Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Let's see who's getting crashed today.
How are you at plastering pools?
Awful.
NARRATOR: Matt Blashaw is hitting the home-improvement store...
So, are you guys doing a show?
Hey, do you want to come work on my team?
...looking for a yard to crash.
I'll give you three cookies a day
and a 401(k) full of Popsicles.
No. I'm good.
You sure?
Too bad, because whoever takes him up on his offer
will get an amazing backyard makeover,
complete with a one-of-a-kind checkerboard hardscape,
retro-chic grill station, custom pergola, privacy screens,
and a brand-new hot tub.
I think you know who I am.
No. I do not, actually. Who are you?
You want to take me home?
NARRATOR: Professional contractor Matt Blashaw stakes out
I'm giving away gold.
...looking for do-it-yourselfers
who need an extra hand from a pro.
What they don't know is
he's gonna transform their simple project
into a total backyard makeover.
WOMAN: It's amazing!
It's like winning the landscape lottery.
Yes!
-- Captions by VITAC --
MATT: How's it going?
We're just running through the home-improvement aisles.
You need any help?
Yes. I need some of that linoleum.
I'm not that tall.
How is your yard right now? Is it ugly?
Are we comfortable right now? Could I do this?
I believe he's on another planet.
Don't you go scooting 'cause I can scoot just as fast.
So, tell me when to stop.
No, you're not gonna do my yard.
All right. That was pretty awesome.
That was a pretty good no. That was a pretty good no.
I'm having a hard time today.
Oh, yeah?
People aren't saying yes to me.
MATT: You were staring at me like,
"What is this man doing with cameras?"
What are you guys looking for?
Well, actually, our backyard is crap.
Who's in charge of the backyard?
Laura is. Lately, I've been working a lot, so now...
It looked a lot better last year,
but now that she's taken over...
So, it's all your fault.
We have a lot of the kids' stuff in the backyard.
So, you're actually -- It's Freddie's fault.
[ Laughter ]
You have pictures of your yard?
So, you got kids' stuff, kids' stuff, kids' stuff.
Does he not know how to put his toys away?
So, this is what I do.
I go around, and I lurk, and I look for people
who are looking for me to go home with you
to help you with your backyard.
Yeah.
Does it sound weird?
We taught Freddie not to do that.
Freddie, don't pay attention to this whole thing.
How long are you gonna stay?
Two days.
I think it'll be worth it.
Okay.
Yeah.
Shake on it? Okay.
It's a big risk. [ Laughs ]
But he looks like a trustworthy guy.
He's a little too pretty to be a contractor.
Another one in the bag.
GREG: All right, we're home, Fred.
Okay.
Peace, love, unity, om.
I love it. Very spiritual people.
Yeah, good energy.
I like good energy.
Okay, we're starting off on a good foot.
You coming with us, buddy? All right. Let's go.
Wow.
Yes.
Tell me the issues.
LAURA: We've got a problem with wild trees,
invasive plants that grow no matter --
Oh!
We've never known what to do with this corner.
You have so much overgrowth in here, it's ridiculous.
BOTH: No.
[ Chuckles ]
That's bad.
And when the wind comes, I mean, that crushes your house.
This is what I don't see around here, guys.
Where's your area?
We don't have one. Well, here it is, right here.
Sweet.
Our neighbor put it on the sidewalk for free.
Guys, this is just sad.
LAURA: Mm-hmm.
We need a place to enjoy.
We need just a little bit of seating for you,
and I know you love Freddie, and he's a lovable kid.
I love you, too, buddy, okay?
Yeah.
So, tell me what you want in your backyard.
I think a hot tub would be good.
So, the number-one thing on your list is a hot tub?
I'd say barbecue/grill area, then hot tub.
Here we go. This is what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna give you a new backyard.
What I need from you guys -- I need some help.
I need a bunch of people back here
that's gonna help me for two days.
Yes.
Thanks, man.
Freddie, come over here, buddy.
I'll see you in a couple days, all right?
You got a shovel? Awesome.
Ready, Freddie? Here we go.
Off to find a hot tub.
[ Horn honks ]
[ Squeals ]
Whoo!
Blashaw!
Hi.
Yes.
