Restore a Chateau only if you have a reality show budget.
I have just watched the first episode. I think the audience was told that, after purchasing the decaying French estate, the couple, Dick and Angel, had only 20,000 pounds budget remaining for restoration. Are you kidding me??The first work shown is Dick, the engineer husband (they make sure we know he's an engineer, like its a badge of honor), hand sawing plywood to repair the entryway because he doesn't have electricity. Cripes, building this main house required hundreds of worker's labor for almost two years. Now the entire property is in decay, and anybody knows that restoration is much more expensive and labor intensive than new construction, and we are treated with the new, supposedly intelligent, homeowner using a handsaw? Any respectable contractor would have a generator and would be using power tools.
We then learn that Dick's plan to restore heating to the place will cost 18,000 pounds. Not bad, except now they've only got 2,000 pounds remaining to restore everything else. And we haven't even got to the plumbing...and there are supposedly some huge open window spaces in the building.
So, those grossly insufficient monies are supposed to provide for lead paint abatement, asbestos abatement, black mold abatement, woefully insufficient plumbing, woeful electricity, delapitated roofing, wall repairs, floor repairs, peeling paint, rotted windows, decaying masonry, window repairs or replacements, and myriad other problems??? In a 45 room, five story 19th century building?
So, Dick had better be Restoration Superman, or have himself set up with a TV show budget to hire the dozens of construction crews he will need. Especially because all his wife does is wander around dreaming of hosting lavish weddings and deciding where stuffed giraffes ought to be placed.
With all that said, its fun to watch.
score 6/10
rdhoran 3 October 2020
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw6145560/14414
Pages:
[1]