In the episode "Heidi Klum's Legacy Makeover", the supermodel asks the Scott brothers to give a makeover to Klum's housekeeper, friend and confidante of 17 years, Lucia, at her home in Westchester, New York.
During her time working for Klum, Lucia was able to save enough money to buy a home for her husband, daughter and grandchildren, but she didn't have the resources to update it. Her mother became ill during COVID-19 and the medical bills were astronomical.
"So Heidi is trading in her heels for sledgehammers to give Lucia and her family the practical and fabulous home she has always dreamed of," says Drew.
It's a unique "celebrity IOU" because the supermodel and "Making the Cut" star is very hands-on: hammering tiles, laying tiles, kicking down cabinets (even the upper level), all without breaking a sweat.
"She's a machine," says Jonathan, clearly impressed." I think it really shows how important someone is to you when there's really nothing you wouldn't do to make their life better."
Hey, if a supermodel can do it, why can't you? Here's how the property brothers completed their latest makeover and passed on so many lessons that you might be inspired to try it around your own abode.
When they first walked into Lucia's multi-generational home, Klum noticed that, despite the many windows, it seemed rather dark inside.
"The floors were just sucking in the light," says Jonathan." Even though the flooring was a bit new, it would have been nice to brighten it up a bit."
Crumb helped install the floor without breaking her pointy, fiery red nails as she looked at the finished project and said, "I love this floor! It's beautiful, it's great! It's beautiful and light".
The living room is a special place for Lucia and her family to gather, so we wanted to add elegant and comfortable furniture that was covered in a high-performance fabric that would stand up to large family gatherings and handle any spills," says Drew.
You wouldn't normally think that a beige sofa or upholstered dining chair would be well suited to family use, but viewers can rest assured that the sturdy fabric has been carefully treated and stains can be wiped right off. It's a good reminder to always look for stain-resistant fabrics or spray a stain repellent on your furniture to keep them looking like new without making a fuss.
The kitchen has a strange annexe that requires walking down steps into a small room that houses the pantry shelves and fridge, as well as a closet for the washer and dryer, accessed by a separate exterior door.
"We actually refer to this type of addition as a 'lean-to'," Jonathan says." This basically means that there are three walls attached to another structure with a sloping roof. They definitely give the impression of a shed rather than a real solid house addition, so it's a no-brainer."
They rebuilt the simple shed so that it was part of the kitchen and actually included a laundry room. Now the family doesn't have to go outside to do their laundry.
Replacing the pitched roof "required a roof, so naturally we checked Lucia's existing roof and found it was past its prime, so we're replacing the whole thing," says Drew.
"All these roofing projects are a bit of a curveball, but these new products are designed to help keep the house more efficient and comfortable," Jonathan adds.
For example, "not only are the asphalt shingles designed in a slightly lighter shade to help reflect some of the heat in the summer, but we have a layer of aluminium foil underneath the panels that also prevents a lot of radiant heat."
So the utility bills will be lower, notes Crum, as she gets on the roof and starts hammering nails. She worked like a pro, so it was surprising when she later revealed that she wasn't good at working at heights! But she would do anything for Lucia! But she would do anything for Lucia.
The most important thing is to pick the right stone," says Jonathan, as he and Crumb choose the right material for the kitchen.
"It's all quartz," Jonathan says, gesturing to the marble-look countertop material with its golden veins." So it never has to be resealed, never has to be refinished ......"
"Can I tell you something?" Crumb asked." I do have real marble in my kitchen. Fool!"
"A lot of people are like, 'Hey, I need real marble imported from Italy,'" Jonathan said." And I'm like, yeah, it's got stains."
"It's got stains," confirmed Crumb." I hate that."
"It'll never stain. You won't have a problem," Jonathan said.
Lucia was overwhelmed by the beauty of her new home. It was the little things that excited her: she'd never used a dishwasher before and was ecstatic that the fridge was now actually in the kitchen rather than in the terraced, simple room.
Most importantly, since they removed a wall (which Klum is happy about), Lucia is thrilled that she can now see them as she cooks for her family.
"I'm so happy!" She said." Everything is so beautiful!"