Turns out competing on The Block is even crazier than we anticipated, according to 2018 winners Hayden and Sara Vale!
In episode 110 of So Dramatic! With Megan Pustetto, the Sydneysiders spilled all of the piping hot tea about what life on the building site is really like.
Three years after taking home $645,000 in prize money, the parents-of-two discuss whether auction order helped them get over the line, plus how much they’re paid for their time on the show.
Keep scrolling to learn about the spicy behind-the-scenes details of The Block!
The Contestants Knew Which Property They Were Renovating Before Filming
Sara told So Dramatic! that the contestants knew they’d be renovating Fiztroy’s The Gatwick heading into their season. In turn, she was able to formulate ideas before they stepped foot on site.
“I had gathered some images, like Pinterest ideas and… put them all into a folder,” she confessed.
The mum-of-two also added that “a lot” of the styling and fit-outs come down to what the contestants are offered by the suppliers.
“You’ve got to kind of work with what the suppliers of sponsors have got,” Sara said, adding that she felt an obligation to work with The Block‘s partners rather than deliver on her ideas.
What Is The Filming Schedule Really Like?
Ever wondered if The Block‘s filming schedule is really as hectic as it’s made out to be?
Hayden spilled that there are “no days off and very few breaks” when it comes to tacking the intense renovation show.
“We had a break every Sunday from about two o’clock to five o’clock,” he revealed.
The project manager said that those few hours are when the contestants hang out and “form close relationships” away from site.
“Then it was back to filming, back to short sleeps and back to lots of work. Go, go, go everyday!”
Is The Block Scripted?
Just like every other rotten reality show out there, The Block hasn’t been without its fair share of drama — but is any of it actually scripted?
Turns out, the producers will ask you to repeat certain comments for the camera!
“They might say things like, ‘Just say it like this to make it sound…better,'” Sara said.
Hayden also confessed that they do several takes for challenges but the “outcomes aren’t scripted”.
As for the day-to-day aspect of filming, “it’s more or less happening as they film it”.
“They might say ‘do this at a certain time’, or you have to be ready for this,” Hayden said. “You do get notice of what is going to happen.”
How Much Do You Get Paid?
Sara and Hayden revealed that during their time renovating The Gatwick, they were afforded $700 a week for expenses.
According to Hayden, it was up to the contestants how they spent their remuneration.
“It was one hundred dollars a day and we mainly use it for food,” he said before confessing some of it went towards rent back home.
Does The Auction Order Really Matter?
Fans of The Block will know how much the teams obsess over the order of sales on auction day, and the Vales were no exception.
When asked if the auction order really matters, they had one simple answer: “For sure.”
Sara said the auction “played out in [their] favour” when it came to them taking out the win in 2018.
In deviating away from choosing a penthouse apartment, they knew their reserve price would be less than the other homes.
“It was more bang for your buck,” Hayden admitted.
As a result, they were able to earn more profit come sale time and ultimately took home $545,000 plus $100K prize money.
To hear more behind-the-scenes tea from The Block, you can listen to Hayden and Sara on So Dramatic! With Megan Pustetto here.
Got the goss on one of The Block: Fan vs Favourite’s contestants? Spill the tea here!
Get the tea first! Follow So Dramatic! on Instagram and tune in on Mondays to get your reality tea fix with the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto.
