FAMILY RENOVATION follows the Grant Family as they struggle to maintain their sanity and family life while living in a house undergoing a massive renovation. Having moved from a large home to a small one-and-a-half storey house; Marie- France, who thrives on chaos and multi-tasking, believes this is an adventure for her, her husband Gus and their five children. Gus isn’t so sure.
The man who’s going to help them build their dream home is the Kiwi Contractor, Scott Aitchison. Confident he can complete renovations on time and on budget, he’s never had a family of seven thrown, literally, right into the mix.
What the Grant Family and the construction crew quickly discover is that building a house around two adults and five kids not only has ups and downs, it has ins and outs that keep everyone on their toes… including the family dog.
The Grant family breaks the news to their five children that they will be moving from their current home to a new smaller home, which they will completely gut and renovate, plus add another level to the 1.5 storey home. What’s unusual about this plan is that they intend to live in the home while they renovate. How will the Grant family adjust to living in the renovation zone?
Renovation is underway, and the contractors are beginning with the basement dig out. The possibility of hitting rock is a huge concern for the Grant family, as it could mean a costly addition to their renovation budget. Meanwhile, safety issues crop up, and Lola the family pet keeps running away. A family with small children living in the reno zone presents the contractor and the family with a unique set of challenges.
The contractors run into some challenges while building a new 4-storey central staircase. Marie-France hires a designer to help her polish her dream house. Meanwhile, Uncle Matt arrives to build a custom tree house for the kids.
While the Grant family is away on vacation, the contractors take the roof off the house in anticipation of adding another storey onto the home. Will the house be ready in time for the family’s return?
With the Grant family back from vacation, and non-stop rain, the contractor is feeling the pressure to get a roof on the house, and prepare a living space for the family on the main floor of the house. With the first day of school just around the corner, how will the family adjust to their new tight living quarters?
After two months of renovation, the seven members of the Grant family are still living on the main floor of their new home. With the first day of school quickly approaching, Marie-France needs the family moved upstairs and into proper bedrooms. The construction crew waits for the windows to arrive, so they may move ahead with the next steps of renovation.
The construction team needs to move the renovation forward, even without windows in the new home. A series of inspections are coming up – will the house pass inspection and work carry on, or will they fail and the project be put on hold until the windows finally arrive?
An unexpected sewage backup throws a wrench into the family and construction crew’s plans. The weather is also getting colder and Marie-France has an idea as to how to keep her family warm. Can she convince the contractor that hers is the best plan?
With Marie-France making the most of the design decisions so far, Gus would also like to have some input before all design plans are solidified. He offers ideas on the porch and flooring. Will Marie-France accept his input, or does she have ideas of her own?
As the renovation moves into fall, and there is still no insulation on the main floor of the house, Marie-France really needs to move the family upstairs; however, this plan could interfere with the goals of the construction crew. Who will win the battle of wills?
With the weather becoming increasingly colder, the need for heat is now urgent for Marie-France and her family. The furnace finally arrives, but unfortunately the furnace cannot be turned on until the fireplace and chimney are installed, and they can’t be installed until the new windows are moved. Someone made a mistake, but who is willing to take on those additional costs?
With the renovation running two months behind schedule, and several big jobs remaining to be finished, including the kitchen, floors and front porch, MF and the crew disagree on what is the priority. The crew would also prefer that the family move out of the house to so they could work quickly. Marie-France has alternate ideas but is still pressuring the crew to finish it all before the holidays.
After seven months of living in the renovation zone, the Grant family is out of time, money and patience. Will the construction crew finish the renovation as Marie-France anticipated? In the end will all the inconvenience and chaos be worth it when they finally have their dream home to raise their five children?