House Rules (2013 TV series)

House Rules

Company type	Television program
Industry	Reality television
Founded	April 14, 2013 (2013-04-14)
Headquarters	Australia
Area served	Australia
Products	Reality TV series

House Rules is a reality television program from Australia that airs on the Seven Network. The series showcases pairs representing different states who renovate each other's residences, with the team achieving the highest score receiving a grand reward. Created by the producers behind My Kitchen Rules, it first aired on 14 April 2013 and gradually attracted a larger viewership. The eighth installment premiered on 6 April 2020.

In October 2020, Seven Network opted not to continue the show for a ninth season but left open the potential for its comeback. Subsequently, in October 2021, Seven revealed plans for a spin-off named Apartment Rules, originally intended for release in 2022; however, as of June 2025, this project has yet to commence production.

Format

Primarily composed of couples from different Australian states, teams compete through successive rounds focused on renovating homes and gardens to claim a grand prize. Throughout the competition, participants’ houses undergo significant transformations.

Format changes

In the second season, Wendy Moore and Joe Snell took over garden judging duties from Jim Fogarty. Season five introduced judges Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Drew Heath alongside Wendy Moore, while Joe Snell exited. During season seven, Jamie Durie replaced Drew Heath on the judging panel. The eighth season featured Jamie Durie as host with Abbey Gelmi joining as co-host; Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen was joined by new judges Kyly Clarke and Saul Myers.

Prize offerings shifted over time: from mortgage repayments awarded during seasons one through four to monetary rewards thereafter—$200,000 in season five; $355,000 in season six based on auction profits of a renovated property; $250,000 in season seven; and $100,000 in season eight.

For seasons one to four, grand finals were broadcast live with winners decided by a combination of judges’ scores and audience voting. Starting with season five, victors have been determined exclusively by judges’ evaluations without live final events.

Hosts and judges

Timeline of hosts, judges, and personnel

Hosts	Seasons
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Carolyn Burn-McCrave	colspan="8" Template:Yes2
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen					colspan=4 Template:Yes2
Jamie Durie							Template:Yes2	Template:Yes2
Abbey Way								Template:Yes2
Kyly Clarke								Template:Yes2
Saul Myers								Template:Yes2
Johanna Griggs	colspan="7" Template:Yes2
Wendy Moore	colspan="7" Template:Yes2
Joe Snell	colspan="4" Template:Yes2
Chester Drife	colspan="2" Template:Yes2
Jim Fogarty	colspan="1" Template:Yes2
Drew Heath					colspan=2 Template:Yes2

Judges

At the conclusion of each renovation, judges assign scores out of 10 for every area of the house. Starting from the second season, judges began delivering their evaluations directly to the contestants.

Judge	Profession	Seasons active
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen	International Design Stylist	Seasons 5–8
Kyly Clarke	Interior Designer	Season 8
Saul Myers	Home Builder	Season 8
Jim Fogarty	Garden Judge	Season 1
Joe Snell	Architect/Designer	Seasons 1–4
Drew Heath	Architect	Seasons 5–6
Wendy Moore	Editor of Home Beautiful magazine	Seasons 1–7
Jamie Durie	Landscaper	Season 7

Experts

Experts assist the teams throughout their renovations by providing guidance to ensure design and construction consistency, as well as mediating any disputes between team members.

Expert	Profession	Seasons active
Carolyn Burns-McCrave	Interior Designer	Seasons 1–8
Chester Drife	Build Supervisor	Seasons 1–2

