Greg and Alexa Costa will have their Russell Street home renovation project chronicled on HGTV’s House Hunters Renovation show this Saturday night at 10 p.m. Follow the couple’s ups and downs as they create a home they plan to stay in for a long time.
There’s nothing like a complete home renovation in Charlestown’s historic housing stock to drive one out of their mind.
Such intensity usually happens behind closed doors, but for one Charlestown couple, the ups and downs of totally renovating their Russell Street home will be available for the world to view this coming Saturday night, Nov. 4, on HGTV’s House Hunters Renovation (10 p.m.).
Greg and Alexa Costa found their perfect home last fall, and after applying to the House Hunters series, their renovation project on Russell Street was approved.
Then the TV cameras moved in to capture every moment of the three-story – plus detached garage – makeover.
“We’ve lived in Charlestown eight years and moved about two blocks – from Elm to Russell Street,” said Alexa. “We had lived in a one-bedroom townhouse condo for about five years an we were wanting to start a family and stay in the city for a long time. We were looking for a single-family home in Charlestown, and the market being crazy in Charlestown for single-family homes, we had to focus on properties that were going to need some work.”
That led them on a wandering journey through the Town’s tightly packed streets with Charlestown real estate agent Adam Geragosian. In fact, Costa said the first half of the episode focuses on the process of finding a property. They lost some bidding wars, which was disheartening – but a reality of the market in the Town, but finally found a great property on Russell Street.
In December, they closed on the property.
Costa said she had previously applied to the show – which is favorite program for her and her husband – when they purchased their townhouse some years ago. They were finalists on the program, but the timing didn’t match up.
With the new house ready for a re-do, she reached out again and things worked out well.
“House Hunters Renovation is a different model than the original House Hunters show,” she said. “I had kept the producers information and reached out. Ironically, they were doing auditions very soon. We were interviewed in January and February and then picked.”
For the first part of the renovation, their designer/contractor Molly Pidgeon focused on the second and third floors – putting down new hardwood floors, mouldings and other amenities.
The major work began in July with the kitchen, which left the couple without a kitchen for awhile.
“We did a lot of walking to Whole Foods in Charlestown and going to friend’s houses, where they would cook for us,” said Costa. “It was stressful without the kitchen, but looking back it was worth it because we have an amazing kitchen and house now.”
Some other hot spots they filmed were at Zume’s Coffee House, where they spent an afternoon on camera having a coffee break.
Costa said there are still a few things to do on the house, but for now they are just excited to watch Saturday’s episode.
“We have plans to renovate another bathroom in the house in the spring and want to finish a few other things, but we did get exhausted of being around with construction workers in the house at all times,” she laughed. ‘It was a really fun experience and we are really looking forward to seeing how they piece it all together.”