Mitch and Corinne Pryor race to finish Grand Designs Transformations house

1 week ago 17

More than 400 buyers have swarmed Mitch and Corinne Pryor’s Grand Designs Transformations renovation in Mitcham after the couple pushed a $500,000 build to the limit.

More than 400 buyers have swarmed a Mitcham home after Grand Designs Transformations stars Mitch and Corinne Pryor pushed a $500,000 renovation to the limit.
The renovated digs at 39 Churinga Ave, Mitcham has $2.8m-$2.98m price hopes and had hundreds of curious buyers lining up at a recent pre-market launch after it featured on the ABC televisionhow in January.

Behind the circa-1950s white weatherboard facade, an epic build saw the five-bedroom residence transformed with features such a spiral staircase, bathroom fitted with red Venetian plaster, and a backyard concrete entertainers’ area, barbecue, fireplace, landscaped gardens and cubby house.

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Ms and Mr Pryor, the director of electrical services company Pryor Connections, collaborated with Abbotsford design studio Heartly.

Mr Prior told News Corp Australia as the cameras loomed for filming, the build was still unfinished.

“We pushed ourselves relentlessly to get everything finished,” he said.

“There was no way we wanted to be on national television with anything incomplete.

The Mitcham home was featured on Grand Designs Transformations, with cameras rolling as the couple raced to complete the build.

Grand Designs Transformations renovators Mitch and Corinne Pryor took their latest project to an “11 out of 10” finish after a full-throttle final push.

“At 6am on the last morning, we were still going around with a paintbrush, touching up the smallest details.

“It was full throttle right to the finish.”

The project began with a $500,000 budget, a figure Mr Pryor said he felt locked into after putting it out publicly.

“When you put a number out there like that, especially on TV, you feel a responsibility to honour it,” he said.

“We got to about 80 per cent completion and started to feel the pressure.

“Funds were tightening and the project was at risk of falling short. We had a decision to make, pull back, or take it to another level.”

With the build set to air nationally Mr Pryor said the couple pushed forward.

The architecturally striking Mitcham home has become one of the suburb’s most talked-about listings following its high-profile transformation.

The kitchen became the centrepiece of the renovation, where the couple realised the scale of what they had created.

“We knew we couldn’t leave anything on the table, this had to be an 11 out of 10 project,” Mr Proyor said.

“Landscaping became the biggest blowout, that’s something we’ve run out of budget for on past builds, and it nearly happened again.”

A revaluation of the property allowed the couple to access additional funds and complete the vision, rather than scaling it back.

Despite the pressure on the budget, Pryor said the result wasn’t achieved by simply spending more.

Instead, the couple leaned on aggressive sourcing strategies now drawing attention from buyers trying to replicate the look.

Mitch and Corinne Pryor used scratch-and-dent stock and marketplace finds to deliver a high-end result without the typical price tag.

The couple were still painting at 6am on the final morning, racing to complete the build before cameras arrived.

“We weren’t walking into showrooms and paying retail, we were hunting,” he said.

“Scratch-and-dent stock, Facebook marketplace finds, alternative suppliers.

“That’s how we achieved a high-end result without the typical high-end price tag.”

The approach has quickly become one of the most talked-about elements of the build, particularly among buyers looking to achieve a premium finish without blowing their own budgets.