Series details

style= "background:#ACE1AF; height:10px;"|

Season		Title	Number of Episodes	Original Broadcast Dates		Outcome
				Premiere Date	Finale Date	Winning Team	Prize Awarded
	Template:Center	House Rules 2013	28	14 May 2013 (2013-05-14)	1 July 2013 (2013-07-01)	Carly Schulz & Leighton Brow	Full Mortgage Payment
	Template:Center	House Rules 2014	37	30 April 2014 (2014-04-30)	6 July 2014 (2014-07-06)	Adam Dovile & Lisa Lamond
	Template:Center	House Rules 2015	39	5 May 2015 (2015-05-05)	20 July 2015 (2015-07-20)	Steve & Tiana Falzon
	Template:Center	Crowded House Rules	35	27 April 2016 (2016-04-27)	3 July 2016 (2016-07-03)	Luke & Cody Cook
	Template:Center	House Rules 2017	35	30 April 2017 (2017-04-30)	9 July 2017 (2017-07-09)	Aaron & Daniella Winter	\$200,000
	Template:Center	House Rules 2018	46	7 May 2018 (2018-05-07)	30 July 2018 (2018-07-30)	Toad Heffernan & Mandy Stone	\$355,000
	{{center 7}} House Rules 2019	43 | Template:Start date df=yes 2019 4 28 | Template:End date df=yes 2019 7 23 | Pete & Courtney Tserbis | \$250,000 |
{{center House Rules season 8}} High Stakes	30 | Template:Start date df=yes 2020 4 6 | Template:End date df=yes 2020 6 7 | Kimmy & Rhi Harris | \$100,000 |

Season	style="width:5%;" Premiere Date	style="width:5%;" Finale Date	style="width:10%;" Champions	style="width:10%;" Runners-up	style="width:40%;" Additional Contestants (order of elimination)

Phase 1: Interior Makeover

Six teams journeyed across the country to redesign each other’s homes. Each week, one team surrendered their residence for a comprehensive interior overhaul, following specific 'House Rules' provided by the owners to optimize scores from judges and homeowners. This phase concluded with the elimination of one team.

Phase 2: 24-Hour Room Renovation

Teams returned to their own residences to update a selected area within a strict 24-hour timeframe. They were required to infuse their personal style while adhering to a consistent set of five regulations. Scores from this challenge were added to overall totals, resulting in the departure of the lowest-ranked team.

Phase 3: Exterior and Garden Transformations

The leading four teams undertook renovations on the outdoor spaces and gardens of rival teams’ homes. Two teams collaborated on each property, working on either the front or back yard along with exterior enhancements. Following these rounds, the team with the least points was eliminated.

Phase 4: Charity Home Project

Starting from season two, the top three teams participated in renovating an old charity property. Zones were assigned by random draw, and after completion, the two highest scoring teams progressed to the Grand Final while one team was eliminated.

Grand Final: Final Room Renovations & Public Voting

The last two teams completed an additional room makeover in their opponent’s home. The overall winner was determined by combining judges’ scores with public voting results, which were revealed during a live broadcast.

Phase 1: Auction Property Renovation

Teams were given seven days to refurbish a house intended for auction; the final sale price influenced the prize money for the season. Although teams followed judges’ guidelines, no eliminations took place during this phase.

Phase 2: Interior Renovation

Seven teams traveled across the nation, renovating each other’s homes according to owner-specified 'House Rules' aimed at impressing both judges and homeowners. At the end of this phase, one team was eliminated.

Phase 3: Backyard Renovations

The six remaining teams revamped exteriors and gardens of competitors’ homes over three rounds, focusing on front yards, backyards, and house exteriors. After these challenges, three teams with the lowest scores were eliminated.

Phase 4: Give Back Round (Semi-Final)

The final three teams spent four days renovating an entire house belonging to a contestant experiencing hardship. The team with the lowest score was eliminated, while the other two advanced to the Grand Final.

Grand Final (Front Yard Makeovers)

In the concluding stage, the last two teams redesigned each other’s front yards. The series winner was determined by which team received the highest judges’ score.

Phase 1: Warehouse Apartment Challenge

Teams had three days to renovate individual rooms within a warehouse apartment located above their new base of operations. The team achieving the highest score earned an advantage for the upcoming interior renovation phase.

Phase 2: Interior Renovations

Six teams traveled nationwide to completely renovate each other’s homes. Each week featured one team handing over their house for a full interior transformation guided by homeowner 'House Rules' designed to maximize judges’ scores. One team was eliminated following this phase.

Phase 3: Give Back House Project

The remaining five teams renovated a home for a contestant facing adversity. The lowest scoring team was then eliminated from the competition.

