Home Town Season 8
Episode 1
THE VERRETTE HOME
Jeff and Kristie are moving to Laurel to escape the cold Canadian winters. As parents of four boys, they're looking for a house with spacious rooms and outdoor space where the family can spend time together. With a budget $325,000, Ben and Erin show them two homes. The Hay's House is 2300 sq. ft., close to town and boasts a huge bonus feature in the backyard. They also tour the Roberson House, a 2800 sq. ft. bungalow, which sits on a huge rural piece land with a big front porch. While Ben recovers from surgery for a shoulder injury, he enlists the help of his best friends (Jim and Josh) to help get the reno done.
Episode 2
THE TERRELL HOME
Ben and Erin design a house that is one-of-a-kind. Civil engineer and artist, Mike, is moving from Seattle to Laurel to be closer to his dad. With a generous budget of $700,000, Ben and Erin show him two large houses that suit his modern-contemporary vibe, both that they will make room for one of Mike’s non-negotiables…an outdoor hot tub. The Wickenhauser house is first up with five massive bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. The Burton house is smaller, but elegant. Erin paints Mike a picture of what she envisions for the space, but is thrown a curve-ball. Mike doesn’t like it.
Episode 3
THE FENNELL HOME
Jones College has a special spot in Ben and Erin’s hearts – it’s where they met and fell in love and now they’ve been asked to restore The Old President’s House for the President’s Chief of Staff, Jon Ryan, and his wife, Ginny, also alums of the college. It’s a team-effort as Jones College students - past and present - step in to help make this house feel less institutional and more like a home, while creating welcoming spaces that will bring Jones College students together.
Episode 4
THE ANGELA HOME
Angela has overcome addiction and completely turned her life around. Now, she’s ready to begin a new chapter and is buying her very first home. Built in the 1940s, The McClellan House is 2100 sq. ft. with more than enough room for her and her son Sean. With a budget of $150,000, Ben and Erin want to bring back what was once a big front porch, create a music room for her son, and finally give her a laundry room, a luxury she’s never had! After a community-lead “delicate demo” with help of some heavy machinery, they make a fun discovery behind a living room wall, but run into problems in the kitchen.
Episode 5
THE THROWER HOME
Tonya and Philip are long time business owners in Laurel who recently purchased a historic building downtown. On the main level they run two businesses, but hope to convert the 5000 sq. ft. upper loft space into their full-time residence. With the quick sale of their former home, they've suddenly found themselves living on a family member's fragrant goat farm and are eager to move as soon as possible. Even with a $350,000 renovation budget, Ben and Erin wonder how they're going to pull off turning what feels like a gymnasium into a luxurious downtown loft that feels like home.
Episode 6
THE ALWAY HOME
Brave optimists, Don and Bernadette, want to raise their two kids in a historic home in Laurel. With a budget of $250,000, they know they’ll need to settle on a fixer-upper. Ben and Erin show them two houses, both on the same popular street known for its historic (and dilapidated) homes. Don and Bernadette love the Johnston house for its bay windows and warm Craftsman feel. Ben dubs the second house, The Myers house, a “Craftorian,” with its latticed Victorian windows and its Craftsman-style porch, but inside they’re faced with a potential deal-breaker.
Episode 8
THE DAVIS HOME
Erin’s favorite odd couple, Aunt Yulanda and her great niece, Antinisha, look for a house that can tick off both of their boxes. With a $250,000 the contrary pair set off to find their mutual dream home, but there’s only one problem…they don’t agree on anything. The Ware House offers up just right amount of bedrooms and baths with separate living spaces, one upstairs, one down, whereas the Turner house puts them both on the same level. One thing is clear…these two need a little separation. Erin has her work cut out for her as she tries to figure out the color story for two people who don’t see eye-to-eye and Aunt Yulanda asks her to make everything PINK.
Episode 9
THE WALKER HOME
Suzie recently inherited a house which belonged to her parents, Nan and Pop. It just so happens that Suzie and Scott, and their son, Seth, currently live in the house next door. Both houses are in need of renovation, but it’s up to Suzie and Scott to decide which one they’ll keep and which one they’ll sell. The Walker House is where they first brought their son home from the hospital and where Seth grew up. Nan and Pop’s house is where Suzie spent her childhood and is also filled with memories for Suzie and Seth, both of whom spent a lot of time with Nan and Pop. It’s a tough decision, one laced with strong feelings for both houses, but Scott’s “chillbumps” leads them to chose one house over the other.
Episode 10
THE BRENTS-ARNOLD HOME
Born Southerners, Dennis and Barry met 18-years ago in Phoenix, Arizona, but recently decided to move back to their roots – and that place is Laurel. With a budget of $275,000, Dennis and Barry want to be close to the center of town, but also want a big lot for outdoor living. Ben and Erin show them The Brumfield house first, a 1966 ranch that could easily fit into the couple’s love of modern rustic design with a spacious private backyard. Next up is the Meador house, a beauty which has fallen into disrepair, but out back they’re met with an enticing in-ground pool. Ben builds a delightful surprise out of material no one wanted him to use and Erin commissions a heartfelt piece of art for the couple, to give them a warm welcome to the South.
