Do people on HGTV shows get paid?
To put it simply, no. While HGTV doesn't specifically address payment in their application, they do note that homeowners now must have a $100,000 renovation budget (this requirement was previously $50,000 and then $75,000).
Fixer Upper hosts Chip and Joanna reportedly make around $30,000 per episode, as reported by Business Insider. So, it's likely that Ben and Erin receive a similar pay cheque, due to the five-season success of the renovation series.
"For what's left, we fill the houses with goods from all our favorite local shops around Laurel (tagged in the photo) and the homeowners get a catalogued binder of everything we use that shows the special price our shop owners offer if they would like to keep it. It's a kind of 'welcome to the neighborhood!'
“ The residents of Wetumpka, Alabama get to keep some of the items as seen on the show. As per Distractify, the homeowners' budget almost always covers the cost of any new furniture. The homeowners aren't paying for Erin and Ben's service, though, so their fee is covered by HGTV.
While the homeowner ultimately pays for the renovations, it's likely helpful to not have to come up with the cash before the improvements are made. If you're a homeowner who enjoys reality TV renovation shows, you've probably envisioned what it would be like to appear on one yourself.
The best place to check for opportunities is on the “Be on HGTV” section of the HGTV website. A list of shows currently seeking participants will pop up, along with location and other requirements. Many shows are based in California but plenty accept applications from all over the country.
On one episode, Erin Napier helped reupholster a chair, which makes sense since she and Ben are furniture experts. As it turns out, Erin and Ben didn't have a home renovation background. In fact, Erin has a degree in graphic design while Ben has a degree in history.
Situated in the heart of Downtown Laurel, MS, and overlooking Central Avenue. It is old and historic, has a cozy atmosphere with wood floors and original beaded 16' ceilings. The Bed and Breakfast is within the city of the HGTV special "HOMETOWN" with Ben and Erin Napier.
Erin and Ben Napier's religion
At the forefront of everything they do is their Christian faith.
"People often ask us why we don't do bathrooms or why all the rooms aren't shown on the show," she wrote in a post on Instagram, "and the answer is easy: we design the rooms that our homeowners tell us matter most to them (usually common areas), what their budget will safely cover, and what we have time to do for ...
Are the HGTV Home Town houses staged?
But here's the kicker: More often than not, the homes are staged, meaning the homeowners don't get to keep the furniture and decor that's shown on TV.
Ben Napier makes handmade reclaimed wood furniture and sells it exclusively at the store they own with two other couples, Laurel Mercantile Co.

Kendall's episode was one of the most-watched episodes in Home Town history. If you missed it, she shared how her late husband, Kurt, passed away unexpectedly in an accident only two years after their wedding.
People really do love Wetumpka. There's something very special about this place.” Whitfield says the number of visitors to Wetumpka has leveled off a bit. The town is now seeing about 10,000 to 15,000 out-of-town tourists a month.
'Home Town' is not cancelled; new episodes will air later in 2022 on HGTV. Home Town Season 6 premiered in late December 2021. The mid-season finale aired April 3. Since then, there's been a Home Town drought on HGTV.
"HGTV pays for some labor or costs to expedite production if needed, but generally, homeowners are paying for their services. And, they may have access to discounted services or goods." So a new kitchen island that costs $1,000 might actually cost $3,000 if the homeowners weren't being featured on a TV show.
All federal, state, and local taxes on the Grand Prize are Grand Prize Winner's responsibility. The Grand Prize Winner will be issued a 1099 tax form for the actual value of the Grand Prize.
Santo said the winner also has to pay income tax. According to HGTV, the grand prize includes the fully furnished house, plus $50,000 cash, valued at a total of about $684,000. Santo says the winner will be taxed at the top federal rate of 37 percent. Add on state taxes, and they'll owe between $238,000 - $266,000.
You have to meet the budget.
Homeowners on the show must have a home with a purchase price under $200,000 and they require at least $30,000 worth of renovations. HGTV does not fund the renovations, but they do cover the cost of one bonus item and pay a talent fee to Chip & Joanna.
