Fix It & Finish It, a new syndicated series debuts on September 8 and features Antonio Sabato Jr. and his crew traveling the country to help families fix and finish their homes. Every weekday, the team will be in a different city finding homes with rooms needing a full makeover. The contractors and designers will take on the challenge and go in and create magic by turning the rooms around in 16 hours or less. “We do it quick, we do it right,” promises Sabato Jr.
I chatted with Antonio (who I had a major crush on when I was a teen and he played sexy Jagger Cates, a bad boy with a heart of gold on General Hospital) while he and his crew were on location in Mississippi. The love for his latest project was evident even across the miles and through the phone. “This show has been such a great journey and a blessing from day one,” he gushed. (and today, Sabato Jr. has even more to smile about; he’s just been named as a Season 19 participant on Dancing With The Stars!)
When he set out to create a TV show, he originally though about focusing on a different passion of his, “I’ve always worked on my own home and different places that I’ve owned. I really enjoyed it. But I’m a mechanic, a motorcycle and car builder,” He reveals. Producer Scott Steinberg told him, “instead of doing a racing show or a car show. Let’s do something else. You’re passionate about designing and rebuilding homes, why not take your expertise on the road so people can see it?” And with over 50 shows later, Sabato is happily road tripping around the U.S. meeting interesting and inspiring people.
Some of the people Sabato Jr. has enjoyed meeting are the local tradespeople, builders and designers that he works with in each city. “The local community is coming together to give back to all of the homeowners and it’s been amazing.” But of course, the highlight of each episode is the people whose lives the show is benefiting. “Every single day is a brand new episode with its own kind of flavor, and a history and a story to go with it. They all have been amazing,” he says. Despite a plethora of moving experiences, a few renovations have stood out.
“I was doing a teenager’s room and this kid was 15 and he’d never had his own bedroom. He had been sleeping on a sofa for many years. This house was almost destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. And we built this teenager a brand new room. It was hip. It was awesome. And to see his reaction when he walked in was quite incredible,” mused Sabato Jr.
“We also met a man who was 83 years-old and whose home had been broken into 15 times. He had to barricade his door. And we came in, and we fixed it, and redid his living room.”
Antonio admits that it’s extremely rewarding to help people, the families whose lives he effects, affect him too. He told me, “we change their lives forever, but at the same time, they change ours too. Because my crew and myself, we’re just so blessed to be here. We never have a bad day. We’re so pleased to do this; there’s nothing better. I’m just so happy to be a part of this.”
To find Fix It & Finish It on your local TV station, click here. To apply to be on the show, click here!
Fix It & Finish It > Syndicated > Daily, starting Sept. 8
Chef Jeff Henderson also has a new syndicated series, Flip My Food that will join Fix It & Finish It to make an exiting programming block! Read more about Chef Jeff’s new show here!
images courtesy of Bellum Entertainment/ photographer Andrew Doyle
I watch your show all the time. My wife moved into a smaller house hopping it would be easer with me in a wheelchair. The only problem is everyone that said they would help got busy all the sudden. We have been moved for 3 years and still don’t have the counter top on. The work we did pay to have done is all going bad the kitchen and bathroom both are coming loose . Your show has been in mountgomery al that is close to my town Ozark Al. My wife works real hard trying to make a living for us and even hearer taking care of me I am a disable vet but get very little help from the va . Please help me and my wife .
In u have any questions please call me 334-774-3274
Hey Antonio! It’s Casey Moore again plz plz contact me at 318-560-5560. I’m in desperate need of living room help. I’ve already posted u bf. I jus need ur help. How much does it cost for remodeling I mean I will do what my husband & I can do to help this process. I’m such a huge fan of urs & ur the only one I kno that can help me. U do such fanstati. Work. It would. A dream come true to receive ur help. I’ve never had anyone’s help bf with anything in my life. We have 4 kids but I have no other family. I’m all alone in this major need to help my house. Look forward to hearing from u!
Hey Antonio! It’s Casey Moore again plz plz contact me at 318-560-5560. I’m in desperate need of living room help. I’ve already posted u bf. I jus need ur help. How much does it cost for remodeling I mean I will do what my husband & I can do to help this process. I’m such a huge fan of urs & ur the only one I kno that can help me. U do such fanstati. Work. It would. A dream come true to receive ur help. I’ve never had anyone’s help bf with anything in my life. We have 4 kids but I have no other family. I’m all alone in this major need to help my house. Look forward to hearing from u!
I enjoy watching your show and have a couple of questions: 1). How do you select your families for renovations and 2). What are your fees for renovations?
