Bargain Mansions (2017– ) User Reviews

Wish there was more restoration instead of renovation

[melfinmo · 6/10 · 12 June 2018]

Love that the host is taking on beautiful, old homes. Hate that she often over modernizes the kitchens (in my opinion).

Love the idea of restoring old mansions but...

[susieqniccon · 4/10 · 27 January 2019]

I like the idea of the show but agree with most of the other comments. She ruins the beauty of these older homes. The" After" of the "Before and After" is not much better. Mostly white walls and gold fixtures looks tacky to me..and not all historic because she rips everything out. The staging furniture and art work is ugly.

Seriously, a joke

[christinielsen · 4/10 · 23 February 2021]

I can't take anything Tamara Day says as credible. Since when is it ok to "work" any construction site in high heeled boots and skinny jeans. Her self taught "expertise" is a long way off. Her kitchens are a joke and the staging is so crowed it often looks like packrats live in the newly renovated house. What on earth was HHTV thinking?

Ugly designs

[jfaulkner-20019 · 1/10 · 29 April 2020]

Very busy, ugly designs. I tried to give this show a chance because HGTV shows are fun, inspiring, and entertaining. This one falls very short.

No taste

[clairmarlo · 1/10 · 15 May 2020]

I'm sorry, but I think Tamara has no taste. Her projects don't come out with any finesse. Her choices for materials are awful and look cheap. She just doesn't have an eye for layout or decorating. I live in Kansas City and I'm embarrassed. Find someone who has some talent please.

Very disappointing

[jcqlnfonnesbeck · 6 May 2020]

As others are saying, this is definitely NOT restoration, but renovation. I watch in horror and disbelief at Day as she says she is in the process of restoring and bringing these beautiful and neglected stately mansions back to former glory. What she says and what she inevitably does, is the opposite of restoration. I have watched her over many episodes. And each and every time, I watch with increasing angst as she successfully makes her way, with methodical and very detailed intent, to destroy every last vestige of vintage beauty that these houses had. I have given her opportunity to redeem herself more than she deserves, and each and every time, I am sick by the end of every episode. I won't watch this show anymore.

Great show

[christinnickens · 7/10 · 30 May 2020]

I love this show but would love to see her do a home split up in apartments

Avoid at all Costs!!

[brettsonning · 1/10 · 14 January 2019]

This show is not at all what it should be. Tamara buys these beautiful mansions just to rip out all of the 19th and 20th century charm. It defiantly hurts my heart to see her paint over the original wood work, reconfigure floor layout to destroy all signs of the home's original plans, and paint stately brick buildings with a "whitewash". Although her homes end up very nice in the end, she has no sense or care for original features. Poor choices in light fixtures and not historically accurate tile/counter picks just add to the frustration of watching this show. In addition to all this, she is not that good on camera. She seems to try too hard when explaining something and it is very cringe worthy. I feel terrible leaving such a poor review, but it is necessary to let others know that this show is not what it seems to be. I wish Tamara would change her views on her mansions and actually restore them instead of permanently changing them for the worse.

Renovation Show

[sullysdadever · 8/10 · 6 January 2018]

Bargain Mansions is Tamera Day and her dad purchasing huge outdated run down homes and renovating them to modern concepts. Sometimes she keeps an orginal design to the home but the rest is updated and ready to bring joy to a family once again. If the restoration of old homes is what you are looking for, then maybe you should take up that gauntlet yourself. Till that happens, I will continue to enjoy Bargain Mansions.

Incredibly wasteful

[wallaceduncan · 6/10 · 20 June 2023]

I HATE that Tamara and her team routinely and needlessly destroy items being taken out of houses being redesigned, by intentionally smashing them with sledge hammers for the camera. They should be removing them carefully and donating to Habitat for Humanity or another such organization, or is it her thing to just want fully destroy perfectly good things.

She makes no attempt to be conscious of this, and it is enough to turn anyone off. Her arrogant "I'm better than you" personality is also. When she brings her girlfriends over to view her redesigned construction, the pompous attitude she displays is nauseating.