All right. Let me introduce you to the team.
Right next to me, this is Jonus Larsen, Larsen Designs.
My favorite contracting cowboy.
Next to him, that is Connie Cummings
from Cummings Landscape & Masonry Design.
Helping her out, that's Donna Dowson.
Gorgeous and incredibly talented.
And then, behind her, that is Markos Egure.
And he is an artist. That's all I'm gonna tell you.
All right, you will know more when we go into the back.
Yes!
Come on, let's go! Let's go!
One thing about this backyard -- what is it missing?
It's missing your guys' personality.
GREG: Whoa!
First off, palm tree -- gone.
Whoo!
NARRATOR: What Matt's bringing in
is a colorful retro-chic adult hangout,
complete with an outdoor kitchen, pergola,
and a checkerboard patio,
all attached to a brand-new dining space
surrounded by lush landscaping.
Party time.
That's the feel that we're going for.
Little Freddie gets his own corner.
NARRATOR: Behind the adult space,
Matt's making Freddie his very own play area,
while a colorful custom mural disguises the garage.
Oh, and one thing I forgot -- a hot tub.
Yeah! Whoo-hoo! Party!
I love it.
Chic, baby.
Let's do this!
Oh!
Did I tell you that you're getting new grass?
No.
Whoo!
Whoo! That's what I'm talking about.
NARRATOR: Coming up...
...Matt shows Laura
that a corbel doesn't have to be dainty.
We're gonna make our corbel huge.
And the guys bring an old fence back to life.
Yes, we are.
There's no adult back here whatsoever.
What does Mom want?
NARRATOR: Matt met Greg and Laura at the home-improvement store.
You say yes to me right now.
They took a chance and let Matt crash their backyard.
Now demo's done, and the building begins.
While the crew cuts and nails new crossbeams
to the old fence out back,
out front, Matt and Laura begin work
on Freddie's play area for the far corner of the yard.
Freddie needs a grand entrance into Freddie's factory.
I don't know. What do you want to call that little space?
His play area, I guess.
Freddie's Play Area. I was gonna try to rhyme.
So, we're gonna put a nice gate,
and then we're gonna put an arbor above.
They start by cutting redwood in 48-inch-long
and 24-inch-wide pieces for the arbor's roof.
It smells good.
Doesn't it? I like redwood.
Next, they use three-inch exterior screws
to assemble the roof's basic frame.
Good. Let's put in some lattice.
This is just gonna sit right in the middle here.
We'll just brad-nail these in.
See that?
No. Where did it go?
Exactly. You don't see it because you nailed it.
Out back, crews dig lines for the irrigation,
and Markos puts the first paint strokes on the new mural,
while Greg and Jonus add fresh fence boards
to the new fence crossbeams.
NARRATOR: Meanwhile, another crew stakes in bender board
for the new patio and pathway...
...then adds base rock and a reinforcing rebar skeleton
just in time for concrete.
Over the shoulder. This is heavy, too.
And what you're gonna do is you're just gonna
back and forth, all right?
Bring that mud in, back and forth.
There we go.
You want to go?
GREG: I got your shoe.
NARRATOR: Once the concrete's down, they screed and smooth it,
as Greg goes out front for a very special delivery.
It's even kind of heart-shaped, you know?
Yeah.
By mid-afternoon,
one crew cuts and secures the uprights for the new pergola,
then adds the crossbeams, while across the yard,
the work continues on the new fence.
Out front, Matt and Laura place and square
the uprights for the arbor and screw them into place.
No.
Corbels are usually those little --
you see them in the designs.
They usually go between, like, you know,
a beam and a post, you know.
Sometimes, on these little small ones,
you like a little small corbel, but on this...
Big bold geometric shapes.
Geometric shapes.
So, what we're gonna do is we're gonna make our corbel huge.
Matt measures out and makes a mark
18 inches from the bottom of the posts...
We got to fit right to the inside of this.
...then carefully draws the diagonal lines
where the cuts on the corbel will be made.
Let's cut it.
Just like that.
The fit is perfect, so the corbel is screwed into place.
So, I'm just gonna bring it right up to the top here.
Oh, yes.
Let's check her out. Let's see what mommy built.
Mm-hmm.
