It may be a renovation show, but contestants needn't have ever picked up a hammer before appearing on The Block. It begs the question, does building experience actually make a difference come auction day?

With applications for The Block 2024 closing this weekend, producers of the show will whittle thousands of aspiring Blockheads down to just five lucky couples.

But while previous home renovation experience is "welcomed", it's not a requirement.

This season, Melbourne sisters Eliza and Liberty of House 5 have zero renovation or building experience, but have been identified as a major threat to taking out The Block due to their clever floor plan and desirable north-facing aspect.

We spoke with several Block veterans to find out if having a trade certificate under your belt, or prior renovation experience, actually gives you an edge as a contestant.

It helps... but

While having prior experience can be an advantage, there are other factors at play which help come the all-important auction day.

Despite having plenty of experience, Jesse and Mel placed second last in the 2019 season of The Block. Picture: Channel 9

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Former tiler, and now real estate agent Jesse Raeburn, who appeared on The Block in 2019 with his partner Mel Manson, told realestate.com.au that while having a trade helped save on costs, it meant more was expected of him compared to other contestants.

“I used to be a tradesman, I was a floor and wall tiler and it was incredible how those skills I learned in tiling were able to transfer to other trades like plastering, carpentry, walling, and so it was a big advantage in that I could do a lot of the work," he said.

"It was a big advantage in that I could do a lot of the work, it's also a big disadvantage, because [when] you're capable of doing the work everyone expects you to do it.

“So on top of doing challenges every week, on top of being a contestant on the show, trying to style and design a house, I was also doing a lot of the trade work, which became a lot.”

Any money saved on trades was reinvested into higher-end finishes. Picture: Channel 9

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The couple estimate they saved around $20,000 to $30,000 by taking on more of the workload.

"But Jesse's got very expensive taste!" said Mel.

They said any money they saved was reinvested into higher-end features.

While they walked away with an impressive $388,000 in prize money for the three-level terrace they transformed in St Kilda’s former Oslo Hotel, it was only enough to place them second-last behind rivals Mitch and Mark.

Have a strong team around you

Tash Pavlou, who was part of The Block 2020 with her father Harry, said she was a novice prior to being on the show but the fact her dad had a wealth of prior experience made a massive difference.

“So I really relied on him, and he's just that typical Greek dad handyman, who knows how to do everything,” Tash said.

“Having that knowledge really does put you, you know, puts you ahead in terms of understanding the process and what's needed to build a bathroom… even to plaster a room, like all that sort of stuff, to be able to manage your trades.”

Harry and Tash were contestants on The Block's 2020 season. Picture: Channel 9

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Harry said while prior experience was helpful, as a contestant you relied on your tradesmen as you were constantly taken offsite to complete challenges.

“I suppose in our case, I'm quite rounded in what's required with electrical, with what’s required with plumbing, what's required with carpentry because that's something that I love, I enjoy, so it's an advantage but it’s not necessarily a requirement.”

Auction order is more important

Buyer's agent and Block regular Frank Valentic said of the 14 Block auctions he has bid at on behalf of buyers, just three winners had prior trade experience.

“I think overall it's going to help you get through the gruelling 12 weeks of doing the renovations, but it won't guarantee you will win,” he said.

The Block regular Frank Valentic says previous renovation experience doesn't make a difference come auction day.

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“It definitely helps them with their finishes because when we go through [the homes of contestants that have renovation experience] the level of detail and attention to detail is a lot higher, and better quality finishes.

“Because they’re probably able to put more money into the other fittings and fixtures and furnishings because they might save some money on trades’ hours.”

But ultimately prior experience did not really matter, Mr Valentic said, as the builders do a lot of the work.

“The Block have a very good formula when they recruit their contestants. The contestants are always very varied ...they're not just going off having five people there who have renovation experience,” he said.

Instead, he said the auction order was more important.

“We tend to find that the properties that go first or third tend to perform a lot better than the fourth or fifth properties because there's more money in the room, there's more buyers in the room,” he said.

It helps for the next project

While having trade skills does not guarantee a win on The Block, having trade experience saved Jesse and Mel a fortune on their next renovation project.

The couple used their winnings to purchase a fixer-upper in 2020 in Melbourne's Windsor, which they meticulously renovated, adding a modern rear extension which they built from the ground up.

“I'm pretty proud that I literally built my own house,” Jesse said. “It's always been a dream of mine to build my own home, and this was the first chance to actually do that properly.”

Their renovation team also included people they worked with on The Block, in what was their biggest project since competing on the hit reality show.

The home sold at auction in September.