Send us an email with your story and photos of the room you want to make over.
Do Ben and Erin live in Laurel?
Our beloved Home Town hosts, Erin and Ben Napier, recently renovated a stately brick Tudor house in Laurel, Mississippi. It's meant to be a home away from home for the whole family — a place where the kids can run around outside and play, Erin tells Southern Living.
After leaving those jobs, Jesse went to work for RTR Media as a carpentry associate before finding his current job as a shipping coordinator at Morgan Brothers Millwork. On top of his career, Jesse Napier seems to have found his place in the world.
David, the tile installer, says he loves this look because it reminds him of antique mirrors, which have beveled edges as well. This tile may look traditional, but it has one unique detail.
Ben And Erin Napier's Home Town Takeover Has Successfully Given New Life To Wetumpka, Alabama.
Their clients are Charlie Turner, minister at the Ellisville Presbyterian Church, and his wife Melissa. The couple and their five kids have been living in the clergy home provided to them by the church. The house is functional, but stylistically it's far from their dream home. Erin and Ben aim to help them change that.
This morning, Home Town's Erin Napier took to social media to share that her daughter Helen has broken her leg. "A fun day at the park turned into a fully broken tibia and fibula when she stepped wrong at the end of a slide," Napier wrote in the caption of the post.
And for about a decade, Ben's career was actually in ministry. Though he resigned from his position at Laurel First United Methodist Church in 2014 to devote his time to the family businesses, the Napiers are still active members of the congregation.
What Is Erin and Ben Napier's Net Worth? Erin and Ben have a combined estimated net worth of $5 million, according to Exact Net Worth. The couple met in college when Erin was the design editor of the yearbook.
The HGTV stars welcomed their second baby, daughter Mae Napier, on May 28. They're already parents to 3-year-old daughter Helen. But Mae was being celebrated even before she was born, according to Erin.
The owners of Magnolia, Chip and Joanna Gaines are proud to call Waco home. The stars of the hit show “Fixer Upper” now have their own network!
What happened to the assistant on home town?
Erin Napier is mourning the death of her "Camp Home Town" friend. The Home Town star took to Instagram on Thursday night to share the devastating and shocking news that their co-worker, who was a camera operator and assistant on her and husband Ben's home renovation series, died suddenly of natural causes.
Jonathan left the show for a new opportunity.
The project manager went home to the Sunshine State, where he's still working hard in the home construction biz.
And accompanying a series of stunning photos of the light-and-airy space, Erin offers her gratitude to all those who helped make it happen for the Home Town stars: "So many thanks due for Jolene the Airstream and how she turned out: obviously to the Stapeltons [country music artists Chris and Morgane Stapleton] who ...
Laurel Mercantile Co. owned by Ben and Erin Napier and their four closest friends, AKA “framily,” is the tourism hot spot in Downtown Laurel.
During a second procedure, doctors discovered the cause of the extremely rare condition: a perforated appendix. The organ had been bursting and healing itself repeatedly for years. "The first time it happened, when I was 19, it just partially ruptured.
HGTV “Home Town” producer Brandon Davis has died, the show's co-host Erin Napier wrote on Instagram. “Today our hearts are broken in downtown Laurel after suddenly losing our friend, colleague and #HGTVHomeTown crew member Brandon Davis,” she wrote.
Most Home Town viewers know Mallorie Rasberry as the creative DIY-er and Erin's best friend. She is indeed both of those things in real life, but her roles and list of various titles doesn't end there.
Admittedly, we've often wondered if people whose homes get transformed on the hit HGTV series get to keep all the dreamy furniture and home accessories featured on their episode or if it's just for Reveal Day on television. The answer? Both.
The Home Town Takeover renovations are paid for in part by the homeowners of the property.
Why did HGTV choose Wetumpka?
After receiving a deluge of 5,000 submissions, representing 2,600 towns from around the country, HGTV selected Wetumpka because, despite hardships, natural disasters and unexpected setbacks, the community's undying spirit and resilience showed that they were ready to kickstart a comeback with HGTV's help.
