The Mansion - Episode 5

It's week five of The Mansion, and with the biggest budget yet, a challenged foreman and only seven days to complete it, the kitchen project is sure to bring the heat! Despite the looming challenges, none of our eight contestants will want to get out of the kitchen given that there is $10,000 at stake and the chance to be the owner of the mansion.

Last week, the group was divided in a competition to create a formal garden. In the end, Andy and his team won the cash but Andy lost Sandi affection when he traded her to their opponents. Speaking of opposition, Jeff and Amanda continued to be at odds as Jeff slapped away Amanda's accusatory finger. With all of last week's distractions, will the group be able to band together to complete the tasks towards the big win?

On the first morning of project five, the contestants greet Host Mark L. Walberg and learn they have seven days to complete the renovation of the kitchen. They are given a $90,000 budget--the largest to date--and a head start of ready-made cabinets, countertops, and even a design to follow. That's right, the twist here is that the group is given a photo of a designed kitchen that they must replicate under Sandi's leadership as foreman.

"She cannot stand on her own as a leader," Amanda says about Sandi, which echoes the sentiments of many of the other teammates. As the project begins, the group is concerned that Sandi and Andy's relationship will interfere with the work that needs to be done. Kim comments, "Andy is always puppet mastering as much as he can," as he directs Sandi on the task schedule, assignments list and even work shifts. Sandi and Andy do not agree with the rest of the team's comments as they continue to flirt. Sandi remarks, "Andy has no problem working under me and has even said for me to ask him for whatever I need." This rings true as the day passes and the third shift--organized by Andy--gets through the demolition stage. Soon, more than the walls crumble as pressures of the massive project grow.

It is day four of the seven-day project, and Sandi announces that she would like to organize a girls' night for the ladies. Jeff, Elvis and Andy become disgruntled as they feel the majority of the demolition work has been on their shoulders, given the physical strength required to complete it. Andy takes Sandi's declaration a personally, as it seems to him that she is looking for the chance to go out and meet new guys. An argument ensues because Sandi is now fearful of dating someone who gets so possessive after three weeks of dating. Andy decides, "I'm going to put down my hammer and I won't pick it up again until another foreman is in place."

Priding himself on being the 'puppet master', Andy is joined by Jeff and Elvis who says, "We're going to watch a movie and relax. We work twenty-four hours a day, and I¿m sick of it." The three then enjoy a movie and some beers, to the dismay of the ladies. The girls are confused about why Jeff, Elvis and Andy are sabotaging the project. Andy says to the camera, "Sandi, I apologize if things had to end but we're looking for two different things out of life. Good luck in your future endeavors and you can come visit me in my mansion anytime." Will Andy even have a shot at the mansion if he continues not to work? Amanda offers, "I¿m gonna give Andy and Sandi advice: Shut up and get back to work."

Soon, with the kitchen out of commission, Mark reappears and asks Sandi to choose four to stay and have some pizza, and four contestants to go out to eat. Sandi tells Mark the guys had their day off the day before and Kim offers to stay and work. To this, Andy says "Kim is playing the game," and Elvis chimes in saying, "She tries to portray that she is a hard worker...to pretend she's working to make herself look good." In the end, Sandi selects Dan, Amanda, and Michele to accompany her on a night out. When Mark tells the group dinner is in New York City, Sandi packs her bags in the thirty minutes he gives them and heads off for the private jet slated to fly them there.

Elvis, Jeff and Andy lament about the missed New York opportunity but have mixed feelings about the outing to come. Elvis feels he deserves to go with Andy, Sandi, and Jeff as he felt they were the hardest workers. Jeff says, "I wasn't about to go with the group that went. No way you can put me on a plane with Amanda." Instead, Andy, Jeff and Elvis decide to have their own night on the town, complete with limo and non-stop drinking. Meanwhile, Kim stays behind to work in the kitchen saying, "It seems like I¿m a little bit of an outsider here. I'm different from everyone else. I'm a hard worker and I can't give that up." Elvis disagrees remarking, "The whole Kim ordeal, she's incompetent. She's playing the game and it is obvious she pretends to work and she isn't who she says she is."

Not all of the guys are excited to spend time together, however. Andy claims, "I would prefer to go out with Sandi rather than the guys' night out. It stinks that she is going to New York to have girls' night out which started the argument in the first place. But we're gonna try to outdo them, so I'm gonna kick back, relax and enjoy the guys' company." Andy alternates drinking with calling Sandi to tell her how much he misses and loves her throughout the night. When everyone returns home, Sandi allows Andy to listen to the messages he leaves when he denies that he has called as much as he did. Andy asks, "raise your hand if you've ever gotten drunk and called a girl a bunch of times?"

Despite the work that is ahead, Andy, Jeff and Elvis all decide to go to a previously planned football game, though they were supposed to have worked the night before to make up for the time they'd be away. The guys don't understand why the girls are upset about something that was already planned. But the girls are angered they went out the night before, watched movies the night before that, and that Andy had actually stopped working even before that. Sandi resolves that anyone who doesn't work won't get paid. The girls decide to press on without the help of the three. Amanda says, "At one point we were helping each other do work. At this point it's just all for yourself. What they're doing is downright nasty." Sandi adds, "How foolish do they make themselves look?"

On day six, the workers are completely frustrated that Andy, Elvis and Jeff--"The Three Amigos"--have done nothing to assist with the design part of the renovation. "This situation with Andy and the guys is getting ridiculous," says Dan. To counter, Andy and Elvis remark, "So they're pissed nothing is getting done. Pick up the hammer and do something." Foreman Sandi tries one last time to get the guys to pitch in. "You guys have been the biggest pain in the ass on this project," she says. Sandi and the other workers resign themselves to finishing the task without the guys' assistance. "It's their paycheck, not mine," says Sandi. Michele chips in, "The Three Amigos are in love with each other. One's the left hand, one's the right, and they share a brain at this point."

With sixteen hours left, Andy comes to Sandi and apologizes for his aggressive and slacking behavior. "I didn't want it to get that ugly," says Andy. Sandi accepts his apology--and his offer to have Elvis and Jeff assist him in finishing things up. "I thought it was heartfelt and sincere," Sandi says of his apology. Dan doesn't aree. "They decide to come in at the last minute and save the day. It is obnoxious," he says. Everyone chips in and does the work. The job gets done, though Jeff opines, "I don't think we're gonna finish." Dan adds, "Will it be done on time? yes, but it won't be done well." His comment may be prophetic, as the kitchen is complete and the team faces the judges.

"I feel pretty confident at this point. I think the kitchen looks fabulous and I think the judges will agree," says Sandi. Her teammates agree, as they watch Sandi take her final walk around the kitchen with the judges and their work is critiqued due to missing detail work and accent choices. "Sandi, I'm sorry, you didn't do a good job," says Elvis. The judges offer commentary in the same vein, as Sandi is given flack for being a leader who didn't find the details and direct her team to work around the clock. "I don't want to hear any excuses," says judge Tim Carter. In the end, out of $10,000, the judges give the group $5,000. Sandi divides up the paychecks accordingly: Michele receives $1250, Dan receives $1000, Andy receives $700, Jeff receives $250, Elvis receives $150, Amanda receives $100, Kim receives $50, and Sandi keeps $1500. Dan also wins the special prize of the home gym equipment.

The heat rises as some walk away happier than others about their pay off. What does this mean for the next project? Find out next week!