Episode 11
THE STOCKSTILL HOME
Newlyweds Dylan and Dara are looking to upgrade from their 300 ft. tiny home to an older home located on family property that’s been gifted to them. It’s nearly twice the size, but in a Home Town FIRST, Ben and Erin decide there’s just nothing worth saving…they’re going to bulldoze the house. With a budget of $150,000 and a clean slate, they’ll design a brand new 780 sq. ft. home that is tailored to Dara and Dylan’s eclectic English Apothecary style, inspired by the outdoors. How will Erin bring Old World charm to a brand-new build?
Episode 12
THE PATTERSON HOME
Sarah and Wesley live in the home that once belonged to Sarah’s grandmother and they’re ready to make big upgrades to the home. They have a large family who often come and stay, which puts a lot of pressure on the single bathroom in this 3-bed home. With a budget of $150,000, Ben and Erin help them expand the footprint by adding a bathroom and a mudroom/laundry room onto the house. They’ll also tackle not one, but two kitchens! An overhaul of their indoor kitchen to accommodate big family gatherings, and they’ll add a brand-new outdoor kitchen. Erin pushes Mr. David’s boundaries with an unusual tile design and Ben flexes his artistic side on an art project with a little help from project manager, Chris.
Episode 13
THE HENDERSON HOME
Neal and Saron have a great appreciation for handmade things, solid architecture and homes with character. With a budget of $500,000 they’re looking for something unique. Their must-have include a pottery studio for Saron and an outdoor kitchen for Neal. The Stevens House is a ranch-style house with an unusual front entrance set off to the side of the house that they’d need to relocate. It boasts a Mediterranean vibe and one VERY impressive garden room. The second house, the Bissell House, is a more traditional home set across from a park, but Erin has an innovative option for a pottery studio. During renos, Erin saves the day by turning a problem into a design element that her and Ben have in their own home.
Episode 14
THE VISITOR'S CENTER HOME
Established on August 8, 1938, the Housing Authority of the City of Laurel completed two apartment sites, Triangle Homes and Beacon Homes, as some of the first public housing built in the State of Mississippi. In 2021, HUD funds became available to demolish and replace those original units, and construction on new apartments began. Under the guidance of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, this particular apartment building (which originally had six apartments) was deemed historically significant. Instead of renovating the building to be saved for housing amongst the new developed building, a group of local leaders began thinking there was an opportunity to save the building and meet a need within the community. And that is where the idea to create a new Laurel-Jones County Visitor Center was born.
Episode 15
THE TOMMARAZZO HOME
It’s HOT. The Southern heat is at an all-time high and Ben and Erin are helping Bob and Tena find their dream house. They’re moving to Laurel from New Jersey where they’ve spent most of their lives working multiple jobs to make ends meet. With a budget of $300,000, friendly small-town vibes and less expensive city will allow them to enjoy the social life they’ve always dreamed of. Ben and Erin show them two houses, both with enough room for everything on their wish list. They’ve never had a mudroom, laundry room, or dining room before and Tena has her heart set on an Italian-inspired kitchen! Ben and Josh tackle a mega-sized build in the woodshop, and the team gets up to some mischief behind the walls.
Episode 16
THE VELEZ HOME
Melina, single mom to two kids, grew up in New York and wants to give her kids a cozy home like the one she grew up in. With a $225,000 budget, she wants her dream home to look like an old English cottage. First up is the Wilkinson House, which has a huge fireplace inside that instantly gives warmth. The second house, the Knight House, is on a busier street, but it sits on two acres and also features a fireplace that reminds Melina of her childhood. Erin and Ben jump in and start the renovations, adding coziness and English cottage charm at every turn. Ben and his brother Sam walk down memory lane to get materials for Melina’s house. Scones, tea and cream are the color palette and a little imagination is what fuels the fire!
Episode 17
THE JONES HOME
Shelley Jones is looking to buy her first home. After going away for college, she moved back to Laurel where she and her 6 sisters grew up. She wants a home that will accommodate having her sisters and their families over for wine nights and big family dinners. Ben and Erin show her two homes that could fit her all-in budget of $225,000. The Harrell house might be a steal at $80,000, but the three-bedroom, two-bath house needs S40,000 worth of renovations on the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical alone, before they can even think about renovating the large, screened porch, outdated kitchen, and living room! Still, the $120,000 renovation would come in under budget. The Boteler house is more move-in ready, but the asking price of $160,000 is double that of the Harrell house.
Episode 18
THE SMITH HOME
Erin's former bandmate, Brad, is recently divorced and needs to make a new start in his old home. Erin and Ben transform his spartan bachelor pad into the moody, masculine house he always dreamed of. Meanwhile, Erin and Brad get the band back together!
EPISODE 20
THE PAULSEN HOME
A Home Town first, Ben and Erin help the Paulsen siblings with phase 2 of a reno they began last year. After restoring half of the old Victorian, the project stalled after the siblings' father passed. Now, The Napiers are back to help finish the house.
EPISODE 21
THE RAYBORN HOME
Tim and Amber bought her great grandmother's large property and small house, with plans to turn it into a Christmas tree farm. Ben and Erin need to tear down every wall in the house to turn the cramped and quirky rambler into cheery, functional home.
