It’s been a whirlwind six weeks of creative renovations and breathtaking Colorado mountain views, but Battle on the Mountain closed out its first season in downright style this weekend, crowning the $50,000 winners.
In the first season finale, it was all hands on deck (literally) as the teams tackled their final big renovation: Exteriors. With whatever budget they had left from their initial $100,000, Team Myles, Team Wolfe, and Team Rico hustled hard to complete their homes in just five days. Meanwhile, Alison Victoria, Taniya Nayak and Ty Pennington returned to judge the builds and award a bonus $3,000.
But that wasn’t all. After crowning a challenge winner and with only hours to go, the judges then awarded each team an extra $3,000 to put the finishing touches on their spaces. With the realtors ready to evaluate each team’s progress and determine who had increased their home’s value the most, it was an all-out mountain battle. Here’s how it went down:
Team Myles
Lymari and Tony have been itching to get rid of their crumbling deck, which Kim Myles appropriately dubbed “The Deck of Doom.” So they had sacrificed a lot of their interior builds in order to scrounge together $22,000 for a brand new one.
The good news was that their deck was gorgeous. It fit into their Rocky Mountain Scandinavian vibe perfectly and added overall value to the house. The bad news was that they failed to put as much thought into their other exterior builds.
The judges felt as though there wasn’t enough exterior lighting to really highlight the space post-sundown, and that the team didn’t necessarily use the space they did create in a useful way. Furniture looks nice, after all, but it’s the builds that truly add value.
So, as part of their finishing touches, Lymari and Tony added string lights to the deck and a bit of additional landscaping for curb appeal. They also added a service window for an easy pass-through from the kitchen.
On the inside, they finished the bathroom that haunted them during their quick build, finally completing the interior space.
Related: 10 Simple Ways to Add Value to Your Home’s Exterior
Team Rico
Stephen and David were in a good spot heading to their outdoor build thanks to a deck that mostly just needed new paint. So, with the bones intact, they set about creating other big visual changes while crafting a better side entrance with a new porch and portico.
Below, they also created a firepit area with logs for seats and a bench swing, inviting guests to hang out for a little marshmallow-roasting session. Unfortunately, their $11,000 budget didn’t allow them to install the hot tub they wanted, especially when some wayward trees threatened to damage the property. So they removed the trees and skipped the soaker, which seemed to disappoint Rico León most of all.
The judges were impressed but wondered why the team put so little thought into the actual firepit area. The built-in swing was great, but they felt Stephen and David could have also added some Muskoka chairs and landscaping.
So, with their extra $3,000, the team added those elements. They also did some light patching and installed tape light in the kitchen, which wound up being a unique element the judges absolutely loved.
Related: 20 Indoor and Outdoor Plants That Will Flower in the Winter
Team Wolfe
Kim Wolfe’s team worked hard to close up the exterior window they had eliminated earlier in the season with siding and a matching stain on the upstairs deck. They also created an outdoor kitchen and dining area.
Beyond that, Amber and Trey had the most ambitious vision of the final challenge: Building a second deck below the first that extended the living space even more. It was a tall task that created several challenges throughout the episode, but the gamble was well worth it.
Below, they created a ground-level deck from the basement walkout that featured a bar and daybed swing. They also used the existing hot tub in the design to really bring it all home. Not too bad for an $8,500 budget!
Although the judges wished the upstairs kitchen had been built into the deck a little more, they fell in love with the second deck Team Wolfe created. The build landed the team the challenge win and an extra $3,000.
For their gap fillers, Amber and Trey built the barbecue into the kitchen and tried to hide the electrical box outside with paint. They also added lighting to the top deck and added hardware to their kitchen cabinets. The most triumphant moment, however, came when Amber went dumpster diving and found the showerhead for the bathroom they had previously lost. The find allowed the team to finally finish off the shower without spending any extra money.
Related: Meet the Teams of Rock the Block Season 5
And the Winner Is…
The judges seemed to love all three properties and their unique renovations, but on Battle on the Mountain it’s all about return on investment. So, five realtors came in to assess each property’s new overall value. The team with the biggest return percentage would be the winner.
In the end, all three teams managed to increase their property values by more than 30 percent. But it was Stephen and David and their thoughtful black-and-green design that easily won the challenge. They increased their property’s value by 41.19 per cent, landing them the $50,000 prize.
“We pushed ourselves so hard for six weeks, no sleep, so much design, so much work and it all paid off,” they said upon learning the news.
“This is all you guys, this is all you,” added Rico. “I’ve never seen such styled craftsmanship done so quickly… I’m blessed, I was lucky to have you guys!”
Watch the full season of Battle on the Mountain on HGTV Canada, also available to Stream Live or On-Demand with STACKTV. Try it free today!