Phase 4: Gardens & Exterior Spaces

During this phase, the leading four teams revamped the outdoor areas and gardens of each other's residences. Each home was assigned three teams (excluding its owners), who worked through four rounds to enhance designated garden zones and upgrade the home's exterior appearance. Upon completion, the team with the lowest score was eliminated, while the other three progressed to the Grand Final.

Grand Final

The remaining three teams were given a week to complete renovations on a loft apartment. The team achieving the highest score at the end of this challenge was declared the season winner.

Elimination Rounds

Beginning with eight teams, two were removed over the course of two rounds by refurbishing separate halves of a Gold Coast penthouse. After each round, the team with the lowest score was eliminated, leaving six teams to proceed into the main competition.

Interior Renovation

The six surviving teams traveled across the country to renovate each other’s homes, adhering to specific homeowner 'House Rules' that guided judging standards. This phase resulted in the elimination of two additional teams.

Grand Final

In the final stage, four teams renovated a Nano-Homes freight house without any demolition for an individual who had lost his residence due to unexpected events. Judges determined the winner based on scores awarded for this concluding project.

Season Summaries

Color Legend

Winner
Runner-up
Eliminated 
Withdrew 

Season 1 (2013)

Season 1 was broadcast from 14 April to 6 May 2013. The victors were South Australian couple Carly Schulz and Leighton Brow, who received a mortgage payoff valued at $460,000.

#	Team	Ages	Location	Relationship	Mortgage Debt	Outcome
1	Carly Schulz & Leighton Brow	31 & 32	Adelaide, SA	Couple (2 years)	$460,000	Winners
2	Michelle & Steve Ball	48	Sydney, NSW	Married for 27 years	$629,000	Runners-Up
3	Jemma Blenkinsop & Ben Van Ryt	26 & 27	Perth, WA	Newlyweds	$545,000	Phase 3 (Gardens-Round 2)
4	Nick & Chris Stavropoulos	22 & 27	Melbourne, VIC	Brothers	$524,000
5	Amy Garrett & Sean Cornish	30 & 26	Brisbane, QLD	Engaged couple	$300,000	Phase 2 (24 Hour Fix-Up)
6	Jane Polley & Plinio Taurian		Hobart, TAS	Married with children	$315,000	Phase 1 (Interior Renovation)

Season 2 (2014)

Season 2 premiered on 30 April 2014. The winning team was Victorian couple Adam Dovile and Lisa Lamond, who earned a mortgage payoff worth $520,000.

#	Team	Ages	Location	Relationship Status	Mortgage Balance	Result
1	Adam Dovile & Lisa Lamond	31 & 29	Melbourne, VIC	Engaged couple	$520,000	Winners
2	Carole & Russell Bramston	52 & 55	Perth, WA	Empty nesters	$290,000	Runners-Up
3	Candy Stuart & Ryan Pusic	26 & 29	Sydney, NSW	Partners	$400,000	Phase 4 (Charity House)
4	Maddi Carter and Lloyd Wright	27 & 28	Townsville, QLD	Soon-to-be married	$369,000	Phase 3 (Gardens-Round 2)
5	Michael Bamford & Mel Chatfield		Adelaide, SA	Newly dating	$380,000	Phase 2 (24 Hour Fix-Up)
6	Brooke Strong & Grant Lovekin		Huon Valley, TAS	Partners with seven children	$258,000	Phase 1 (Interior Renovation)

Season 3 (2015)

The third season received confirmation in 2014 and premiered on 5 May 2015.

This season concluded with the victory of Steve and Tiana Falzon from New South Wales, who earned the payoff of their $250,000 home loan.

