Post House Rules reveal chat with contestants Brooke and Grant

Last night’s episode of House Rules had its fair share of controversy, with Tassie couple Brooke and Grant scoring contestants dramatically low for their zone makeovers.

“We didn’t know who had done what zones so it was definitely not personal,” says Brooke. “However, it was strategic. We’re on the bottom of the ladder and we needed to do what we could to move up again. So I guess we just had to see what we absolutely loved and we decided seven would be our top score and kind of went down from there.”

As a result, NSW couple Candy and Ryan, who had scored an eight and a nine from the judges, got a five from Brooke and Grant, allowing Carole and Russell to nab their second win, receiving a seven from the homeowners.

While the scores may not have been indicative, Brooke and Grant were overwhelmed by the transformation of their tiny two-and-a-half bedroom cottage into a huge family home for nine, which thanks to the extension, now has five bedrooms.

“We weren’t expecting the extension at all,” explains Brooke. “We hoped our patio area out the back would be enclosed so our laundry could be undercover but we had no idea they would actually rebuild!”

Yet it wasn’t just Brooke and Grant who loved the results; their seven kids were ecstatic to finally have their own spaces to enjoy. “They were so excited to get into their own rooms and have a look,” says Brooke. “They were all so surprised and really happy.”

Surprisingly there’s also been no fighting between the kids, with no one claiming that someone else’s room was better than theirs! “They’ve all been amazing,” says Brooke. “All been really grateful and happy with what they’ve been given. So thankfully, no fighting!”

While it’s all worth it now, Brooke admits that the week away from their home, while the others were doing the renovation, was the longest week of her life. “All you could do was just wait around and wonder what they were doing. Obviously being in the same state but not being able to see the kids, was hard as well.”

Having decided to enter the show after watching last year’s season, the couple hope to continue doing renovations long after the show’s over. “It is something we’ve always wanted to have a go at,” explains Brooke. “We definitely want to buy more houses and renovate them, so that’s why this experience was so perfect.”

Tune in tonight at 7.30pm as the teams make their way to Far North Queensland, where one team will receive the first perfect ten!