Fixer Upper S1:E3

Looking Old But Feeling New

Chip and Joanna show Doug and Lacy three homes in their price point in the expensive Castle Heights neighborhood of Waco. This is an area known for big and to get in, they need to find the Fixer Upper. Once the family chooses, the Gaines design and rebuild their dream home: keeping all the old charm of this classic neighborhood while creating a brand new, upgraded home. Along the way the couple gives tips on how anyone can achieve their own fixer transformation.

Young Family Takes On History

Joanna and Chip introduce clients Charmaine and Chuck to the historic Sanger Heights neighborhood. The young family wants to be a part of the revitalization efforts of this once thriving community where many of the homes are either vacant or dilapidated. Have they taken on more than they bargained for? Joanna and Chip will have their work cut out for them and will have to use every bit of their vision and know-how to take on what could be an enormous project.

Client Rebuilds Life

Chip and Jo's client Carolyn Muska is rebuilding her life after losing her home and her husband. The Gaines show Carolyn three Fixer Uppers in her hometown of West, Texas, a tight-knit community still recovering from a devastating fertilizer plant explosion that killed fifteen people and destroyed several homes, including Carolyn's. As Chip and Joanna finish up their own dream home, they put hard work, heart and soul into finding their courageous client her perfect Fixer Upper.

French Country Sought In Waco

Joanna and Chip's clients - Dr. Jeff Sanders, wife Michelle and their two teens are a fun active family who enjoy entertaining, adventure, and travel. They want to downsize to a casual country home that offers European flair with easy access to Lake Waco. But will their sizable $650,000 dollar budget be enough to find French Country in Waco, Texas? It'll take every penny and all the Gaines' creative gusto to transform this fixer upper from traditional Texas to Old World.

Craftsman Crave Urban Feel

Chip and Joanna Gaines take a tour with clients Clint and Kelly Harp through the Brook Oaks neighborhood. The Harps are big city transplants looking for a house with an urban feel. Clint works long hours creating custom carpentry and furniture for Magnolia Homes and wants a house close to his business so he can be close to his young family. Joanna describes the Harps as fearless and adventurous introducing them to a range of homes from conventional to disastrous. Will the Harps choose the almost move-in ready traditional or charmer home? Or will they take on a house affectionately called, The Beast, by Joanna who fears a crime scene is buried in the debris. Chip says the house needs not only a demolition but also an exorcism. It'll be a lot of sleepless nights for all parties if this courageous couple takes on The Beast.

Texan Family Returns to Roots

Chip and Joanna Gaines look at three houses with John and Margie Bowman in the McGregor neighborhood just outside of Waco. The Bowmans are excited about returning to their Texas roots after leaving Oklahoma. They're looking for a house with some Texas flair that's not too 'buckaroo' for John and informal enough for Margie. After living in a motel for months, this family of five and their two dogs are anxious to move from suitcase to sanctuary as soon as possible. But as unexpected repairs show up on this fixer upper, it means construction delays for Chip and Jo and a budget-busting ten percent increase for the Bowmans.

Single Mom Starts New Life With Fixer Upper

Chip and Jo take a tour with single mom Karla Griffis through the Castle Crest neighborhood of Waco, Texas. After a difficult divorce, Karla's ready to move on from the hardest time of her life to the happiest. Chip calls Castle Crest the Heartbeat of Waco, where every home has its own charm and unique story - an ideal place for new beginnings. Can Chip and Jo create the perfect home for Karla's new life while they go through their own transition? Watch the surprises unfold as Chip approaches a big birthday and Jo's present puts her in peril!

Missionaries Enlist Kids to Find Retreat in Their Hometown of Waco, Texas

Heather, Andrew and Steven McCall ask the Gaines to help them find a retreat for their missionary parents. Dr. Tim McCall and his wife Janice run an orphanage in Uganda, living almost year-round in a 160-square-foot home. They're entrusting their kids and the Gaines to find them a comfortable refuge for their biannual visits to Waco. But their sanctuary may be out of reach, as unexpected structure problems challenge a modest budget and add stress to an already tight timeline. The drama continues as the Gaines run into a serious permit problem that could be a deal breaker for this fixer upper. Can the Gaines battle bureaucracy and complete the McCall's home in time for their short sabbatical?

Couple Pursues Elusive Neighborhood Where Residents Never Leave

Rachel and Andrew Erwin are asking Chip and Jo to find them a home in the Viking Hills neighborhood where 'for sale' signs are rare. It's a place where people live but never leave. But the Gaines are determined to find the young family their dream home showing them three houses that are as diverse as Rachel's taste. Rachel likes a rustic feel with a delightful contrast of pops of color. Andrew wants space inside and out to accommodate his towering physique and his passion for the outdoors. Will they pick the stately colonial house with the wagon wheel light fixture, the split-level retro with the strange bathroom or the claustrophobic house loaded with louver doors? The Gaines have their work cut out for them, but Chip keeps it fun finding ways to lighten up Jojo's sometimes serious side - this time clothed in some daring duds.

Physicians Seek Farmhouse for Growing Household

A biochemistry professor and his family want a home with many bedrooms and a lot of acreage that can accommodate a growing brood.

Professor and Family Crave Country Climate

The Gaines help a doctor find a home in Waco, Texas, for herself and her new husband, who will arrive at a later time.

Active Baby Boomers Seek Sanctuary Near Nature

Chip and Joanna Gaines are helping their client Dr. Marla Hendricks find a home in Waco for her and her new husband. These baby boomers fell in love later in life but are young at heart seeking a home that will fit their active lifestyle. Marla is a veterinarian and an ultra runner who wants to be near Cameron Park, an outdoor enthusiast's paradise and a great playground for her pets. She's returning to Waco after a hiatus in California where she met her husband David, an avid mountain biker and businessman. David will join his bride in a month, and is entrusting Marla, her sister Gail and the Gaines to find them the perfect fixer upper. Chip and Jo are excited about working with Marla but nervous about David's absence. And Chip is extra anxious about David's avocation, a job that scrutinizes the nuts and bolts of what Magnolia's all about. And how will David react when the Hendricks' fixer upper is revealed to him for the very first time?