Kansas City’s renovation show ‘Bargain Mansions’ is back. Here’s what’s new this season

Kansas City’s own home renovation show is back again for a fourth season.

Hosted by Leawood designer Tamara Day, “Bargain Mansions” will premiere Thursday on Magnolia Network at 8 p.m. and will be available for streaming on Discovery Plus.

The show follows Day as she breathes new life into properties throughout the Kansas City metro, including Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Gladstone and more. Many of the homes are quite large, sprawling over 5,000 square feet or more.

Day told The Star filming the show in Kansas City is special because it offers such a small town vibe with big city opportunities.

“[There are] really great opportunities here in Kansas City: the architecture, the interesting things to do and the places to see,” Day said. “I think it’s just a great opportunity for me to show [the city] off.”

In the upcoming fourth season, there will be 20 new homes getting a face lift.

What’s new this season?

This new season will focus on homeowners interested in renovating their homes, instead of working on homes that are currently on the market.

Day made the move to remodeling homes with current homeowners since the market has been tighter this year, in comparison to past years. This new approach will allow Day to teach more homeowners how to spruce up their current homes or even how to flip their own properties.

“We are working with homeowners that have bought their bargain mansion and need help with the investment side of it, as well as the design side of it and how to turn it into their forever home,” Day said.

More helping hands

Day said her entire family will be helping transform old haunts into new gems. The mom of four will be working with her kids, ages 9 through 18.

Similar to past seasons, Day’s father, Ward Schraeder, will be helping to make sure each remodel goes smoothly.

“There’s a lot more of my family involved this season,” Day said. “It’s been really fun to have a little bit more of our life involved in the show.”

Day said one of the most memorable moments she had while filming was the renovation for a local artist, whose grandson hired her team to remodel the house. During the remodel, she created an art piece with her 9-year old daughter Eleanor, by dipping canvas into water that had been spray painted with different colors.

“Eleanor said something to the effect of ‘I hope she’s a better artist than we are,’” Day said while laughing. “It didn’t turn out as what we expected, but we had a lot of fun doing it.”

TV in KC

The show first aired in 2019 on the DIY Network and joined HGTV in its third season, where it reached more than 39 million homes. Bargain Mansions is now back on the DIY network, which was recently relaunched as the Magnolia Network.

“I feel very blessed and grateful that Magnolia wanted us to continue and that they really want to put us on their network,” Day said. “I feel like it’s been such a great transition.”

While other popular shows have filmed in Kansas City, including Netflix’s Queer Eye and American Ninja Warrior, Bargain Mansions is one of few TV shows to produce its entire series here.

“No other show in Kansas City has made it to four seasons, and to have four seasons with 20 episodes, it is quite the accomplishment,” Day said.

In addition to the show, Day also has a storefront in Prairie Village called Growing Days.