The Scary Happenings They Didn't Catch on Camera While Filming 'A Very Haunted Renovation'

What happens when six designers from across the US are challenged with renovating a massive and long-neglected 1890s-era mansion — one reputed to be one of the most haunted residences in America? HGTV's A Very Haunted Renovation.

Hosted by actress Anna Camp, the show follows six intrepid souls (read: designers) as they transform the infamous Bihl Manor into a more uplifting dwelling with historical character. The kicker? With $50,000 on the line, these daring individuals must also live and sleep in the manor for a total of 31 days (and nights!).

Scary stuff … but what you won't see on the show is what the crew experienced behind the scenes. Ahead, show producers open up about the unexplained happenings that occurred inside Bihl Manor while filming A Very Haunted Renovation.

The Haunting of Bihl House

"Bihl Manor is one of the most haunted homes in America,” said Anna. "Unoccupied, falling apart and on the verge of demolition, no one is brave enough to step foot inside — until now." Joining Anna on the series is HGTV design expert Michel Smith Boyd, former two-time winner of Rock the Block and host of Luxe for Less. Michel acts as mentor to the contestants and evaluates each phase of the renovation.

Prior to renovation, the mansion's very appearance exuded a sense of foreboding — reminiscent of something in the opening to an Edgar Allan Poe short story. Peeling paint covered the Corinthian columns on the front facade. Litter and decay decorated the entry. Draped sheets covered the antique furnishings. Dried leaves lay strewn across the wooden floors, and the smell of mildew and moldering old manuscripts hung in the air.

"I would see a man standing upstairs," said Beatriz, a former neighbor, "Just standing there looking out the window. I found out later there was nobody there. The house was empty."

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

"Everybody knows that it's definitely haunted," said a local builder with prior experience at the property. "You just always feel like you're not alone. You can just feel like somebody's watching you."

The home's current owner, Karlo, recounted that he had been unaware of the home's haunted history prior to purchasing it, and he later had difficulty finding repairmen willing to work on the house. "Nobody told me this when I bought it," said Karlo. "I want to save this house, but honestly, I don't know how to. It's hard to get contractors to do work here." Co-owner Heather recounted her own troubling encounter: "I went down to the basement," she said. "And I felt this cold … finger … just go all the way from my neck down to my back."

As the designers began arriving at the manor, each recounted a brush or encounter with something strange, unexplained or downright creepy. As Los Angeles-based designer "SK" Stokes Kennedy approached the house, she noticed vultures circling above the property. (Not typically a hopeful omen.) "I want to stay on the good side of the spirits," she said. "I'm going to listen to the house."

Contestant Logan Wright put it a bit more bluntly. "What the hell have I gotten myself into?" she asked. "It's almost as if the house is saying, 'Get … out!'"

What the Producers Saw

When HGTV.com interviewed A Very Haunted Renovation showrunner Sarah Douglas, she had some strong feelings about her experiences while on location.

HGTV: What did it feel like stepping into Bihl Manor for the first time?

Sarah: Chills! It just felt a little … off. Especially in the basement — where we made the poor designers do their interviews. I really didn’t like being down there. It creeped me out. There was just this constant feeling of being a little on edge.

HGTV: How apprehensive were you spending time in the home while filming the show? Did it turn out to be as scary as you were expecting?

Sarah: Some days definitely felt eerier than others. There were days when we’d walk into the house, get to work and it would feel almost like a normal house on a normal day. And then there were other days when I genuinely did not want to walk through the door. I could just feel an energy there. We were also spending incredibly long days in the house — sometimes 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. — so even going home after filming there all day to an empty apartment could feel a little unsettling. And yes, I absolutely saged myself and my apartment every day and night after filming!

HGTV: Did you personally experience any strange, spooky or ghostly occurrences during the filming?

Sarah: The creepiest thing I personally experienced ended up on the show — much to my chagrin! We were filming a scene with a Radiating Electro-Magneticity Pod (a piece of equipment used to detect unseen energy or movement) with the designers in the room directly above our control room. The REM-Pod started going off, which was creepy enough on its own, and then the lights in the control room started flashing. Slowly at first, and then faster and faster … It was not OK! Everyone was genuinely freaked out and pretty rattled — so much so that we actually shut the scene down. Whatever was happening, it did not feel like happy energy. I also got to the house really early a lot of mornings, before most of the crew arrived and while the designers were still sleeping or upstairs in their bedrooms. On two separate occasions, I could have sworn I heard someone call for me … but nobody was there.

HGTV: Is there anything else you'd like to share about your experience at Bihl Manor?

Sarah: Here's one more wild thing. We didn’t have photos of Alvie Bihl (the Bihls’ son) until after filming. To this day, it creeps me out that the random artwork the designers chose for [the portrait in] Alvie's room actually looks like Alvie — and, weirdly, also looked like [horror film director and guest judge] Eli Roth. It still gives me goosebumps.

How to Watch A Very Haunted Renovation

The finale of A Very Haunted Renovation airs on HGTV October 20 at 8|7c. Episodes are now streaming on HBO Max.