Thank you
HI MY MOM SAW YOUR TV SHOW ON HOW YOUR HELPING PEOPLE. FIX UP THERE HOMES AND RIGHT NOW YOU AND YOU CREW ARE IN SAVANNAH. AND SHE LIVES IN THE SEABROOK AREA. HER NAME. IS MARY SMALL HERE PHONE NUMBER. IS 843 226-6313.
Our sunroom is in desperate need of some help me and my wife are on a fixed income she has a terminal lung disease called boop so our funds are limited so can you please help us oyr number is 910-846-3695 thank you
I am in need of. Some serious help our sunroom needs a serious m a ke over can you help me and what will it cost me and my wife live on a fixed income she has a terminal lung disease so we c s nt afford much our number is 910-846-3695please help
We have a back yard that we can’t use because everything is broken down, cats keep walking in yard because no fence is up my daughter hit one of pole that holds up the carport and two old cars good for nothing. Please help!
Im asking for help for my daughter in knoxville tn she desperately needs landscape makeover we wanted something special in the memory of her only son killed in a freak accident in 2014 needs a place to grill and a covered place for her handicapped daughter thank you
Hello Antonio, my name is Wanda Deen & I lil love your show. My husband & I were blessed to purchase our 1st home in Vidalia, Ga 3 yrs ago. We both work full time so we don’t have alot if time to work in our yard. Although it’s not terrible we just need a little help with curb appeal and getting our back yard/patio a place we can entertain. We would love to have you & your team come the home of the famous Vidalia Onions & surprise us with a yard makeover. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks in advance!!
Hey Antonio, I live in Stonewall, La. Actually 5 miles outside of Shreveport if u ever heard of it. I watch ur show everyday & am so impressed w what u do & how amazing ur work is. It would b an absolute dream come true to ever have u help me remodel my living room. Not sure if u do it but I love in a fairly old mobile home. I have 4 kids my husband & I have done what we can to remodel little things here in there with a tight budget. He has now been blessed a a good job making fairly good money but I stayed stressed with what to do with this living room & not including the cold winters & hot summers bc of the old uninsulated windows. Please I beg I lol! I need ur help I can’t take it anymore I need some updating if not jus some great ideas. Thank u hope to hear from u!
My husband and I aren’t as young as we use to be, with many health problems. We love to sit outside watching nature. My problem is. Its not inviting to go out there. I would love to have a groomed area so it would be nice to go out and drink a cup of coffee for once. I watch your show every day and I love it. Please consider helping us out. Thank you so much.
My name is Sherly Slocum I live in bogalusa Louisiana. I have 7 kids and I am a single mother and I need help fixing my porch please. I don’t have no income coming in to fix it I have to many bills and kids to take care of please help me. Thank you.
I CAN TELL BY YOUR SHOW, THAT YOU A REAL CARPENTER.MY HUSBAND IS A DISABLE VETERAN AGE 61,BEEN DISABLE SINCE 1999′ I ALSO AM DISABLE’ AGE 63, GOD I PRAY FOR A NEW PORCH,AND SOME LANDSCAPE, OUR BOARDS ARE WHOPPED,NAILS, ARE COMING UP,AND I HATE PAINT. ,WISHED I WOULD HAVE STAINED IT THE FIRST TIME,I DO ALL I CAN ,BUT TAKING CARE OF HIM,IS A FULL TIME JOB,HE WAS A NUMBER 1 CARPENTER AT ONE TIME , BUT CAN’T DO IT NO MORE. PLEASE HELP.THANKYOU,DONNA I ALWAYS PRAY TO RUN IN TO ONE OF THE DIY,GUYS THANKYOU AGAIN
Correction: I was watching DWTS I was not on Sets lol .
Hey Antonio S. My name is Jan D. from Charleston S.C. I knew I’d seen you somewhere and I was on dancing with the stars and General. Tony I sent in a video Dec. for the Charleston area turned on TV today and realized, I didn’t get selected. I just hope I can try again. Hopefully you will be coming back to the area sometime. Thanks again Tony for being a blessing to people. I’m going to keep on watching. Stay blessed. Blesses to be a blessing.
Does this means that you are gonna fix it and finish it
I love your show…We live in a small town Whiteville N.C. 28472..My husband John and I been married for 8 months.. My name is Robin…. He works so hard and is always trying too make me happy at the same time lol..We have a small back yard that we are trying too turn it into a place were we can invite friends and family too…I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU CAN HELP US…. IT WOULD BE A BLESSES….AND IT WOULD MEAN SO MUCH TOO ME TOO GIVE HIM SOMETHING WONDERFUL AND AWESOME….
Hey again I wrote you awhile back about helping my Husband with our backyard, we want your help we need YOUR HELP PLEASE.
See my comment posted on your website for help.
Hi sir I need your hrlp by next I am gonna have too move my house0 bad conditions.