With their show “Renovation 911” on HGTV, sisters Kirsten Meehan and Lindsey Uselding add a unique spin to home renovation. In the home improvement reality show, two siblings from Minnesota fix up homes that have been damaged by both natural and technical disasters. Kirsten is good at design and building, and Lindsey knows a lot about logistics and insurance. Together, they help homeowners who need urgent repairs come up with good renovation plans. But since it is a reality show and no one really knows what goes on behind the scenes, it makes you wonder how real the HGTV series is. If you’re interested in the same thing, here’s what we found!
Is Renovation 911 Scripted?
Since the beginning, HGTV and the show’s creators have said that “Renovation 911” is not scripted at all, and we have no reason to think otherwise. First of all, natural disasters, fires, and technical accidents are not something to joke about or stage, and many of the homeowners on the show have been through them. In fact, the whole point of the show is to help people who have been through hard times and get their lives back to normal by fixing up their homes.
Aside from that, the home improvement series shows in detail what it takes to rebuild a house with all the amenities that work. So, there isn’t much room for pretending because every step is carefully planned after figuring out how bad the damage is and taking into account things like insurance, budget, building materials, and location. Any mistake could cost the homeowners their home and savings, and it could also hurt the reputation of Kirsten and Lindsey’s family business, Ungerman Inc. Also, no one can know what problems will come up during a renovation project, so the problems the sisters face on the show don’t seem like they were written.
Also, the sisters’ work is about more than just rebuilding a house; it’s also about calming down people who are upset. Lindsey told Star Tribune, “When our clients fall, they need help, and it’s rewarding to be there for them when they need it and help them through the emergencies they’re having at home. I try to show them kindness, understanding, and a little humour to help them get through these hard times.” Kirsten also promised that the show shows their jobs as accurately as possible.
“…It’s hard to believe, and we’re so glad it worked out because it shows what we do every day. Not many people get to see what they do on TV… I’ve always liked to work with my hands, get dirty, and move around. It’s always changing, and no day or job is the same as the last. “Not only is it in our blood, but we love it,” Kirsten said. In the HGTV show, there are many different homeowners with different problems. While one person’s house burned down, someone else’s washing machine flooded or a tree fell through the roof.
The show’s main goal is to show how Kirsten, Lindsey, and their team can fix up a house so that the owners can live there again in the least amount of time. So, the needs of their clients are more important than the cameras that record their everyday lives. In another interview with HGTV, Lindsey said, “When a client has an emergency, Kirsten and I make sure their family is okay and promise to get them back in their home as soon as possible. We help them through the process of fixing up the house, but that’s not all we do. It’s about getting a family back to where they used to live.
Kirsten went on, “Lindsey and I deal with all kinds of house emergencies. No matter how bad the damage is, it’s important that we keep our clients’ spirits up and show them how fun it can be to imagine their new, better home. We love starting over with them.” Even so, since the show is reality TV, it’s clear that some parts, like the sisters’ small disagreements, are changed after the filming is done. But based on the things mentioned above and what Lindsey and Kirsten have said, it’s likely that these changes are few and far between and that most of “Renovation 911” is real and unscripted.
Aside from that, the home improvement series shows in detail what it takes to rebuild a house with all the amenities that work. So, there isn’t much room for pretending because every step is carefully planned after figuring out how bad the damage is and taking into account things like insurance, budget, building materials, and location. Any mistake could cost the homeowners their home and savings, and it could also hurt the reputation of Kirsten and Lindsey’s family business, Ungerman Inc. Also, no one can know what problems will come up during a renovation project, so the problems the sisters face on the show don’t seem like they were written.