My Reno Rules is gearing up to shake up the reality renovation world, with the promise of changing the fortunes of two families through what’s being billed as the biggest viewer giveaway in Australian television history. In the debut season, host Dr Chris Brown will follow four teams as they transform two tired 1970s houses in Melbourne’s prized suburb of Bulleen into polished, modern, multi-million-dollar homes.
Two teams of two will renovate each house, tackling room reveals week by week to impress a trio of expert judges: design figure Neale Whitaker, buyer’s agency founder and CEO Simon Cohen, and interior stylist and author Julia Green. Scores will be added to a weekly leaderboard, and the team that finishes with the most points will take home a life-changing $100,000 cash prize.
Billionaire businessman Adrian Portelli bought the side-by-side properties and will keep a close eye on the works as he prepares to do something rarely seen in the renovation space: give away the finished homes. Expect surprises along the way, with Portelli determined to keep energy and standards high on site in his own unmistakable style.
The teams
House 1: Emma & Michelle and Nathan & Julia
Queensland mother and daughter Emma, 33, and Michelle, 56, are arriving with plenty of spark and a close bond they describe as “Maltese terriers”. Emma runs an interior design, property development and creative studio, while Michelle works in the hair and beauty industry and has also been hands-on across multiple home builds over the years.
They’ll be competing against Victorian parents Nathan and Julia, both 34, who are driven by their three daughters and the hope that time away from family will be worth it if they can secure the win. Nathan is an electrician, but on the build site he’s happy to defer to stay-at-home mum Julia, who has picked up a wide range of trade skills through their past renovation projects.
House 2: Franky & Isaac and Mitch & Shaz
Melbourne best mates Franky, 38, and Isaac, 23, see themselves as underdogs, but they’re banking on attitude, humour and Greek generosity to carry them through. The pair previously worked together in Franky’s AV business before Isaac moved on to become a junior foreman.
Queenslanders Mitch and Shaz, both 34, are renovating with their 13-year-old son, Lenny, front of mind. With cost-of-living pressures biting, the newlyweds are focused on building a better future for their tight-knit family of three. Mitch works as a landscape project manager and Shaz runs her own interior design company, giving them a strong base as they step into the renovation contest.
