Fixer Upper: Tackling 'The Beast'
Chip and Joanna take on their biggest fixer upper to date when they help furniture designer Clint Harp and his wife Kelly turn a ready-for-the-wrecking-ball junk-heap of a house into a beautifully restored gem.
Meet the Harps
Fixer Upper aficionados will recognize the clients in this project. Clint Harp is the carpenter and furniture designer responsible for many of the one-of-a-kind furniture creations included in Chip and Jo's renovations, and he has appeared frequently throughout the series. He and his wife Kelly were in search of an affordable home in the community of Brook Oaks. The fixer-upper they took on was indicative not only of their creative vision but of their downright bravery.
Before the Renovation: The Vision Thing
Though in an alarming state of disrepair, the house, which was built in 1913, has good bones, lots of room and potential for an impressive restoration. Joanna suggests reconfiguring the front room. "Make it really wide," she says, "so you can look into the breakfast nook. Make this room the grand thing that it once was in 1913."
It's Demo Day!
Once Clint and Kelly took the giant leap with the 1913 house, the real challenge for Chip and Joanna was about to begin. "This place not only needs a demo," said Chip, "it needs an exorcism."
There are more behind-the-scenes pics from this episode. Be sure to also check out the companion gallery: "Tackling the Beast, Pt. 2 - Behind the Scenes."
Before
"The Pit" -- as Clint and Kelly first described the house -- was in need of a radical deep clean and complete overhaul. But it did have a few things going for it: It was spacious, with more than 2700 square feet, five bedrooms and three baths. The asking price was only $15,000 (essentially the value of the lot alone), and the location was close to the Harps' shop and studio.
After
A complete overhaul was precisely what the exterior received with a new roof, enlarged windows, new paint and fresh landscaping. In the end, Clint and Kelly were able to negotiate a purchase price for the house of only $10,000 and used the remaining $100,000 of their total budget for the renovations.
Kitchen, AFTER
The island provides additional seating and open shelving. White cabinets spanning one wall and extending almost to the ceiling provide generous kitchen storage.
Want to See More Behind-the Scenes from This Project?
Want to see more of Clint, Kelly, Chip and Jo? Check out the companion gallery, Tackling the Beast, Pt.2 - Behind the Scenes, for 40+ on-location snapshots from this episode of Fixer Upper.