Scott Cam has repeatedly warned The Block contestants about their spending as costly rooms continue to attract criticism over execution. Picture: Nine

The Block contestants have burned through $428,336 in three weeks, despite unfinished rooms, defective tiling and costly finishes criticised by the judges.

Almost $49,000 separates Courtney and Sev and neighbouring Rick and Tayla across the same room weeks, yet their raw judging totals differ by just two points.

Courtney and Sev spent $101,690 on their family bathroom, main bedroom and walk-in robe and main ensuite, compared with Rick and Tayla’s $52,775.

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That is a $48,915 gap, with Courtney and Sev spending about 93 per cent more.

But their raw judging totals were just 67.5 points to 65.5 before Rick and Tayla used their bonus-point gnome in ensuite week.

The figures cover the three weeks after contestants settled into their permanent Mount Eliza houses following the house decider.

Cam had suggested each team spend $20,000 on each of those room weeks, putting the combined suggested spend at $300,000.

The Block host Scott Cam has warned contestants they need to preserve enough cash to complete their Mount Eliza homes. Picture: Nine

The five teams instead spent $128,336 more, almost 43 per cent above that mark.

And despite the cash being thrown at the builds, expensive rooms have repeatedly arrived at judging unfinished or with execution problems.

Courtney and Sev spent $53,272 on their family bathroom, more than two-and-a-half times the suggested $20,000 spend.

It delivered a room win and a $250,000 E&S kitchen and laundry appliance upgrade.

Courtney and Sev have emerged as the biggest spenders across the three comparable room weeks analysed.

Defects and unfinished work have plagued several room reveals despite contestants spending heavily on their builds.

But their $22,177 main bedroom and walk-in robe crashed to last place a week later with 17 points.

Judges criticised problems with its execution, including its tiling, while Shaynna Blaze compared its statement bedhead to a “high-end coffin”.

Their $26,241 main ensuite recovered to score 25 points, but judge Darren Palmer questioned the amount of expensive finishes being used.

The Block judge Shaynna Blaze has repeatedly scrutinised the design and execution of this season’s rooms. Picture: Nine

“It’s not spending the money on a feature that’s a problem,” Palmer said.

“It’s overusing the feature, and that’s wasting budget.”

Cam has also warned Courtney and Sev their spending could eventually leave them unable to complete their house.

“You might be the first team in the history of The Block not to finish based on money,” he said.

Lisa and Rosco’s family bathroom was unfinished at reveal after problems with its tiling disrupted the build. Picture: Nine

Lisa and Rosco have spent $93,253 across the same three weeks, despite arriving at judging with two unfinished bathrooms.

Their $36,343 family bathroom was left incomplete after defective tiling had to be removed.

They rebounded to win main bedroom week after spending $28,561, but their $28,350 ensuite was again unfinished and placed last.

Judges branded its faux crazy-paving floor “Flintstoney” and criticised the number of competing finishes.

Adam and Jolene also failed to finish their $23,516 main ensuite after their original tilers made little progress.

Chantel and Wyatt have spent heavily across the opening room weeks while chasing their first room reveal win. Picture: Nine

Chantel and Wyatt’s main ensuite earned strong praise from the judges for its polished execution. Picture: Nine

Chantel and Wyatt have meanwhile spent $92,784 without winning any of the three room reveals.

They spent $35,934 on their main bedroom and walk-in robe, $7373 more than Lisa and Rosco, but lost the week 27 points to 25.

At the opposite end of the spending scale, Rick and Tayla spent just $16,359 on their main ensuite.

It was the cheapest ensuite of the week and earned 25 raw judging points before their gnome lifted them to 26 and their first room win.

The Block 2023 winner and SJO Architects founder Steph Ottavio says strong design still needs to be properly executed.

The Block 2023 winner and SJO Architects founder Steph Ottavio said good design could not make up for poor execution.

Ms Ottavio believed Courtney and Sev’s family bathroom was the strongest design of the week, but said its execution had not reached the same level.

“You can have the best design, but if you’re not executing it well, then why are you winning?” she said.

Ms Ottavio said contestants were also facing tighter working conditions because the Mount Eliza houses were classified as new builds.

“They actually have less time to execute,” she said.

Chantel and Wyatt spent $35,934 on their main bedroom and walk-in robe, with Steph Ottavio questioning whether the extra spend was visible in the finished result. Picture: Dylan James Lark

She had previously questioned where Chantel and Wyatt’s additional $7373 bedroom and walk-in-robe spend could be seen.

“It doesn’t even look like it. You can’t tell,” she said.

Ms Ottavio said spending on expensive features was only worthwhile if teams could execute them properly.

“Otherwise, you may as well not spend the money if you haven’t executed it correctly,” she said.

The Block 2025 contestants Alicia and Sonny Aplin completed every room during their season, with Sonny warning this year’s teams to protect their cash.

The Block 2025 contestant and Apples Contracting director Sonny Aplin said contestants needed to be selective about the weeks they spent heavily.

“It’s not necessarily the biggest spender wins the room,” Mr Aplin said.

“You just can’t do it every week.”

The Gold Coast plumber said Block Bucks covered many products, making contestants’ cash particularly important for paying trades.

“Your money that you’re spending should really only be on pretty much your trades,” he said.

Mr Aplin said the level of incomplete work had stood out compared with his season, when he and wife Alicia finished every room.

“There’s a lot of unfinished work,” he said.

Rick and Tayla have taken a more restrained approach to spending than several of their Block rivals.

Rick and Tayla’s main ensuite became their first room win after they played their bonus-point gnome.

He also warned contestants against adding costly treatments to too many surfaces.

“I think you need to pick your hero piece and roll with that,” he said.

“Don’t be scared of the paint.”

Rick and Tayla spent $16,359 on their main ensuite, the lowest spend of the week before taking out the room reveal.

Mr Aplin said contestants still faced major spending on kitchens, living and dining areas, alfresco spaces and landscaping.

And he feared teams burning too much cash now could leave themselves unable to properly complete those areas.

“If they’ve got no money, they can’t actually fill the place,” he said.

“The place will look terrible.”

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