Let me first say that I'm an avid viewer of HGTV programs. I LOVE most of the shows, Devine Design, House Hunters, Get It Sold, and Designed to Sell are my favs. The one show that I cannot stand to watch is Hidden Potential. HGTV, give your viewers some credit...we're intelligent. We know that most buyers wouldn't buy a house that needed MAJOR renovations; that your architect's renovations are NEVER completed; and that the "buyers" don't actually buy the home that they select. In my opinion, there is NOTHING dramatic about seeing home renovations displayed on a laptop. What's the point? I know the show is called Hidden Potential, but that's exactly what it is...hidden. Viewers never get to see the actual transformation.

Question:
Why hasn't Hidden Potential been canceled?
Does anyone actually watch Hidden Potential?

Choices:
Don't know
Not me

 

I have always thought this is not very believable. Now if they want to make it believable why not show the "after" version also.
Why not have a follow up show with all the renovations?
Or don't the couples really buy these houses? Aren't any of them finished with the remodels? Come on HGTV finish what you have started. Show the final results!!!!

Yesterday I was on the treadmill and Hidden Potential was on I tried to watch it but ended up changing the channel. I agree seeing a design on a laptop does nothing for me.

Yes, lets see the after

I agree 100%. If the producers could demonstrate one, just one "contestant" that implemented the designers plan, then I would be a believer. These pie in the sky plans and designs are total nonsense.

Oddly enough, Hidden Potential is one of my favorite shows. I think it has to do with the visual creativity required to envision the changes to begin with, and the design skills to make them fit seamlessly and appropriately into the architectural style of the original house. Whether or not the house chosen is actually purchased and renovated as shown is unimportant to me. I just admire the skills required, and the impressive final computerized reveals of each home. For me, it's always entertaining. Luckily, my TV doesn't comment on the channels I prefer to watch, and the remote ALWAYS obeys my commands.

I like watching the show only to see the major tranformation of what could be.

However, to pull off the before and after they show for the amount of money they quote, I think, are 2 different shows. It's very, very rare that you would come to budget on these. Most likely, very OVER budget. You never know what you will come up against when you start tearing things apart.

I think it's a dangerous show in light of the real estate situation these days.

quote:

Originally posted by sbussard:
In my opinion, there is NOTHING dramatic about seeing home renovations displayed on a laptop. What's the point? I know the show is called Hidden Potential, but that's exactly what it is...hidden. Viewers never get to see the actual transformation.

The purpose of the show, is to showcase the application of enhanced, stand-of-the-art, computer graphics, onto the design of a home. Or in this case, the renovation of a home.

Remember when an architect would show a client just some two-dimensional blue prints, and possibly add a hand drawn sketch or two?

Today, using computer graphics, an architect can actually build a virtual world, and take the client for a walk in that virtual world.

However, if the show did only that, it would be rather boring. Something only a "computer nerd" might find interesting.

So, they tried to ground the show with a story or plot line. That being, someone is shopping for a home, and would consider renovating an existing house into their dream house.

Again, the purpose is NOT to actually renovate a house (there are other shows that do that). The purpose is to show off how computer graphics has changed the design process.

I enjoy seeing what could be done with the homes, but I have to laugh when they tell these people that they are going to be able to do these renovations for a given amount.

Everybody knows that it always costs twice what you think it will going in. I agree with the posters who have said that they'd like to see cases where someone has actually bought the home and made the renovations.

When I found this message board, I was actually searching to see if there were cases where people who were on the show were complaining about having gotten into bad situations, because they believed that they could actually do what the show had said (and for the predicted **$).

I didn't see anything like that, but maybe that's further proof that the people don't even buy the houses.

I've NEVER liked Hidden Potential. The designer gets on my nerves, the host gets on my nerves and the show's concept just doesn't do it for me. A good show like Weekend Warriors gets cancelled but this ridiculous show lingers on! When it comes on, I change channels. Sorry HGTV but you REALLY dropped the ball on this one!

I love Hidden Potential.

Can you imagine how far in advance the architects on Hidden Potential have to see the property in order to design and cost the "after"? I'm with LmDearing -- bring back Weekend Warriors. Now there's a program every homeowner can relate to!!!

I agree with most of you about the potential of this show. I don't see the point of this show. The price to remodel the house is outrageous. I'd rather buy a newer house. Showing what it could be after the remodelling only looks nice on the laptop. Why does a show like this air on prime time?

Is anyone out there a fan of Color Splash? Why was it moved to saturday? To me, this is the show that should air on prime time. David is a genius. IN addition to his afternoon shows and weekends, this show deserves a prime time slot. Maybe after all the other shows on the other major networks are over, CS can be shown one of those nights.

I have to agree I don't watch Hidden Potential because it annoys me that they don't show "after". It's a let down to not see what the buyers have or have not done.

They never can SHOW the after....because there IS no after! It is PURELY fiction.

They drag an inexperienced young couple who "supposedly" are in the market for a home at a high target price. They choose from only 3 homes (they did not pick), and buy one based on a computer layout and a couple of "actors" guessing prices for structural remodeling will eventually be in their budget?

I also dislike the show a great deal. It isn't believable and I'm a computer nerd who doesn't even find the graphics on the laptop interesting. However, that free 30 minutes gives me a minute to use my DVR and watch something I "choose" to watch and not miss a good program like Color Splash, Designed to Sell (with Lisa & Clive) and a few others that are good. If I didn't have my DVR I guess I'd go iron the cloths because I sure wouldn't watch that show! Sorry HGTV... it's a miss.

I used to watch that show for one reason only... Brandie Malay, the former host. She had a great knack for dressing and was very easy to watch. The designs weren't bad either!

I have the same questions/peeves about the show as y'all do. By the time they redo the house they could spend the money on something better to begin with. Those construction estimates seem way too low for my area. So do we know for sure that these couples are never buying the houses, just choosing a design plan for the show? I've often wondered, as some of them seem to be discriminating-type buyers, and many of the houses are pure disasters - often with structural problems too .