| In the past, whenever someone wanted to have a | | | | homeowners to realize they too can do home |
| home improvement project done or even a larger | | | | improvement projects. |
| scaled renovation tackled, they found the most | | | | Trading Spaces then led to many other shows |
| capable professional to handle all of the work. This | | | | becoming popular showing the viewer a complete |
| was also true if they needed design or decorating help. | | | | transformation in a short half hour segment. Many of |
| That is not the case anymore, thanks to the several | | | | the shows involved budget minded techniques that |
| home improvement television programs that are on | | | | could be used like on the show Design on a Dime. This |
| currently helping the viewers to do the work and | | | | has professionals come into a space and completely |
| projects themselves. This is even more true now, with | | | | transform it in one day for a tiny budget of only $500. |
| the recession and homeowners needing to save their | | | | The homeowners then return home to see how much |
| money by doing the work themselves. Whether it is | | | | could be improved for so little money and some |
| installing a new bathroom with great tiling and | | | | creativity. The professionals talk through the way to do |
| bathroom lighting or designing a new art space in the | | | | each project making it easy to understand for the |
| newly finished basement space using progress lighting, | | | | viewer who probably has no experience at all. |
| the options are endless for the new generation of | | | | Another helpful home improvement show that |
| do-it-yourselfers. | | | | addresses how to make your home for sale more |
| One of the very first TV programs to show regular | | | | appealing and ways to get more money for the house |
| homeowners tackling a renovation and decorating | | | | you want to sell. This show is called, "Designed to Sell" |
| project was a show called Trading Spaces. This had | | | | and is very helpful to people watching at home |
| two families, usually next door neighbors that had 48 | | | | because of the incredibly slow real estate market that |
| hours to completely redo one of the rooms in their | | | | is happening in the country right now. It takes a $2000 |
| neighbor's house with the help of a professional | | | | budget, a real estate professional to assess the |
| designer and carpenter. There had never been a | | | | home's initial value and a designer and construction |
| show that showed non-professionals doing this kind of | | | | crew to get the home ready for an open house. |
| work before and how the designers taught these | | | | All of these shows inspire home owners to not be |
| people how to do things in such a simplified way with | | | | afraid to take on these projects themselves in order to |
| great results. They also were given a low budget of | | | | improve their homes. The information from these |
| only $1000 to do the room so not only did the projects | | | | programs as well as help from home improvement |
| have to be done by novices but they had to be less | | | | stores has really empowered people in this area. |
| expensive too. This show alone inspired many | | | | |