Grant Wood is a man who likes to take risks – in fact for kicks, he likes to ride a motorbike at 270kms per hour. It seems this theme also follows through when tackling a renovation. You see despite having never renovated before, Grant has gambled his family’s wealth (and his relationship) on turning a derelict house into a $100,000 profit.

Just six months ago Grant, his wife Michelle and their two boys lived happily in a beautiful renovated Californian bungalow when recently retrenched Grant decided that he needed a challenge of the renovation kind. So, they put their house on the market with the hope of finding a ‘renovators delight’. Just days after their house sold at auction, a derelict house directly across the road came up for sale. With rain falling through the roof as the auctioneer’s hammer fell the Grant’s paid $860,000 for the house. The house has not been lived in for 4 years and every single room, except the bathroom needs work. But Grant is hoping that a renovation will make it worth around one million dollars.

Grant readily admits that he is in way over his head, but for Grant, this is more than just a job with bricks and mortar, gyprock and paint, this is a personal challenge. And what a challenge it is.

Grant is hoping to renovate every room in the house – kitchen, bathrooms, living rooms and the deck outside in just two months and for $40,000.

However when Estate Agent John McGrath visited the house, John was a little worried that Grant was way off with his estimations. In fact, John’s assumption was that to complete the works to be carried out – it was closer to six months and $250,000k. It means that Grant’s plans for a quick job and a quick profit may not be possible.

As this renovation story unfolds time will tell, who was right.