#	Team	Ages	Location	Relationship	Mortgage	Outcome
1	Steve & Tiana Falzon	47 & 26	Sydney, NSW	Father and Daughter	$250,000	Champions
2	Ben & Danielle Edgeworth	32 & 31	Brisbane, QLD	Newlyweds	$405,000	Second Place
3	Bronik Davies & Corrine Ziemer	27 & 28	Melbourne, VIC	Melbourne Couple	$448,000	Phase 4 (Charity House)
4	Ryan Rebbeck & Marlee Murphy	29 & 26	Adelaide, SA	Young Competitors	$229,000	Phase 3 (Gardens - Round 2)
5	Cassie Allan & Matt Smith	31 & —	Hobart, TAS	Tasmanian Duo	$248,000	Phase 2 (Holiday House)
6	Karina & Brian Day	42 & 44	Geraldton, WA	Married Couple with Children	$360,000	Phase 1 (Interior Renovation & 24 Hour Fix-Up)

Season 4 (2016)

Although Season 4 was greenlit in 2014, its broadcast was postponed from late 2015 to April 2016. This delay was due to an oversaturated renovation market and diminished viewership for Season 3. The season was subtitled "Crowded House rules" and primarily showcased couples raising families, with one exception.

Queensland siblings Luke and Cody Cook emerged as winners, receiving a mortgage payoff of $120,000.

#	Team	Ages	Location	Relationship	Mortgage	Outcome
1	Luke & Cody Cook	Both 23	Dalby, QLD	Twin Brothers from the Country	$120,000	Winners
2	Claire Lintzeris & Hagan Rice	28 & 27	Mornington Peninsula, VIC	Hairdresser and Plumber	$269,000	Runners-Up
3	Fil & Joe	45 & 48	Melbourne, VIC	Seasoned Renovators	$568,000	Phase 4 (Charity Unit Makeover)
4	Brooke & Michelle Fogden	43 & 42	Adelaide, SA	Landscaper and Graphic Designer	$426,000	Phase 3 (Gardens - Round 2)
5	Nancy & Daniel Frilay	—	Sydney, NSW	New Renovators	$500,000	bgcolor="tomato"| Phase 2 (24 Hour Fix-Up)
6	Rose & Rob Plater	29 &41	Rockingham , WA	Navy Parents	$342 ,000	bgcolor ="tomato"| Phase1 (Interior Renovation)

Season 5 (2017)

The fifth season of House Rules opened its application period from 1 June to 30 July 2016 via the official Seven Network website. Johanna Griggs resumed her role as host, with the series officially announced in October 2016. This installment welcomed two fresh judges: internationally renowned design stylist Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and acclaimed Australian architect Drew Heath, who joined returning judge Wendy Moore. Joe Snell did not participate this season. The premiere aired on 30 April 2017.

The Queensland duo Aaron & Daniella Winter emerged as the champions, earning a prize of $200,000.

Team		Ages	Location	Relationship	Outcome
1	Aaron & Daniella Winter	31 & 38	Gold Coast, QLD	Couple from Gold Coast	Winners
2	Kate Whiting & James “Harry” Harris	29 & 32	Adelaide, SA	Teacher and Carpenter	Runners-up
3	Andrew & Jono King	27	Mandurah, WA	Twin Geeks	Eliminated Phase 4 (Charity Unit Makeover)
4	Sean Mackay & Ella Cuthbert	24	Hobart, TAS	Engaged Paramedics	Eliminated Phase 3 (Gardens - Round 2)
5	Fiona Taylor & Nicole Prince	44	Lake Fyan, VIC	Best Friends	Eliminated Phase 2 (24 Hour Fix-Up)
6	Troy Campbell & Bec Herning	46 & 39	Heckenberg, New South Wales	Hardworking Couple	Eliminated Phase 1 (Interior Renovation)

Season 6 (2018)

Confirmed in June 2017, Season 6 opened applications from 3 June to 31 August on the official House Rules website. The season was officially announced in October of the same year and marked a first with seven teams competing instead of six. It debuted on television on 7 May 2018.