I wanted so badly to like this

[Niceguy71653 · 3/10 · 7 March 2019]

As a Kansas City Native I really wanted to like her show, but as someone with deep background in Construction and renovation I just can't. She destroys the historical character of old homes. For others there's nothing special about either her designs or decorating . Then there's the "surprises" that any professional would see early in. And why in the hell does she always do the first floor before the second? Don't know how her dad stays with her. He seems very knowledgeable. All in all this show is historically bad. I'm not sure why someone thought having her host the show was a good idea but it's just another face on another HGTV fail.

I, Me, Mine!!!

[denisej-72094 · 8/10 · 13 May 2020]

Tamara...please! There are too many "I" 's in your conversation. It's a team effort, but according to your descriptions, YOU do it all. I'm not sure why you call in your Dad and others for their advice/guidance...because you never ask for it. You just prattle on about you. As your Dad said once , " I'm not sure why I'm even here." Good question, Dad! Think of other ways to describe a design...or a vision. Try to stay away from the "I" so much.

Don't waste your time!!

[debbiedoo-70048 · 1/10 · 11 May 2020]

This lady has no clue about Interior Design or decorating!!! I wanted to like this show because I live in KC but I just can't. She states she is a self-taught designer but I don't know what she taught herself with. The principles of design are completely ignored and her decorating is atrocious!!! She has no concept of the working triangle in a kitchen. In one episode she placed the fridge in the pantry and completely ruined the function of the kitchen. There is no harmony or balance in what she does. In this same kitchen she had tile with brass inlays and put it all over the kitchen walls with open shelving and three completely different style light fixtures. It was gawd awful. There was absolutely no harmony or balance.

I posted on her FB page and boy did I catch flack from her "fans". I was made fun of for having gone to a local community college where I earned an Associates in Interior Design, which, by the way, most designers only have an Associates, if they have any credentials at all. She could certainly learn a great deal by going to school. I just can't watch this woman destroy these beautiful old homes.

Pop Corn

[nancybattista · 1/10 · 13 May 2020]

Please explain how you can remodel anything in this day and age and not remove the pop corn ceiling. This girl is an embarrassment to HGTV.

Horrible taste

[megsmith-33694 · 1/10 · 22 April 2020]

The furnishings and decorative items she chooses are cheap, ugly and overdone. Once is enough!

STOP IT

[Moviephile78 · 1/10 · 17 April 2019]

Stop ruining old houses!!! Just stop it! Stop painting over wood. Leave the original woodwork alone. All these shows really stink. I suggest watching Rehab Addict. She knows what she's doing.

What were they thinking?

[renaegoysich · 3 June 2020]

This is such a horrible show. There is absolutely no design taste at all, it's a mish mosh of textures and colors that don't go together and what's up with the brass in everything? The staging is cluttered and the art work is hideous. I was so looking forward to watching this show and watched several episodes hoping it would get better, but it only got worse. Honestly, what was HGTV thinking? They need to remove this show it's an embarrassment

An overall good show.

[tbmaupin · 8/10 · 29 May 2019]

What everyone who's rated this show poorly doesn't seem to understand is that even reality tv shows are scripted up to a certain point... Without personally knowing the show's host, Tamara Day, it is impossible to conclude the extent at which she is physically involved with the labor that goes into these homes. Maybe she is purely the brains behind the operation? Maybe she actually does get down and dirty, but it's primarily off camera? Maybe the latter contributes to the overall appeal or aesthetic of the show and is completely intentional? Regardless, the show is fun to watch-a few episodes at a time-and Mrs. Day does a good job at owning the show's brand; meanwhile, she seems to enjoy what she does pretty genuinely. As far as the renovation vs. restoration debacle is concerned-the homes didn't attract buyers and weren't selling before the updates were made, so she's obviously doing something right!

What a joke

[gjkrulick · 1/10 · 22 August 2018]

Seriously, this show is a joke. Semi pretty middle aged girl uses her hubby's loot to buy homes, immediately hires her father that is clearly a legit GC (sweet kickback bro) and then proceeds to destroy beautiful old homes. Im laughing at her showing up repeatedly in heels and a a "vintage leather coat" to "help my guys out" by painting two strokes on a shutter, or throwing one screw into a crappy fabricated garage door. Bahahaha. Im sure the guys doing the actual work are super pumped when she shows up.... dont get me started on what others have already reviewed regarding how she literally destroys the history of what was a fantastic home that was lovingly built by an individual that i promise is now rolling in his grave.

