In the eyes of many HGTVers, Chip and Joanna Gaines can do no wrong. From their hit series Fixer Upper to the Magnolia brand, which includes a bakery, curated home collection at Target, and TV network, the power couple have breathed new life into the home renovation universe while also single-handedly turning their hometown of Waco, Texas, into a tourist hotspot. However, it appears their new show, Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse, is kicking up more dust than demo day.
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In honor of Fixer Upper’s 10th anniversary, the pair purchased a decades-old lakefront property for their latest renovation project. The sprawling home—it’s over 5,000 square feet!—boasts five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and tons of character.
"I bought that lake house for our 10-year celebration. For 10 years, we have been in the Fixer Upper universe, and this lake house feels like the cherry on top,” Chip explained in the first episode, per Country Living.
"Chip has wanted a lake house in Waco to flip, to renovate, and any time we've tried to buy it, it's either priced way too high, or it sells immediately,” added Joanna, noting that the stars aligned for this grand purchase.
The trailer for Fixer Upper: Lakehouse first hit the internet back in May. And while the show was initially met with praise and excitement, fans have slowly begun piling on the Gaines for being “so annoying,” with many promising to boycott the entire series.
“Used to like them, but I don't watch them any longer,” said one Instagram user. Another ex-fan agreed, writing, “I stopped watching their show ever since they decided to charged for their network.”
“That show is no longer enjoyable,” reads one comment.
Things online hit a fever pitch when it was revealed that the lakefront property was purchased by Chip and not another homeowner. Fans quickly accused the couple of “showing off” their wealth and flashing their riches.
“I don’t like watching HGTV personalities renovating their own luxury 2nd or 3rd homes. It looks like they’re showing off,” said one commenter.
“I'd love it if they did some pro-bono stuff and paid it forward,” someone wrote in a Reddit thread about the new show. “Not so interested in watching the rich get richer these days with so many families struggling just to get by.”
Another added: “Don’t care for either of them. At. All.”
However, a Magnolia Network representative has since confirmed that the renovated property is no longer in the Gaines’ possession. "They bought the Lakehouse with the intention of flipping it, and they have sold it,” a rep told Country Living.
Fans are also calling for the couple to be more eco-conscious about recycling and repurposing discarded materials, such as glass.
“I wish things were saved, instead of being smashed into pieces. I so love what they do, except the destruction of good [materials],” one wrote fan under a demolition video on Instagram.
“Why break out that beautiful glass! It’s retro and can be made modern,” cried another user on a separate demo day post.
“It always saddens me to see all these home improvement shows destroy rather than repurpose or donate,” someone else said.
“I always cringe when they break perfectly good kitchen cabinets that could be repurposed. I can see if they aren't good quality but a lot of times they are,” argued another.
