After several bidders put up their paddles for Ricky and Haydn’s house on auction day, it went to billionaire entrepreneur Adrian Portelli for $2.7 million. That left the best mates with $750k in prize money (the profit after the sale), equating to $375k each. Not a bad pay day for three months’ work on their “fun factory”.
There was another bit of exciting news from the pair… Haydn has announced his family has a second baby on the way. The new dad and IT manager, whose wife Chelsea gave birth to Matilda on his first week on the series, is expecting again. “Within the first month of him returning home, it happened,” 36-year-old Chelsea shared with The Block. “Everyone’s a little bit shocked. I guess when it rains, it pours. We didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, given our previous struggles. But we had heard it can happen quite quickly after the first one.”
The baby boy will arrive less than a year after the couple’s first baby arrived in dramatic fashion at the start of the season. There are no signs of drama anywhere in Ricky and Haydn’s completed “fun house”, though. It’s as relaxed as you’d expect from two larrikin lads. The best mates from Victoria have brought bright outfits and attitudes to The Block 2024 contestants throughout season 20.
Once the duo was reunited after Haydn’s stint at the hospital, they got the good times rolling with bunk beds in a kids’ bedroom. There was no question they had the skills and work ethic to pull off a successful build, with Ricky being a plumber. It was just the design know-how they needed to work on to keep up with other teams, such as Courtney and Grant, who were harnessing current trends and styles to get ahead.
After a tumultuous start with unfinished rooms and harsh critiques from the judges, these two found their groove. The pair were even voted favourite house at the Domain Buyers Jury in week eight, which is a good indication that their house will perform well at auction. Case in point: The Block 2023 team Steph and Gian got the most jury votes in their season and ended up taking out the final win.
So, the boys have been the underdogs to watch. Whether they win big on auction day or not, one thing’s for sure – they’ve stayed on brand throughout the renovation. From the palm tree wallpaper in the bedrooms to the 21-metre palm tree out the front, it’s a house made for fun, games and a bright pink front door.
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The Block 2024: Ricky and Haydn’s house
Take a tour of completed House 3 – an easy, breezy beach property on Phillip Island.
Week 1: Main bathroom
Ricky and Haydn’s house started off with one man down. With Haydn’s pregnant wife going into labour mid-week, he jetted off the island to meet his newborn baby and Ricky was left to finish the room alone. “Commendable execution to be one man down,” said Marty. “Good floorplan, vanity’s in the right spot.” Shaynna agreed that the layout was good and she liked the bath, but thought the colour choices didn’t quite work together. Darren’s advice was to start with a flatlay or moodboard for each room to make sure all the materials work together.
Score: 24/30
Week 2: Kids’ bedroom
The use of bunk beds in this bedroom was good in theory. “There’d be no holiday house without some bunk beds,” said Darren. But both Marty and Shaynna weren’t happy with the layout of the room and where the bunk beds were positioned – on the wall next to the door. “It’s an issue for me,” said Shaynna.
“It’s a good room, it’s not a great room,” added Marty, “and we’ve just seen great rooms.” However, Shaynna wouldn’t even give them that. “I don’t even think it’s a good room. I think the wardrobe is the hero. The rest of it needs to be fixed.” The lack of heating or cooling was a problem, too.
Score: 22/30
Week 3: Main ensuite
This best-friend duo had issues with waterproofing, as the wrong product was used and it all had to be removed. They also went separate ways with their builder after not seeing eye-to-eye, meaning Ricky and Haydn were left with little to show at the end of the week. Darren had wished they at least placed materials on the floor so they could have given feedback on those. “This is the most unfinished room in The Block history,” said Marty. Scott Cam clarified that it wasn’t, actually. There have been quite a few contestants who haven’t finished rooms over the years, so there’s still hope for this team yet.
Score: 4/30
Week 4: Guest bedroom
Bringing on former The Block contestant Duncan Miller as their builder paid off for the boys. “I’m so glad they’ve got a good builder. This is levels ahead of what was there before,” said Shaynna, who called their room stylish and sophisticated. “It’s the first time I’ve said ‘sophistication’ for the boys.” The level of detail was noticed, such as the shadow line between the ceiling and wall. “That takes effort, it takes time. You’ve got to have a good builder who knows that they’re doing,” said Darren.