Minutes later, plants arrive.
You guys ready to unload some plants?
Yes.
That's what these cherry lilies are for.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Come on, stage dive!
Aah!
We're done!
NARRATOR: As Day 1 winds down, the mural is coming to life,
the crew adds expansion joints to the new concrete,
and the top of Freddie's arbor is getting a coat of color.
All right, end of day. Come join me.
We got beautiful hardscape.
We got all the fencing that's up, which is nice.
You got your pad port.
The sun is going down,
but you're making it rise again, my friend.
But what has to be done tonight is pergola.
Cameras are gone. Say bye, cameras.
Let's do it.
All right! Over the mountain! Let's go!
NARRATOR: Coming up, a creative way to fasten mesh to wood...
I broke up a bunch of chain link,
and this is gonna serve as a little clasp.
So, you can't just use any kind of stain.
...the trick to staining concrete the right way.
If you drip, that's bad news.
And Matt explains why privacy screens aren't just for privacy.
Totally.
NARRATOR: For Matt's favorite projects and tips,
head on over to the Crashers page at hgtv.com/crashers.
Good morning!
Rise and shine. It's building time.
NARRATOR: It's Day 2 of this retro-rad yard crash.
Overnight, the crew made some progress on the pergola.
We didn't quite get where we wanted to be,
but we're at a point where we can power wash
and then begin to color.
We got all the sod to put in. Freddie's Fun House.
Gate's going up. Our arbor that we built yesterday is gonna go up.
Yes.
All right, let's go! Day 2! Get it up and come on!
NARRATOR: The first of the trees and plants go in out back,
while out front Matt and Laura get started
on a dual-purpose project.
You're missing a couple things in your backyard.
Yes.
Yes.
Bling, pop.
They measure and cut the 2x4s and 4x4s...
Nail guns. Yesterday, you used a BB gun.
Ouch.
...then use a framing nailer to put it all together.
This is the mesh. It's a masonry mesh.
This is what that plant's gonna grow up to --
the trellising portion of it.
I broke up a bunch of chain link, some small chain link,
and this is gonna serve as a little clasp.
Like so.
And then one screw on the other.
They'll bridge it up, keep it in place.
They secure the mesh...
...and grind the ends down.
Okay, I'll tell you what. I'm gonna make you a deal right now.
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
Oh, I love that deal.
While Matt leaves Laura to paint the privacy screens,
he grabs Greg to help him stain the patio.
No.
Don't replace it. Stain it.
Really easy to do. So, I figured you like blue.
But we're gonna give it some depth, too,
with different colors of blue.
A light blue and a dark blue.
Use a good brush. Just dip it into the mix.
If you drip, that's bad news
'cause this doesn't come up easy.
Don't touch the light blue.
All right, just like this. Okay, all the way back.
Let's get this blue happening.
I'm off!
Midday, Jonus' team measures, cuts,
and assembles the fence for Freddie's play area
just in time to move the arbor into place.
To the back.
MATT: All right.
Our little supports come all the way down to the bottom here.
That's exactly where we want it to be.
Let's put a level on this thing, make sure it's level,
and then we'll just dry-bag it in.
There you go.
Perfect, just like that.
Your job -- go grab a hose, and let's hose it.
There you go. Nice and wet.
See how that's all just sinking down in there?
Okay, perfect.
[ Laughs ]
NARRATOR: With the arbor now in place,
the crew moves the fence in, then toenails and paints it...
...while Markos adds depth to the custom mural.
Markos, every time I turn around,
this thing looks better and better.
Yes.
Now I'm looking at it,
it's almost popping out into the yard.
Well, I use different colors, the lighting patterns
so you have your highs in the yellows and the dark green.
So, it's just color on top of color on top of color.
So, the more you're painting and painting and painting,
Exactly.
Let's get these privacy screens up.
It's beautiful.
With the privacy screens, okay, it is for privacy eventually.
Okay? We're gonna be putting some loropetalum in front of it,
what are Chinese fringe flower.
But it's not gonna grow out for a little while,
but what's it's gonna do -- it's gonna add some dimension to your yard.
Totally.
[ Laughs ]
MAN: Good.
So, let's make sure that we're lined up. Perfect.
