Big reveal for WA House Rules team

House Rules’ WA team Karina and Brian Day have been playing to win for their tight-knit blended family and Sunday’s episode will see them rewarded as they first lay eyes on their newly renovated home.

The current season of the hit Seven series has seen a lot of blood, sweat and tears from the pair — in the literal sense — as the married couple from Geraldton battle it out against duos from other States in a bid to win the ultimate prize of having their mortgage paid off.

The couple agree the hardest part of the show has been leaving their three children, teens Daniel and Bailey and six-year-old Lara.

“We’ve had to weigh up the pros and cons,” Karina said. “It’s a huge sacrifice but we need to get our family out of debt.”

This Sunday’s episode is set to see their luck change as the renovation of their home is revealed.

Having bought the property five years ago, the couple said they saw it for its potential. “We purchased this house with the dream of renovating it but we can’t afford to do anything with it,” Karina said.

The five-acre (2ha) block enjoys ocean glimpses, mountain views and roaming wildlife but the existing 1970s Spanish-style villa was sorely in need of a reno. “The house is old and tired,” Karina said. “I talk to the house and I tell her ‘Don’t worry old lady, we’re going to make you better’. House Rules is just the makeover she needs.”

Structurally, the dated villa is defined by arches and white walls with a terracotta tile roof, poky rooms and dark face brick. Cosmetically, it is in very poor condition and Karina said the teams had their work cut out for them. “There’s different lino in every room and the ceiling is falling down in just about every room,” she said. “It’s full of second-hand furniture, the ensuite is purple and the tiles are falling off the walls.”

“It’s tired and disgusting and just needs to be wiped clean again,” Brian said. “What it’s got going for it is good bones and it’s a blank canvas.”

The couple said their dream was to have a big, open-plan living area where the family could gather together. “Our dream would have a nice big table — we can only fit six in there at present — and we want to entertain,” Karina said.

Brian said allowing light and a connection with the outdoors into the dark home was also an aspiration. “We want to have a view to the ocean in front of us and the Moresby Range behind us so we can bring the outside in and enjoy the environment,” he said. “We love the coast where we are in Geraldton so we’d love to have that continued inside the house. It’s a big part of our lives — we spend our family time down the beach.”

While Karina’s style is minimalist, Brian likes, “a bit of bling and the latest gadgets”.

“If any team put the latest technology in they will have won Brian over,” Karina said.

Karina, 42, and Brian, 44, are the oldest team in the competition but it hasn’t slowed them down. However, their reviews from judges and other teams have been mixed and, should they be sent home in the first elimination on Tuesday, they are excited about their future once the cameras stop rolling.

Karina said she would be happy to enjoy her home with the family and get back to working at the WA Museum in Geraldton.

“They say there are two kinds of people who go on the show; ones who like the experience of the house renovation and the potential to have their mortgage paid or those who enjoy the benefits that come from being on House Rules,” she said, confirming that she is the former.

Brian, who does shiftwork in the mining industry and is a qualified timber framer who once owned his own shed-building company, may just be the latter. He said he would look for future opportunities to put his skills learnt on the show to good use. “I get a kick out renovating and creating people’s dream homes,” he said.

The couple are eagerly awaiting the unveiling of their new home this week. “We want to grow old here together,” Brian said.

House Rules airs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7.30pm, Thursdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm on Seven/GWN7. For more information, visit yahoo7.com.au/houserules.

Karina and Brian’s reno tips

-The 5 Ps (proper planning prevents poor performance).

-Use The Renovator’s Tool and create 3-D pictures of an area.

-Don’t be afraid to have a go yourself, it will save you costs.

-Research on the internet and view as many display homes as you can.

-Have a clear picture of what you want to achieve before you start and be visual by creating mood boards, collecting swatches and taking photos to keep the image clear.

-Have a budget and stick to your shopping list.

-Buy the worst house on the best street.

-Don’t overcapitalise! Work on about 10 per cent of property value, so if your house is worth $200K spend $20K renovating.