Is HGTV's Hometown real or fake? Hometown is a real renovation series hosted by real-life married couple Erin and Ben Napier, who met at college. The couple's existing furniture is used in the final reveal, but anything custom-made by woodworker Ben can be kept.
- Flip to a million (Image via HGTV)
- Inside Out on HGTV (Image via HGTV)
- Farmhouse Fixer (Image via Amazon)
- First Home Fix (Image via HGTV)
- Help! I Wrecked My House (Image via HGTV)
HGTV's Hometown Takeover is back in 2022 with a brand new season in an exciting new location. Ben and Erin have their work cut out to transform the small town of Fort Morgan in Colorado.
How much does a Work From Home HGTV Design make? As of Nov 24, 2022, the average annual pay for a Work From Home HGTV Design in the United States is $60,843 a year.
An HGTV rep reportedly told the website: “The homeowners always pay for the renovation and they are given the opportunity to purchase the furnishings and décor used for the staging. What they don't purchase is removed from the home." So there you have it!
All homeowners must have a renovation budget of at least $75,000 to be featured on the show. A break from the standard rule, homeowners that appear on HGTV's “Unsellable Houses” are not required to provide upfront funding for renovations on their property.
For one, you will get paid to appear on an episode, but not much. Elizabeth and her husband, Jeff, received $1,500 for House Hunters International and only $500 for the original series, according to a personal essay she wrote for Slate.
"HGTV pays for some labor or costs to expedite production if needed, but generally, homeowners are paying for their services. And, they may have access to discounted services or goods." So a new kitchen island that costs $1,000 might actually cost $3,000 if the homeowners weren't being featured on a TV show.
David Bromstad. One name comes to mind when people talk about colors and vibrancy in the interior design world, and that's David Bromstad. His rise to fame began when he won the first edition of Design Star. Once awarded the grand prize, his design career took off on HGTV.
What couple is suing Love It or List It?
Low-grade carpet was installed, their floors were ruined, and their windows were "painted shut." Of the $140,000 Deena and Timothy put in for their home's makeover, $85,000 was given to the contractor, and the couple believes that the remaining amount was put toward "the production of its series." The couple's lawsuit ...
Per the website, Hilary's fees range from $30,000 to $50,000, and she will travel from her native home of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Also, there's an option to hire Hilary Farr for a virtual event.
While initially expecting to invest around $4 million, the couple quickly realized the 1960s resort was in such bad shape that renovating it would cost far more than that — they ended up investing around $10 million to complete their vision of restoring the resort to glory.
The Dream Home prize is too good to be true
Even though the grand prize includes extras like a new car and a nice chunk of cash, the tax liability on such an enormous home is too much for most people to handle. “Uncle Sam makes it a little difficult to take ownership,” Laura Martin told Country Living.
Homeowners on the show must have a home with a purchase price under $200,000 and they require at least $30,000 worth of renovations. HGTV does not fund the renovations, but they do cover the cost of one bonus item and pay a talent fee to Chip & Joanna.
No Demo Reno requirements
"No Demo Reno" has a few requirements that could consider residents candidates if they meet them. The homeowner needs to have two to four spaces that need to be renovated and have $10,000 to $100,000 saved for the renovation, according to CultureMap Dallas.
When it became obvious that the people winning its sweepstakes were unable to keep their new digs, HGTV began offering winners a cash option. Most winners now either go that route or sell the houses — often back to their builders, but rarely at full value.
Do homeowners on HGTV shows get to keep the furniture? Speaking of inside the home, many viewers swoon over the final layouts. But here's the kicker: More often than not, the homes are staged, meaning the homeowners don't get to keep the furniture and decor that's shown on TV.
If you are buying or remodeling a house or plan to do so in the future, House Hunters shows can provide valuable information that informs your own process. The entertainment value in these shows comes in putting yourself in the featured buyer's shoes and imagining what you would do in their place. That's a fun concept.