We can start to trellis this in just like that.
It's already looking good.
Nice. Two more, baby.
NARRATOR: While more trees go in around back,
out front it's time to move the freshly painted hot tub.
One, two, three. Okay.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
Come on down. [ Laughs ]
Fill it, electrical, and then we're done.
How are we doing with the pergola?
I think we're doing good.
Lattice is up. It's coming along really nicely.
We're in the final stretch.
Get this done, okay, hot-tub power, paint, and then we done.
NARRATOR: Up next...
DONNA: It's a real simple, easy project for a homeowner.
...turning a few flowerpots into something extraordinary.
When my parents come, I want them to be like,
"That's Matt's butterfly."
And the new yard is revealed.
We have bubbles!
It's time to find a yard.
NARRATOR: When Greg and Laura met Matt at the home-improvement store,
he made them an offer they couldn't believe.
If I go home with you guys, is that cool?
Taking a complete stranger home?
Well, how long are you gonna stay?
Two days.
Do you take backyards from strangers? Yeah.
Now, with Day 2 drawing to a close,
it's time to bring this crash home.
With the mulch going down, Laura spreads it around the plants,
as Greg helps the crew lay the new sod.
GREG: It's like cutting really raw meat.
Look at that.
NARRATOR: Then comes the flagstone path.
NARRATOR: Out front...
[ Laughs ]
Birdbath.
What gave it away?
I love this. Are these pots?
They are. They're just terra-cotta pots.
A real simple, easy project for a homeowner, real inexpensive.
One, two, three terra-cotta pots and one saucer.
Took a little epoxy and glued each union,
and it takes about five minutes to dry.
Butterflies.
Those are just thumbprint butterflies.
Great project to do with the kids.
You take the kid's thumbprint, put it into the paint, four --
bum, bum, bum -- and then you've got butterflies.
I'm a little kid. Can I do a butterfly?
Stick your thumb in the paint.
Take it off so it's not too messy.
You got to do four spots.
You got it. There you go.
Now you want to turn it all the way around. Yes. All right, there you go.
When my parents come for parent-teacher conferences,
I want them to be like, "That's Matt's butterfly."
With time ticking away, Connie adds color to the pergola.
Then Jonus rushes the frame
for the custom '50s-style diner into place...
...and attaches the facing.
Progress made. Scott, Looking good. Sweet.
We like the diamond side.
This is absolutely lovely.
Quilted steel.
On the side, all around.
'50s diner.
Yeah, that's what we're going for.
Hour, hour, hour. Let's go, guys.
NARRATOR: Seconds remaining, and there's
one last thing to do -- get power to the new hot tub.
Come on over. Right here.
You ready for the big moment?
And I want you to press that button right there.
Oh, yeah.
We have bubbles!
[ Laughter ]
We have contained Freddie.
And now we've given you the ultimate toy --
your very own hot tub.
You love it.
You got the bubbles, you got a done yard.
And with that, my friends, this yard is a wrap.
Thank you.
We are done! We are done, done, done!
Before "Yard Crashers,"
it was basically you'd come out here,
dead grass, crappy fence,
a bunch of stuff strewn all over the place,
no rhyme or reason for it.
MATT: There's so much color. It's everywhere.
Spa -- color. Pergola -- color.
You got that '50s-style, all right, diner area,
that stainless-steel cladding on the outside,
and then the checkerboard.
You got beautiful flowers. Keep those up.
You're gonna have privacy screens
that are just going to flourish during the springtime.
I know, man.
Markos.
[ Cheers and applause ]
The mural is just -- I can't even think of --
I mean, beautiful. I love it.
I'd say my favorite thing is definitely the hot tub.
We did! We did!
And Freddie's in the corner.
No one puts Freddie in the corner.
I think he's gonna love that corner, though.
LAURA: Yes.
It's like they read my mind
on everything that I ever dreamt about being back here.
Yeah.
Anytime a guy wants to come home and redo something in two days,
[ Laughter ]
You got to give it up to my amazing crew, all right?
Jonus, Connie, Donna, and Markos and every one of these guys.
Whoo!
You are done. Enjoy.
Guys, out of here. Let's go!
Thank you.
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.