Getting Your House On ‘Fixer Upper’ With Chip And Joanna Gaines Will Reportedly Cost You Thousands


Most fans of Fixer Upper have dreamed about being on the show and having Chip and Joanna Gaines transform their home. Although it is fun to fantasize about meeting the renovation stars and watching them work their magic, being on Fixer Upper isn’t as carefree as it looks. Here’s an inside look at what it really costs to be on HGTV’s hit show.

Contestants Are Required To Have A Large Budget

According to ABC Action News, contestants are required to have a budget of at least thirty thousand dollars to appear on Fixer Upper. This helps pay for all the upgrades and costs of the renovation, but it doesn’t include furniture.

In fact, if contestants want to keep the furniture that Chip and Joanna install, they must pay extra. Each and every participant also must purchase the home before filming begins and it must be located within 40 miles of Chip and Joanna’s base of operations in Waco, Texas.

Although these demands quickly add up, Chip and Joanna offer homeowners a discount for their services. HGTV then reimburses the couple anywhere between 10 and 15 percent of what they would usually make.

The Costs Don’t End After The Cameras Leave

In addition to the costs, Fixer Upper homeowners also have to deal with the exposure from being on the show. Between noisy neighbors and constant fan visits, this popularity sometimes becomes too much to handle.

That is why some former participants turn their Fixer Upper properties into vacation rental homes and buy a second house. They even try to keep the home as close to how it appeared on the show to attract more guests. Given the popularity of the show, these rentals tend to do well in the rental industry.

Fixer Upper’s Final Season

Although being on Fixer Upper is harder than it looks, fans will no longer get the opportunity to see what it’s really like. According to Us Magazine, Chip and Joanna announced that Season 5 of Fixer Upper, which is currently underway, will be the couple’s final season in front of the cameras. In a special statement, Chip and Joanna told fans that they wanted to focus more on their family and felt like the show had run its course. Chip did, however, admit that ending the series at the pinnacle of its popularity is probably a risky move.

“Our oldest [child], who’s 12, is becoming a teenager, and Jo and I just realized in our hearts that as much as we love Fixer Upper, as much as we love the honor that we have felt with this show basically introducing us to the country, if not the world, we want to make sure that we’re here for our family during really crucial, pivotal points in its journey,” Chip explained.

Chip And Joanna Plan A Spin-Off

Fixer Upper is currently in its fifth and final season on HGTV. Although this is the end of the road for the show, Chip and Joanna are releasing a special spin-off next spring, titled Fixer Upper: Behind the Design, which explores how Chip and Joanna come up with all their designs.

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