've assumed that this is all done on HGTV's dime, you'd be wrong. HGTV requests that its homeowner participants come prepared with their own finances.

Given how expensive even common household upgrades can be – Zillow data shows that something as small-scale as a front entry replacement can cost upwards of $2,000, while a minor, mid-range kitchen remodel can run close to $30,000 — it's not a big surprise that HGTV requires its featured homeowners to have a sizeable budget in order to be considered. Case in point: an HGTV casting call for an unnamed upcoming show (as of April 2026) specifically asks for Orange County, CA homeowners with renovation budgets of at least $120,000, while a "Property Brothers" application asks for an even steeper minimum budget of $150,000.

It's also worth noting that each application for HGTV's renovation shows also stipulates that homeowners need to be prepared to move out for the duration of the work. However, within the network's casting calls and applications there is no mention of covering hotel costs or even providing any compensation for appearing on an HGTV show.

There can be value for homeowners who appear on HGTV's shows. Professional construction consulting and home design services can cost hundreds of dollars an hour, but these fees can be skipped entirely when using one of HGTV's experts. Using a contractor on the show may also provide extra protection against certain renovation issues, like a contractor losing your payment or not completing the project at all.

Nevertheless, there have been multiple lawsuits from disgruntled homeowners reporting post-renovation issues. For example, an Arkansas couple settled their lawsuit with HGTV's "Fixer to Fabulous" in 2025, for an undisclosed amount, over allegations that they paid over $10,000 for home upgrades but wound up having to pay for additional repairs. Another couple sued "Property Brothers" after paying almost $200,000 and experiencing issues due to alleged shoddy workmanship. Since home renovations are increasingly pricey, and may not even increase the resale value of your home, you may want to reconsider getting HGTV involved in the process.