Jon is definitely the figurehead on the Property Brother’s renovation side of their show, but he does hardly any of the heavy lifting or at least not the real heavy stuff.
Although Jon makes appearances at the show defining and pivotal moments throughout the show, like on demo day when the cameras are rolling, the Reddit poster who was in the process of being on the show claimed the vast majority of the work is done by local contractors who aren’t as “TV” friendly as Jon and his brother but who have the manpower, resources and time to do the job correctly.
They don't renovate the whole house
Don’t get us wrong, the Property Brothers do finish the renovation projects they started. All the houses are of sound foundation structure and are definitely livable the twins are done with them. But only about half of the house-maybe three or four rooms total-gets remodeled, renovated and decked out with the bells and whistles with assistance with the brothers help. The big reveal at the end shows more than what’s just on camera, with the camera shot going into a few choice places and avoiding what is still in shambles.
The buyers get to pick which rooms the brothers renovate, but there are rules to this. For example, buyers can get either the kitchen or bathroom redone but not both, which means if they want to appear on the show, clients must make some tough decisions before the cameras are even rolling. Buyers will have to decide where they want all those luxury touches to go: either where they eat or where they, well, do the opposite?
The Big Mid-renovation Surprise
The Property Brother’s formula usually takes on two letdowns per show. The first is when the potential buyers are played into thinking they could actually afford the first house the twins show them, although, as stated before, the buyers know this is imminent. The second disappointment usually happens halfway through the renovation process when the poor couple learns that something has gone terribly awry regarding the project.
A Reddit thread post by a prospective show contestant indicated that a 20 percent, in-case-of-emergency contingency fee is a non-negotiable requirement for any and all participants on Property Brothers. When the buyers make their wish lists at the beginning of the show, they are likely made aware in advance they probably won’t be getting everything they’ve asked for no matter how much they beg or look destroyed in front of the camera when Jon notifies them of the bad news.
The Property Brothers don't spend every minute with their clients
If you know the show as so many others do, you wouldn’t be the first person to think that the Property Brothers bring a suitcase and basically move in with you during the renovation and filming process. They don’t become your best friends either. The reality is that the buyers on Property Brothers apparently only see the hosts about once a week whilst their house goes from zero to hero.
As in the show’s casting call, at the time the renovation is completed, you’ll have spent a little more than a week and less than ten days with either Drew of Jon. But you know, most people won’t get to spend a single minute with them, so you’d be one of the lucky ones.
The Drama May Be Scripted
If you were to see how much the bickering and arguing there was on Property Brothers between the potential homebuyers, you might think that each and every couple was going to file divorce papers the second they get off camera the next time and the two will have to go 15 rounds of litigation to figure out who keeps the throne-throne. But rest assured, the fighting is more than likely just another contrived element meant to make the show more watchable.
As it goes, couples who appear on Property Brothers’ are told from the get-go are told that they must either be able to act opinionated or actually be that way in order to create a certain level of interest. So don’t worry about the state of marriage or love or togetherness in America just yet. Those tools won’t be for caving someone’s head in. These conflicts are incited to make for better, more contentious TV.