Best show

[hobgoodte · 10/10 · 2 September 2021]

Absolutely love the show and u. Can't wait for a new season to come out on television.

Not up to par

[nancybattista · 1/10 · 6 May 2020]

I just watched an episode where the kitchen did not have a refridgerator. Instead it was in an adjoining room that was a pantry. And the house is going to be listed for half million. And no bathroom has less than five different, very different, tiles. And she covered the hardwood floors with really cheap wall to wall carpeting in some of the bedrooms. Really seems very talentless on the decorating side.

What a waste

[kellibruce · 1/10 · 10 May 2020]

Dressed in heels and tight jeans this woman guts historic homes and throws tile everywhere but manages to squeeze some brass in between to make the homes gaudy enough to make you think Tammy Lee Baker's makeup artist was the designer. It is possible to make an older home open concept or even partially open without destroying the architectural integrity of the property. Many other designers do it! I realize this is scripted, so I don't blame the host, but the director or production team needs to stop having her pretend to be assisting with the actual construction. If she does know what she's doing she is bad at doing it on camera. I was the lone female on many commercial and residential construction sites and I can tell you that OSHA would have a fit if they saw some of the clothes she's wearing while welding, running equipment or even swinging a hammer! It's just not believable. Overall, cheap looking design, unbelievable host, renovation show rather than the restoration it claims to be and just an overall waste. It's a shame because it would be nice to see someone actually restore neglected properties!

Ruins Craftsman Home

[ohappytrailsu · 1/10 · 29 April 2018]

I was reluctant to review Bargain Mansions because I think it is a so-so show, but not great. What set me to write this one was watching the April 28th, 2018 program where Tamera Day remodels a beautiful 1909 Craftsman. I love Craftsman homes and this one was no exception, until Tamera remodeled it. Everyone knows what makes Craftsman homes so beautiful and that is the wood. Rich textures of wood is essential for a Craftsman. She utterly painted almost all the wood white. Yes, cringe, all white.The outside she painted a strange blue color with white trim. It looked about as Craftsman as a Caribbean seaside beach house. It looked awful. To top it off, she put the most hideous modern gray wallpaper in it and in the laundry was what looked like an extremely ugly, huge flowery gray wallpaper, that looked like a throw back to the 1980s. She then added a super yellow paint color to the windows in the laundry. There was no beautiful wood to be seen - anywhere. No stained glass, not even in the front door. She used mostly modern light fixtures. The rooms didn't fair well either. The kitchen wasn't anything like a Craftsman including an ugly black soap-stone. Ugh! I just had to cringe when she went pulling out and replacing modern by and large everywhere. I get it needed updating and no doubt it had been majorly neglected, but what looked like like a grand elegant Craftsman mansion now looked tiny and quite honestly like one of those fake Craftsman homes you will see in a new neighborhood made to look historic, but is anything but that. I was so disappointed in the result, I don't think I could bring myself to ever watch any future shows. One star for her keeping the yard light and dining room wallpaper.

This is a renovation show not a restoration show

[cassandragilby · 1/10 · 19 December 2017]

This show hurts my heart. She rips out a lot of the original character in these beautiful old homes to compensate for a modern open concept. This absolutely infuriates me when people do this to century homes. Then she always decorates in grey scale, again a decor that is more modern. I wish the DIY network came out with a show that actually focused on restoring the original plans of a century home, including the floor layout ( more shows like restored and rehab addict). If the sound of "Get rid of this wall" and "Open concept" in relation to an older home makes you cringe, then stay away. This lady needs to stop doing this to these beautiful old homes and stick to newer builds if she wants to continue doing open concept.

Best Duo Of All Time On HGTV

[morganshecca · 10/10 · 1 December 2020]

I like how they are able to budget and complete a whole house exterior and interior and she always stays on budget ... Also she's not afraid of color amd knows how to pair it well ......No other show can top Bargain Mansions