Expert insights from Bryan Baeumler

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This article was published 08/04/2022 (1303 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

This article was curated by editors from the Free Press advertising department.

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Have you ever wondered what actually goes on behind the scenes on reality TV renovation shows?

HGTV Canada personality Bryan Baeumler will offer a glimpse into that world when he takes the stage at the Winnipeg Home and Garden Show.

These days, Baeumler spends his time travelling between Canada, Florida and the Bahamas for shooting Season 4 of Island of Bryan. This binge-worthy show follows the path of Baeumler and his wife Sarah, who moved their family to an undeveloped Bahamian island to renovate a dilapidated beach resort.

“It’s a really transformative season for our family as we’re spending more time travelling back and forth to the island, settling the kids in South Florida and continuing to manage and expand our businesses,” he says.

“One fun thing I’ve done this year is finally taken the time to finish my pilot’s licence and get a small airplane to help us get back and forth. We’re currently in the island with Sarah, Lincoln and Josephine and I flew us all over — it was a fun trip!”

For attendees at the Winnipeg Home and Garden Show, Baeumler will offer an inside look into his unique adventures while also taking the time to answer questions that are closer to home.

“I like to let people peek behind the curtain of television construction, share some stories of nightmares we’ve encountered while renovating, talk a little bit about the island, and really focus on where people should be spending their money in order to increase the value of and reduce the operations costs of their home, thereby creating real value,” he says.

“I also love to interact with the crowd and take a lot of questions to see what people want to know.”

For those looking to enhance their outdoor living space, the DIY expert offers a few words of wisdom.

“Over the past couple years, people have been spending a lot more time at home,” he says.

“Part of enjoying your property is to create seating or entertaining areas outside with decks, patios, covered areas or even outdoor kitchens.”

When working on yard improvements, it’s important to prevent pitfalls by grading the soil away from your home’s foundation, Baeumler adds. That way, you can avoid putting too much pressure on waterproofing and exposing any existing weaknesses that could lead to a leak in your basement.

“Don’t plant trees with spreading roots too close to your home or exhausting plumbing lines or you could end up with roots making their way into them and causing blockages,” he notes.

At the same time, Baeumler points to opportunities to add personal touches to your own outdoor oasis.

“There’s a lot of things you can do to spice up your yard, from as simple as creating some planting areas and introducing a few bushes and flowers to building features like planting boxes, walkways and focal points with rocks, gazebos or even small starting areas,” he says.

“It’s all about filling in blank space. If you’re strategic about tree placement, you can also help block that hot summer sun from windows to help keep your home cool in the summer and save on air conditioning costs.”

Baeumler will share more insights at the Winnipeg Home and Garden Show, which runs from April 7 to 10 at the RBC Convention Centre. He will be on the IKEA Main Stage on Friday, April 8 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 9 at 1 p.m.