Team		Ages	Location	Relationship	Outcome
1	Toad Heffernan & Mandy Stone	32 & 28	Candelo, NSW	Engaged Dairy Farmers	Winners
2	Dave & Mel Willmot	34 & 32	Hope Island, QLD	Married Entrepreneurs	Runners-up
3	Chiara & David Clarson	32 & 38	Yangebup, WA	Married Hot-tempered Couple	Eliminated Phase 3 (Give Back Makeover)
4	Josh & Brandon Jarius	23 &21	Maryborough, QLD	Carpenter Siblings	Eliminated Phase 2 (Back Yards)
=5	Kim & Michelle	59 &27	Tweed Heads, NSW	Mother and Daughter
	Jared Petrenko & Jessica Dover	28 &25	Adelaide, SA	Dating for Two Years
7	Leigh & Kristie Treeby	33 &36	Rye, Victoria	Competitive Partners	Eliminated Phase 1 (Interior Renovation)

Season 7 (2019)

Applications for Season 7 were announced in June 2018 and remained open until early September on the official website. The season’s confirmation came in October of that year. Jamie Durie joined as a new judge this season, replacing Drew Heath. Filming commenced in November 2018, with the season premiering on 28 April 2019.

The victorious pair from Victoria, Pete & Courtney Tserbis, secured $250,000 in prize money.

Team		Ages	Location	Relationship Status	Result
1	Pete & Courtney Tserbis	32 &31	Ferntree Gully, VIC	Married Dance Instructors	Winners
2	Tim Clark & Mat Cassim	32 &27	Thornbury, VIC	Brothers from Melbourne	Runners-up
3	Lisa & Andy Carman	30 &32	Adelaide	Flight Attendant and Firefighter	Third Place
4	Shayn & Carly Clark	33 &31	Aroona, Queensland	Couple from the Sunshine Coast	Eliminated Phase 3 (Gardens & Exteriors)
5	Katie & Alex Middlemiss	29 &32	Gundaroo, NSW	Parents from a Small Town	Eliminated Phase 2 (Give Back House)
Mikaela & Eliza Greene	24 &21	Yallingup, Western Australia	Sister Surfers	Eliminated Phase1 (Interior Renovation)

Season 8 (2020)

The application process for the eighth season commenced in November 2018 and was officially announced during the grand final of the seventh season on the House Rules website. In July 2019, after hosting for seven seasons, Johanna Griggs declared she would be stepping down from her hosting role. By September 2019, judge Wendy Moore also confirmed her exit from the show.

On 23 October 2019, the network confirmed the renewal of the series for its eighth installment, titled House Rules: High Stakes, which marked the first time eight teams competed simultaneously. This season introduced two new judges: interior designer Kyly Clarke and home builder Saul Myers, while Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen returned as a judge. Jamie Durie took over hosting duties from Griggs, accompanied by new co-host Abbey Gelmi.

The season's premiere aired on 6 April 2020, a day later than initially planned. The winning team was Tasmanian twins Kimmy and Rhi Harris, who secured a $100,000 cash prize.

Team		Ages	House	Relationship	Status
1	Kimmy & Rhi Harris	Both 31	Launceston, TAS	Twin Sisters	Winners
2	Kayne & Aimee Stanton	37 & 26	Cranbourne, VIC	Plumber Couple	Runners-Up
3	Laith Abu-Ali & George Batarseh	29 & 30	Sydney, NSW	Best Friends	Third Place
4	Tamara Grant & Rhys Bennett	28 & 29	Brisbane, QLD	Lawyer & Fitness Professional (Couple)	Fourth Place
5	Lenore McDermid & Bradley McLennan	55 & 31	Greystanes, NSW	Mother & Son	Eliminated (Interior Renovation)
6	Tanya & Dave Dawes	38 & 36	Perth, WA	Married with Children	Eliminated (Interior Renovation)
-	Susan & Anthony Lobriza	31 & 27	Berwick, VIC	Married Cheerleaders	Eliminated (Elimination Round 2)
-	Carly & Andrew	38 & 46	Brisbane, QLD	Married Straight Shooters	Withdrew (Elimination Round 1)

Viewership

The inaugural season launched with an audience of 803,000 viewers. Throughout its run, the show’s audience expanded notably, culminating in a finale viewership of 1.53 million and reaching 1.83 million during the winner’s announcement. When including regional viewership figures, these numbers increased to 2.42 million and 2.86 million respectively.

Season two premiered to an audience of 1.18 million viewers, securing its position as the top-rated entertainment program for that evening. The finale attracted 1.73 million viewers, while the winner's reveal drew nearly two million (1.98 million), with regional totals climbing to 2.75 million and 3.12 million.

