Season 4 of “Battle on the Beach” is finally over—and many are very happy to see it go.
This season, HGTV fans have taken to Reddit to complain about “inexperienced” renovators and poor craftsmanship on the competition show. With the teams making poor budgeting choices (by Week 5, one team had just $2,500 left) to illogical design choices (people wondered why another team bothered with a urinal), viewers say this is the worst season yet.
In one thread, a Reddit user vented: “Holy hell this show is so bad now. This could be the season that kills the BotB series.”
Meanwhile another suggested, “Maybe HGTV can start a new series called ‘Fixing the Battle on the Beach Screwups’. To be aired immediately following the season finale of BotB.”
Yet another wrote, “This season is a train wreck.”
So, how did the show wrap up?
After the final challenge, where the teams spent the last of their $100,000 renovation budget on their outdoor spaces, the teams were each given an extra day and $5,000 to go back through their homes and make changes and improvements. In the end, local real estate agents went through the three houses and appraised the properties. And while fans might have complained about this season’s teams, the winner ended up increasing the value of their beach house by a shocking 47%.
Read on to find out which team won the whole season, with highlights from the renovators’ outdoor designs.
Upcycle outdoor furniture
Alison Victoria of “Windy City Rehab” and her team, Teresa Robinsonand Brandon Parker, have the smallest deck, so they had to keep their design minimal. So they add a dining table on one side of the space and a small kitchen on the other.
While the space seems fine, judges Sarah andBryan Baeumler of “Renovation Island” have plenty of complaints, including that the table is simply a table—not a value-adding built-in. Plus, there’s no sink or beverage center, and the barbecue is tiny.
Still, Sarah seems pleased with the stone countertop, saved from the home’s original kitchen. Robinson and Parker placed it on either side of the barbecue.
She’s also impressed with the wooden bar table. Robinson built this feature, as well as some other furniture pieces inside the house. Sarah says that she likes the consistency being carried from inside to out.
“This was the wood detail that we saw inside,” she notes. “I do appreciate they’ve kept with the same pattern.”
So, while this deck seems to be lacking in some areas, the work spaces are beautiful, well-planned, and cost-effective.
Built-ins add value—so does storage
While Teresa and Brandon didn’t add a built-in bench, Taniya Nayak of “Build It Forward” and her mentees, Samantha and Sean Kilgore, did build a beautiful, U-shaped bench in one corner of their deck. The feature was thoughtfully built, with storage under the seats and a dark paint color to contrast with the home’s bright blue exterior.
Sarah and Bryan love the feature, though Bryan suggests the space could’ve been made better with some sort of shade structure.
“I would have liked to see something to block the wind, maybe a little privacy from next door,” he says.
An outdoor kitchen should be conveniently placed
Sam and Sean’s kitchen also impresses the judges, who are pleased with the barbecue, fridge, and dark countertops, which match the kitchen inside.
But perhaps their favorite part of the space is simply the location. Sarah and Bryan love that the kitchen is in the shaded part of the deck and that it’s right next to the home’s side door for easy access to the kitchen and living room.
“You can be in and out, watching the kids if they’re inside as well,” Sarah says.
This kitchen is also a big asset and a wise place to spend precious budget, because the indoor kitchen isn’t giant.
“The kitchen does feel a bit small, and this is a whole bunch of additional counter space, storage space, prep space,” Sarah says of the outdoor space.
The kitchen is a smart addition that shows how well Sam and Sean used their space planning and renovation budget.
Versatility is valuable in an outdoor space
When Ty Pennington of “Rock the Block” and his duo, Chyenne Overturf-Smithand Kristin Smith, begin planning their space, Overturf-Smith and Smith decide to add a large U-shaped, built-in bench. However, Pennington argues that part of this bench, which intersects the deck, might be in the way. He suggests perhaps part of the feature should be on wheels.
Overturf-Smith and Smith ignore Pennington’s advice—and it ends up costing them on judging day. While Sarah and Bryan love the intricate woodworking patterns on the bench, they complain about the section of built-in that Pennington worried about.
Bryan admits he likes the bench but observes, “I feel like it limits your options, though. You can’t move it and have a—”
“Dance party,” Sarah finishes.
Even if dance parties aren’t Overturf-Smith and Smith’s main concern, Bryan later mentions that this bench makes it impossible to move the furniture around, if residents ever want to host a large party.
A swing can be a smart outdoor addition—in the right spot
Overturf-Smith and Smith also add a swing bench to their deck, creating a playful feature guests of all ages can enjoy.
But when Bryan sits on the swing and shifts back, he immediately hits the side of the house.
Clearly, the swing doesn’t function properly in this space, so Sarah suggests moving it under the deck.
“This swing concept would be fabulous down here by the beach where you really could swing, jump off into the sand,” Sarah says.
It’s a charming concept, but it reveals how functional design requires smart planning.
So, who won ‘Battle on the Beach’ Season 4?
After the outdoor spaces challenge, Sarah and Bryan announce that Sam and Sean had the best space. Then, after the teams got their bonus day to fix issues around their homes, the judges return to announce that Sam and Sean have won Season 4 and the $50,000 prize.
Local real estate experts toured all three homes and found that Sam and Sean had increased their home’s value by the greatest percentage: 47%. Meanwhile, Sarah and Bryan explain that the other two teams only increased their homes’ values by 25.01% and 31.34%.
“I think we did a good job on that place, but I didn’t think 47%,” Sean admits after the announcement. “Huge numbers.”
While some fans seemed surprised by the news, others weren’t. In a thread posted soon after the finale, fans called Nayak’s duo the “obvious winner” and one claimed, “Pretty much expected this team to win since week 2.”
However, there was at least one shocker in the finale: on camera, Sam tells Sean that she’s pregnant with their second child. The couple has plenty of good news to celebrate!
