# Trading Spaces $100,000 October 5th Episode **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142 "2003-09-22T18:11:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/1 "2003-09-22T18:11:54Z")
I have been seeing the promos for this upcoming episiode where they have a budget of $100,000. Any word on how this is going to work? Is that per room, or is it $50,000 per room? Is it only one room? Did the homeowners have to plunk down the money? And please tell me they are going to lock Hildi up far away in a Taliban prison during the filming. ---
**Author:** ![heater2000ca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@heater2000ca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heater2000ca)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/2 "2003-09-22T18:28:47Z")
From what I’ve seen on the web, it’s $50,000 per room, the homeowners didn’t know a thing about it until the day the trucks showed up for filming, and it’s more of a renovation than a redecoration. Which might explain why there are two carpenters instead of the usual one. I still want to know if they get more time, I haven’t seen anything on that. I doubt the homeowners have to pay for it, they don’t usually. [See here for some info.](http://oldcolony.southofboston.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2003/08/06/news/export1.txt) Oh, and Hildi may not be in a Taliban prison, but I’m pretty sure it’s just Doug, Laurie, Amy, and Ty who are part of that show, if that makes you feel any better. ---
**Author:** ![heater2000ca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@heater2000ca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heater2000ca)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/3 "2003-09-22T18:32:40Z")
And if I’d put the right link, you’d probably be happier … [Corrected Link.](http://oldcolony.southofboston.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2003/08/13/news/export6.txt) Sorry, that first link was the first story done, when they thought it was only $1,000 that would be spent on their rooms. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/4 "2003-09-22T18:41:36Z")
Here’s my idea for a TS extravaganza, ratings blockbuster episode: Take Kia and Hildi, and make it a “Loser leaves TS forever” episode. After the show, fans call a phone number and vote for whose room sucked more. The designer with the msot votes rides off into the sunset. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/5 "2003-09-22T20:06:20Z")
$50,000 for one room? I find that disgusting. $50,000 is enough to buy a house in a lot places and to spend that on one room is grotesque. There is nothing that one room needs that should reasonably cost $50,000. I was really hoping this was going to be some sort of whole-house makeover; now I don’t think I’m going to watch. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/6 "2003-09-22T20:52:38Z")
Yeah, I really have no interest in this. Who can’t makeover a room with $50,000? What’s the challenge? :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/7 "2003-09-22T21:45:45Z")
I’d be interested in it except that Doug is involved. Substitute Vern for Doug, and you have an interesting program. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/8 "2003-09-22T22:08:12Z")
Yeah, how come they never seem to use Vern for their special shows? The man kicks butt (and he’s cute, too). And while I like Laurie, I think Genevive (sp?) would have been a better choice for the kitchen. She does great kitchens. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/9 "2003-09-22T23:41:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Otto \* > \*\*$50,000 for one room? I find that disgusting. $50,000 is enough to buy a house in a lot places and to spend that on one room is grotesque. There is nothing that one room needs that should reasonably cost $50,000. I was really hoping this was going to be some sort of whole-house makeover; now I don’t think I’m going to watch. \*\* You obviously don’t watch HGTV’s “Designers’ Challenge”. I don’t think I’ve seen a room makeover yet for under $25,000. And $50,000 is a middle-of-the-road makeover. People spend that kind of money every day on remodelling/renovating their homes – especially kitchens. And I guess that’s the key word here; renovation. We’re not talking about paint and wallpaper here. It generally involves a great deal of demolition, often moving walls, etc. And in a kitchen, it’s easy to spend buttloads of money on new appliances, flooring, countertops, cabinetry, fixtures and furniture. It’s perhaps a little hard to tell from these photos, but [here’s an example](http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_design_kitchen/article/0,1793,HGTV_3375_2252778,00.html) of a $50,000 kitchen remodel from HGTV. They tore down a wall, had all new custom cabinetry built, moved all their appliances (which required re-wiring and re-plumbing), took out a floor-length window and replaced it with a smaller one, put in new floors and countertops and so on. It came out spectacular. You’re certainly within your rights to be offended that someone would spend that kind of money on one room. However, people who are spending those kinds of bucks on materials and labor are certainly doing their part in keeping the economy going! What would happen to all the woodworkers, carpenters, tiling guys (or gals), plumbers, architects, electricians, assemblyworkers, etc., if people stopped renovating their homes? And $50,000 is a drop in the bucket when you’re remodelling a $2.4 million dollar house, for instance. So, boycott the show on principal if you want. I’m going to lap it up and love every second of it! ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/10 "2003-09-23T00:09:49Z")
Do they still only get 2 days? Seems awfully short for a renovation. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trading-spaces-100-000-october-5th-episode/203142/11 "2003-09-24T00:45:06Z")
I’m outraged at this quote from the above link: > [@](#): > > According to TV Guide, the show also plans to air a series in the spring that will pit couples against each other for a $1 million home… Let’s get this straight. It’s **not** a contest where people are **pitted** against each other. It’s not even a game, so let’s stop calling it a game show. People get a room made-over by a professional designer [I know, I know] without their input. Their neighbors get to help. And they’ve got to help with their neighbor’s redecoration. There’s no game or contest in that. It can be risky and fun, but so is going on a rollercoaster and no one calls that a game or contest. And just because they ‘get something,’ doesn’t mean they ‘won.’ They pay for what they get in being used by TV for a human interest story that creates ratings. So stop calling it a gam… holy shit! $1,000,000!!!