HGTV's Bargain Block: 20+ Facts About The Home Reno Show
Lifestyle News
By ERICA BROOKE GORDON
How They Met
Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas of "Bargain Block" met via online dating site Match.com while they both lived in Colorado and have been going strong ever since. Now engaged, living and working together has been good for their relationship. "It's about finding a respectful balance," Bynum says.
Why Detroit?
Neither are from Detroit, but Bynum decided to look into other markets that would be better suited for their renovation business. A friend of his "had a good amount of success" flipping houses in Detroit, so in 2017, Bynum flew to Detroit, bought a house for $12,000, and the new venture began.
The Doctor
He may be the carpenter on the show, but this is a relatively new career for Thomas, who holds a PhD. Though he chose to work with Keith instead, he puts his physics degree to good use — his "analytical and research experience" comes in handy to ensure their renovation projects are timely and affordable (via Nine Design & Homes).
Entrepreneur
Bynum started his first business at 14 — a business that went on to become a nationally recognized retail and manufacturing chain, although he doesn’t name it. He studied entrepreneurship, has an MBA, and after selling his business, he began doing carpentry and woodworking, and selling his work online.
HGTV
Years before their series, a friend of Bynum's asked him to help build a house for HGTV's "Tiny Paradise," where he was exposed "to a few production companies that followed [his] work for the next few years," according to Thomas. Though the two weren't sure about TV, Bynum and Thomas produced a pilot in 2019.