The feature wall evoked a “holiday resort” feeling that Shaynna wanted them to run with. The only thing that needed improvement was the colour palette, with the warm yellow not working with the cool grey, but it was a minor criticism. “I think they’ve delivered a room that a buyer will walk through and really appreciate,” said Marty. “It will shoot well. It’s a really good effort.”
Score: 26.5/30
Week 5: Main bedroom and walk-in robe
The holiday resort style continued in the boys’ main bedroom with palm tree wallpaper. “Look at that ceiling,” said Shaynna of the glowing halo in the coffered ceiling. The room was left unfinished, without window coverings or decor elements like a doona cover. “I wonder if the time and effort that went into that feature is the reason we don’t have sheer curtains hanging,” Marty pondered.
The wardrobe also left the judges underwhelmed. “I’m trying to understand why they put carpet here, walking straight from the bathroom,” said Shaynna. “Timber should definitely still be in here,” agreed Marty. The judges finished with a plea to Ricky and Haydn to step up the planning and attention to detail.
Ricky and Haydn: 21.5/30
Week 6: Kitchen
- Best feature: Island suitable for large groups
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Biggest mistake: Fridge and oven positioned in a walkway
There was relief to see a finished room in the boys’ house. The cabinetry from Kinsman was a hit with Darren, who has the same colour cabinets in his own Bondi reno. “Coastal Oak is probably one of my favourite finishes ever,” he said. “I think it’s absolutely appropriate for the beach. The lovely softness in grain, it works beautifully with these floors.” On the downside, the judges felt the white lower cabinets were too plain and the island base should be repainted in a different colour.
The brass strip in the centre of the benchtop and the shadow line in the stone were praised by Shaynna. “It’s so coastal, it’s so Phillip Island,” she said. All the judges applauded the expansive island, which a large group could gather around. “That’s what people are coming to Phillip Island to do with their friends and family,” said Marty. Yet he pointed out “one of the biggest no-nos when designing a kitchen”, which was positioning the fridge and oven in a major walkway.
Score: 23/30
Head to the real estate listing for more details on Ricky and Haydn’s The Block house.
Week 7: Guest ensuite
After working on bathrooms for 16 years, plumber Ricky was hoping for the win, but proved he knows bathroom design. “This is a good layout,” said Darren. “That’s a really nice expansive shower. We have the toilet in an appropriate position and a nice big vanity with lots of space on either side.”
The boys were applauded for their “fun” design decisions, going with a Nood Co basin that embraced the butter yellow trend and yellow finger tiles in the shower. “It’s a bit of a sway from the masculine rooms we’ve seen,” said Marty. “It’s got a bit more femininity, which I really like. Is it an amazing bathroom that gets the senses going? No. But is it marketable to a large range of buyers? Yes it is.”
“The yellows are clashing,” said Shaynna, who suggested repainting the yellow door a different shade. On a positive note, the recurring circles and curves created cohesion with the rooms in the rest of their house.
Score: 25/30
Week 8: Living and dining
“This is about five metres bigger than the previous houses,” said Darren of the boys’ living and dining area. There were some tweaks that needed to be made to the layout. “It feels quite heavy,” said Darren, as pieces were loaded towards the living area. Marty felt the dining table needed to run in the other direction to give more space to move around it.
Shaynna would have liked the dining table to be a darker colour so everything wasn’t all the same tone. “You look at those beautiful stools, the leather stools [in the kitchen]. The table needs to be that colour,” she said.
The biggest statement in the space was the artwork from the Cungelella Art collective’s Artist Lane. Worth $20k, the boys won it in a challenge. “That is absolutely stunning and perfect for this space,” said Shaynna. The James Hardie oblique panels on the wall amped up the holiday beach vibe while the Cosentino stone under the fireplace was a little luxe – but not quite enough. “They’ve done a beautiful job. It’s just a bit basic for me,” said Shaynna.
Score: 25/30
Week 9: Office and rumpus
“We thought it was a better use of space creating a bigger games area,” Ricky explained of their decision to design a games room instead of an office. They went with a timber balustrade, arcade games and a pool table. “This is so smart,” said Marty. “You’ve got Street Fighter, you’ve got Pac-Man, you’ve got Phillip Island on the walls,” added Shaynna, who gave them a 10.
