The Best of the Worst: Impressive Home Fixes From 'Rico to the Rescue'

Realtor and contractor Rico León has risen to HGTV star status with his incredible construction and restoration know-how. As a mentor on Battle on the Mountain and a celebrity guest on House Hunters, he's shown his design prowess and understanding of the market. It's in his role as the host of Rico to the Rescue, however, where his renovation chops really shine. For those that don't know, Rico to the Rescue follows Rico as he helps Denver homeowners salvage abandoned renovations. He's a wiz at making the best of the worst, and the following before-and-afters of his best projects prove it.

Season 2, episode one: Homeowners and teachers Brock and Zhanna Bloom were overwhelmed by how cramped their home felt after the birth of their second child, so they planned to add a study, a second upstairs bedroom and a second lower-level living space. They hired a contractor who gave them a timeframe of three to four months and a bid of $153,000. By the 6-month mark, the Blooms had already invested more than $110,000 with no end in sight. Once their contractor stopped showing up, Rico stepped in.

When tackling the Blooms' downstairs addition, Rico wanted to create a chic space to benefit the kids and the family as a whole. He went with an indoor-outdoor approach. Situated a few stairs down from the main level, the space features an expansive glass wall with sliding doors and a custom-stained glass window. Rico mounted a television on one wall and installed floor-to-ceiling cabinetry on the other. The focal point of the room: a blue chaise-inspired. Zhanna's first response was that she was "obsessed." In total, the Blooms spent about $55,000 to get the additional living space of their dreams.

Season 2, episode nine: Homeowner and Denver fire department captain, Jon, was in a unique situation when a renovation nightmare took place. Following a divorce, he bought a chunk of land and set out to follow in his dad's footsteps and build a house of his own. Rather than paying for a contractor, he enlisted the help of a good friend and fellow fire service member. Jon planned to focus on the primary suite, but it quickly snowballed into working on the entire house — leaving no room complete. When his friend walked out on the job, Jon didn't know how to move forward in his quest to build his dream home, and he'd already spent $105,000 of his original $150,000 budget. Thankfully, Rico stepped in.

When imagining his dream home, Jon always envisioned a one-wall kitchen with windows looking out at his property's mountain views. Rico delivered with a high-contrast, black-and-white great room boasting modern masculinity with a hint of farmhouse flair. The space even features an indoor-outdoor fireplace. "You nailed it," Jon said immediately upon walking into the space. "Everything is me and what I envisioned — if I could have envisioned something this great." In total, the renovations cost $187,000 and included bedroom, bathroom and basement renovations.

Season 2, episode eight: Kevin and Kristen set out to renovate their cozy, compartmentalized kitchen to better accommodate their family of seven. They hired a contractor who quickly dropped the ball (and $155,000 Kevin and Kristen set aside for the project) before completely disappearing. For more than six months, Kristen cooked for her husband and five kids on a camping stove in the basement. Knowing this wasn't going to cut it, the couple reached out to Rico, and in his signature fashion, he came to the rescue.

For a high-contrast look, Rico and designer Poonam (Pam) Moore opted for black cabinetry with gold hardware and ultra-light floors. They outfitted the space with a trendy, warm-veined waterfall island with seating for four. Adjacent to the kitchen, they added a dining table with seating for the whole family, as well as a living area with ample room to relax. Kristen couldn't help but tear up the moment she set foot in the space.

Season 2, episode two: After securing a stellar piece of land and signing a contract for a $787,000 build, homeowners Kyle and David were thrilled to create their dream home in the mountains of Grand Lake, Colorado. However when they had questions about the shoddy foundation and initial structure, their builder chose to up and leave rather than address the issues. Unfortunately, Kyle and David had already paid him $200,000, despite no sturdy work being done. A year later, they were ready to revisit the disaster — this time, with Rico's help.

After analyzing the initial build, Rico and his team determined they'd be able to build Kyle and David's dream home for $635,000 — roughly $100,000 more than what they had left on their loan. While the added budget was a curveball (that their parents ended up assisting with), Rico's incredible results made it well worth the investment. In the great room, he created comfortable flow between the kitchen, dining area and lounge space, ensuring stunning views from every seat in the house. "I'm at a loss for words," David said during the reveal.

Season 2, episode seven: Homeowners Nick and Mary craved a larger, more open home after the birth of their son. They wanted to add a 1,000-square-foot extension — including a primary bedroom suite, nursery and expanded kitchen — off the back of the house to transform their 1945 home into a family-friendly dwelling. When they got a referral for a contractor, they moved forward with an estimate of $220,000 for the build. After breaking ground in November of 2021, their contractor said it would take six to nine months to complete the project. Two years and $176,000 later, little progress had been made. Luckily, Rico was up for the task.

Originally, Nick and Mary's contractor used the space they hoped would be their bedroom as a storage room for his materials and tools. To give it new life, Rico and Poonam created a navy accent wall; switched out nightstands with spacious wood dressers; and draped the bed in plush, creamy white bedding. And as a surprise, they renovated Nick and Mary's main bathroom. Suffice to say, when the couple walked into the renovated and restored suite, they were stunned. "This is perfect," Mary said.

Season 2, episode seven: With renovations at a standstill during their child's birth, Nick and Mary had to work with what they had to create a nursery. (After all, amidst all the renovation madness, Mary was 20 weeks pregnant.) While the bright yellow room they outfitted was liveable, it wasn't what they had envisioned for their little boy. Fortunately, Rico knew just how to help.