From screen to site: How AI and reality TV are rarking up the Kiwi renovation
Sunday, 25 January 2026
Hamilton homeowner Brooke thought it would take no more than two weeks to renovate her bathroom to match her dream. She was stunned to learn that would not be the case.
Her bathroom was small, and she wanted to extend it to include a toilet that was in a separate room, a move that would create more space and allow for a new design and look.
Brooke, a keen fan of reality TV renovation shows, knew what she wanted to do, and used Pinterest and Google to get ideas and inspiration.
“On reality shows, like The Block, you see renovations like the one we wanted take place quite quickly,” she said.
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“So I thought it would happen easily, over a maximum of about two weeks - which was about how long we thought we could cope without a bathroom as a family with kids.
“But no! Once I talked to the builder about our plans he made me very aware that it was not an easy transformation, and my timeframe did not reflect reality.”
That was because the bathroom had to be gutted, leaks had to be fixed, the extended space had to be fully waterproofed, and then fully tiled. Materials needed to be ordered, and tradies confirmed.
“The whole process cost more than we initially thought it would, and it took about four weeks in the end,” Brooke said.
“But we adapted, and managed to get through, and we absolutely love our new bathroom - and we know what to expect next time we want to do a renovation.”
Waikato-based builder Reagan Langeveld was Brooke’s builder, and he said she was not alone in her expectations around renovation time frames and costs.
Langeveld, who is director of Symphony Construction, has encountered a growing number of clients with plans for renovations influenced by AI-generated designs and reality TV show timelines.
But AI tools and reality shows gave homeowners oversimplified ideas about the building process and led to unrealistic expectations around timeframes and costs, he said.
“AI can generate a perfect room, but it cannot tell you what is inside your walls or whether your local council sees the work as exempt from resource consents.
“It has no understanding of load paths, moisture management or plumbing locations and it cannot flag when a design triggers additional compliance in one region but not in another.”
It meant people planning renovations were being shown digital concepts that ignored the complexities of structural planning, waterproofing standards, trades co-ordination and regulatory obligations.
Builders were seeing an increasing number of AI-generated renovation plans that could not be constructed without significant redesign, he said.
“Reality TV shows add to the problem by making construction look fast and simple.
“But overseas research shows they compress timelines, and rely on off-camera labour, subsidised materials and rapid-fire editing that misrepresents what a renovation actually requires.”
Langeveld said the combination was creating a “renovation optimism bias” that left homeowners unprepared for real pricing, lead times and technical requirements.
He told The Sunday Star-Times it was about 50/50 when it came to the number of his clients affected, but said the impact of the bias differed.
While it created a gap between expectation and reality, it was possible for builders to work with clients to adapt plans and achieve what they wanted, he said.
“But people should always get professional advice early, before committing to a design or budget.”
Tradie job platform Builderscrack has analysed its data around key words and mockups, and the results showed an increased use of AI tools and designs by homeowners.
Builderscrack spokesperson Rachel Radford thought that many homeowners would be using AI tools in much the same way they used Pinterest and drawings.
“It’s more as a communication tool, and it helps homeowners get across the look and vibe of the renovation they are after to a builder and tradies,” she said.
“Our feedback is that tradies like it when homeowners have thought about the job, and have done some research and planning, as opposed to having no idea of what they want.
“It’s a bit of groundwork, and helps the tradie understand the homeowners’ vision. So it’s a starting point for an end goal.”
But tradies had to visit a site to assess a job properly, and to scope out what the structural and compliance requirements would be in reality, Radford said.
“Unrealistic expectations are not all due to AI, or reality TV show timelines. Homeowners often come into a job with ambitions that clash with reality, but reality does tend to kick in fast.
“They have to accept that every job differs, and it all depends on the age and location of the house, the type of build, the consents required, and so on.”
That was why it was important to talk to tradies upfront, and to make sure all involved were on the same page so there were no surprises around costs and timeframes, she said.