Marty predicted buyers would have an emotional connection to this room. “I believe people will come and visit, and their kids will say, ‘Mum, Dad, you need to get this.’”
The rumpus room also got a great reaction, with a curtain to create privacy. “Having the sofa bed in this room means they can sleep 10 guests as opposed to the others who can sleep eight,” said Marty. “It’s leaning towards that investment piece for the end user of the property.”
“I’m personally not aesthetically excited by this room,” said Darren. “But in a real estate sales competition, there is definitely going to be a buyer who wants this relaxed, less uptight style of holiday home.”
Score: 28/30
Week 10: Laundry and guest bedroom
Putting in bunk beds meant Ricky and Haydn’s house would now sleep 12 people, which is the most on The Block this year. They went with a similar sophisticated tropical-feeling wallpaper used in their previous guest bedroom, complemented with sheer curtains. The room scored a 10 from Shaynna.
There was just one criticism. “It definitely needs a ceiling fan. In the summer months, it will be absolutely boiling,” said Marty. However, that didn’t detract from marketability for him. “It’s got such broad appeal. When this goes online, it will be that one property that feels relaxing, that’s knockabout,” he said.
The laundry impressed just as much as their bedroom. “It’s a functional space, but it’s still very beautiful,” said Darren. The white cabinetry was the same as those in the kitchen.
Of all the teams, the boys’ laundry had the most generous bathroom space and also included a mudroom for shoes and coats. “It’s ticking every single box,” said Marty.
Score: 29/30
Week 11: Backyard and pool
After losing a couple of landscapers throughout the season, mates Ricky and Haydn were left high and dry when it came to backyard week. That didn’t deter them, though, and they took on the job themselves with the help of builder and former The Block All Star Duncan Millar. Top of the agenda was a large wraparound lawn for playing games of cricket and footy.
While Shaynna was underwhelmed at first, she turned the corner to discover a whole lot more than lawn. “We’ve got a swing set, we’ve got sculpture, we now have all the curves,” she said. The swing set was a standout for the judges, with its custom timber frame. “There’s no way that will be shaking,” said landscaping expert and guest judge Dave.
“The biggest pool is a massive selling feature,” said judge Marty. “It separates them from the others that we’ve seen.” Adding the toys was a nice touch that will help buyers envision their lifestyle here. “It’s the fun house. We’ve got beach balls, we’ve got lilos,” observed Shaynna. Including an expansive deck and a bar and stools nearby means you never need to leave.
Their backyard may not have had the finesse a landscaper could have achieved, but it did bring the fun. “It’s consistent with the inside of the house in that it’s fun and it’s planned really beautifully for holiday living,” said Darren. “It’s not as chic, but it’s fun.”
Score: 32/40
Week 12: Front yard and facade
A bright pink front door and garage were daring, but also perfectly on theme for this “fun house” by the boys. “Not only have they got the biggest palm tree, they’ve got the boat that they won and the brightest, pinkest garage door we have ever seen,” said Shaynna. The 21-metre tall palm tree took a full day to install and a fair chunk of the budget, but it made an impression. “What a statement piece,” said Marty.
With relaxed beach vibes and palm tree wallpaper inside, the front yard fit well with the interiors. “They ran with the palm tree theme,” said Darren. “We’ve said over and over again about this house, that it’s not chic but it’s fun. This is both. This is actually really inviting, it’s sophisticated, it’s elegant.”
The side of the house had been decked out with a dining space, lounges and self-sustained planter boxes full of produce. “This is an entertainer’s delight,” said Darren. “Without a landscaper, they’ve done exceptionally,” added Dave.
The boat the boys won earlier in the season sat outside a garage with fishing rods and a race car scene on one of the walls. “Does this scream a bloke’s garage or what?” said Shaynna.
Score: 36.5/40
Head to the real-estate listing for more details on Ricky and Haydn’s house.
Tune into The Block 2024 on Sundays at 7pm and Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Take a tour of all The Block holiday houses so far
Week 5: Main bedrooms and walk-in robe reveals
Week 8: Living and dining reveals
Week 9: Office and rumpus room reveals
Week 10: Laundry and guest bedroom reveals
In case you missed it:
This article originally appeared on Home Beautiful and is republished here with permission.