The third season began with a viewership of 791,000 but experienced growth towards the end of the season with a finale audience of 1.09 million and a winner announcement viewership of 1.29 million; regional figures stood at 1.75 million and 1.99 million respectively.

Season four opened to a slightly lower audience of 718,000 viewers but saw an increase by its conclusion with a finale drawing in 1.14 million and the winner announcement reaching 1.19 million; regional viewership rose to an estimated 1.95 million and then to 2.14 million, surpassing previous seasons.

Season five recorded an improved premiere audience of one million viewers—second only to season two’s debut—but experienced a decline by the finale with just over one million (1.01 million) tuning in and only slightly more (1.14 million) for the winner announcement; regional numbers were comparatively lower at approximately 1.64 million and 1.84 million.

Season six registered its lowest premiere audience at just over half a million (607,000). The finale attracted only 853,000 viewers while the winner announcement reached just under one million (915,000); regional totals dropped to around 1.39 million and then to approximately 1.51 million.

Season	Episodes	Premiere			Finale					Ref.
		Date	Premiere Ratings (millions)	Rank	Date	Grand Final (millions)	Rank	Winner Announced (millions)	Rank
Template:Center	28	14 May 2013	0.803	11	1 July 2013	1.530	2	1.837	1
Template:Center	37	30 April 2014	1.183	2	6 July 2014	1.730	2	1.988	1
Template:Center	39	5 May 2015	0.791	11	20 July 2015	1.097	6	1.295	3
Template:Center 35	27 April 2016 0.718 style = "background:# F0 F8 FF "|10 3 July 2016 1.144 style = "background:# F0 F8 FF "|4	"|
Template:Center 35 30 April 2017 1.000 style = "background:# F0 F8 FF "|6 9 July 2017 1.007 style = "background:# F0 F8 FF "|5 1.142 style = "background:# F0 F8 FF "|4
Template:Center 46 7 May 2018 0.607 style = "background:# F0 F8 FF "|12 30 July 2018 0.853 style = "background:# F0 F8 FF "|9 0.915 style = "background:# F0 F8 FF "|6
Template:Center 43 28 April 2019 0.782 style = "background:#F0F8FF"| 6 23 July 2019 0.730 style = "background:#F0F8FF"| 9 n/a n/a
Template:Center 30 6 April 2020 0.660 style = "background:#F0F8FF"| 13 7 June 2020 0.585 style = "background:#F0F8FF"| 7

Reno Rumble

Reno Rumble was a reality television series that debuted on the Nine Network on 5 May 2015, showcasing competitions between teams from House Rules and teams from Nine's The Block. This program operated independently from the Seven Network and the original House Rules format, although it featured former contestants from House Rules who were no longer affiliated with Seven.

The show was renewed for a second season, which notably excluded any previous participants from either House Rules or The Block.

Broadcast Details

In Portugal, the program is broadcast daily at 11:00 p.m. on SIC Mulher since May 2016, while in Angola it airs twice daily at 1:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on SIC Mulher Internacional. In Belgium, it is shown on weekdays at 15:45 on vtm2.

In Spain, the series is presented as Reglas de casa and airs on TEN during weekends, from 11:30 a.m., with a runtime of approximately 15 hours each weekend day.

International Versions

The Netherlands developed their own adaptation of House Rules, produced by Skyhigh TV for the SBS channel Net 5, accompanied by a related spin-off titled Hotel Rules, which premiered in 2019.

An Irish adaptation is planned for broadcast on TV3.

Germany is in the process of creating a localized version produced by RedSeven Entertainment for the broadcaster Sat.1.

In New Zealand, broadcaster Three announced a domestic version of House Rules, slated to air in 2023. On 6 August 2023, details were revealed including the host, judges, and five competing teams, with the premiere scheduled for 10 September 2023 on Three.

See also

• The Block (Australian TV series)
• My Kitchen Rules
• The Renovators
• Reno Rumble

External links

• Official Show Site
• House Rules on 7plus