35 Rules People on 'Fixer Upper' Had to Follow

Homeowners had to have a budget of at least $50,000 for renovations. But more was always encouraged!

Sure, we all love Demo Day, but homeowners didn't get dramatic renovations in every single room. Some spaces (think: guest bedrooms and basements) simply got new floors and paint.

If homeowners wanted to approve every paint color, this show wasn't for them. In fact, sometimes, they weren't consulted on certain features at all. Going on Fixer Upper meant you had to give Chip and Joanna free rein.

And (even better) homeowners didn't have to pay for them. HGTV kindly covered the costs of Joanna's design service fee—which is a pretty great deal, if you ask us.

The show was split into multiple segments, and Design Day was when the homeowners got an update on Chip and Joanna's plans. "You've heard about the ideas, but [Design Day is] when you see a visual representation of what they have in store for your home," Rachel Whyte told Country Living.

When the show aired on HGTV, the furniture and decor used for the big reveal was staged. However, the network always gave the homeowner one big-ticket item to keep at the end, ranging from a sectional to a dining room table.

After filming wrapped, the show provided homeowners with an itemized list of all of the items staged in their home—and at discounted prices!

Before plans were set, they met with Chip and Joanna's design team. If they wanted any input or to share budget constraints, this was the time to bring it up.

According to a former Fixer Upper homeowner, Joanna asked the homeowners to make a Pinterest board of their decor style before she finalized her design plan.

Chip and Joanna's careers took off after the first season, and with more fame came a busier schedule. They eventually tasked some responsibilities to design associates, so homeowners weren't often given a direct line of communication to the hosts.

Chip and Joanna often used their go-to vendors, like carpenter Clint Harp, for big projects—and homeowners usually got to keep these one-of-a-kind items.

On earlier seasons of Fixer Upper, Chip and Joanna showed the clients three homes before they settled on one to renovate. While it appears that part was staged, the house-hunting portion disappeared from later seasons. The rebooted season required guests to already have a home to renovate when going on the show.

From clearing out shelves to moving around furniture, homeowners had to have their space completely prepped for renovation when filming began.

In order to work their magic, Chip and Joanna needed full access to the houses—which meant all homeowners had to find somewhere else to stay during renovations.

Sure, Fixer Upper operated on a reality TV schedule, but flipping a house was still a massive undertaking. Some renovations took up to six weeks to complete, which is considered speedy for a standard contractor.

Producers wanted the big reveal to be authentic. Because of this, homeowners were asked to refrain from driving by or visiting their property while construction was underway.

During the show's casting process, prospective homeowners were asked to disclose whether or not they had applied to other home renovation shows—and if so, which ones. Chip and Joanna might not have wanted a couple from Love It or List It showing up on Fixer Upper. Can you blame them?

The application allowed homeowners to upload photos, so they had to make them count! If they had specific rooms that needed more work than others, it was best to include images of them.