Australia’s Best Pools hosts Jessica Roberts, Dave Franklin and Josh Packham at the Marriott which features in Episode 2. .
The Block head landscaper Dave Franklin’s backyards have become so popular he’s won a spin-off show of his own, joined by Josh Pakeham of Fans vs Faves, kicking off this weekend.
“With The Block and all the other shows life is quite busy, but it is very exciting and great to get these shows out,” he said. “It is the first show of its kind that we’ve had in Australia that’s just based on pools”.
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Celebrity TV pool designer Dave Franklin’s clientele includes The Block host Shelly Craft’s Byron Bay property.
Australia’s Best Pools team with hosts Jessica Roberts and Dave Franklin on location.
The first three episodes are based in the spiritual home of pools in the country – Queensland – which he said “has more pools per capita per state, but at the same time we do have a lot of states that are catching up as well”.
“We travel the country, some are big, some are small, some are affordable and some are very expensive. We tried to get a range of all pools, and then we have a few fun shoots in between, some are commercial, some hotels, and we even do Cali Beach Club which is on the Gold Coast.”
Mr Franklin is joined by The Block: Fans vs Faves runner-up Josh Packham – who made $530,000 that season with twin Luke and Instagram influencer Jessica Roberts.
He said Covid-19 had seen a massive shift in focus on homes with usable backyards becoming paramount in renovations and purchases.
Australia’s Best Pools hosts Jessica Roberts and Dave Franklin on location.
”A lot of people have put a lot of money back into their backyards” rather than splurge on holidays, he said.
“We’ve actually seen pool sales go up by at least 50pc through Covid. Everyone wants their little slice of heaven in their backyard and having a pool has turned into one of the must things that you want.”
He said the mindset shift may have begun 15 years ago with shows like The Block, but even up to 10 years ago landscaping and pools were not in housing packages.
“Now when people go out and buy, they expect to have landscaping or a pool in their house.”
“We’ve seen people spending 50k on their backyard. We’ve seen people spending half a million on the backyard. We’re getting a lot of people that love their house now, which I love.”
Dave Franklin has become a key member of The Block team.
“You don’t have to have formal gardens, you don’t have to have the most minimalist garden, you can just design gardens that suit your family and suit what you need, and that’s what we’re seeing more of now. We’re enjoying seeing what’s happening around Australia.”
Mr Franklin said Queensland would be well represented in The Block: Treechange where six pools were being built, with Qld builders involved in two of them
“I’ve got a person from Brisbane that comes down and he does a pool, I won’t say too much about that. So you’re well represented there, Queensland is on The Block this year. Actually I’ve got two companies from Queensland that are supplying pools and building pools on there.”
Mr Franklin is also Scotty Cam’s landscaper this year on The Block: Treechange. Australia’s Best Pools kicks off on the Gold Coast this Saturday August 13 on 9 Life.
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