8 secrets home makeover shows reportedly don't want you to know

There's little in this world more tear-jerking and wholesome than a home makeover show. The grateful smiles! The hugs! That exquisite mahogany finish!

Of course, there are some things that happen behind the scenes that aren't televised for a reason. From hidden costs to claims of fabricated storylines, shows like "Love It or List It,""Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,""Fixer Upper," and "Property Brothers" sometimes come with surprising caveats.

Although thousands of peoples' lives have been changed for the better from these shows, there are a number of aspects that viewers might not have expected — and that remodel contestants definitely didn't.

Here are seven secrets home makeover shows probably don't want you to know.

Even though it's reality TV, some of the shows may be scripted.

As with most reality shows, the word "reality" only loosely defines home makeover shows. According to Country Living, one Reddit user has family who disputes the authenticity of these shows. The user claimed that on "Love It Or List It," one couple recorded both endings of the show and "the network chose which one they thought was best." The ending that was shown on television supposedly differed from the homeowners' reality.

Host Hilary Farr has disputed this: "The show is not at all scripted," she said in an interview, "and the reactions of the homeowners to renovation realities and bad news is very real."

Of course, "Love It or List It" isn't the only show that has come under fire for a supposed lack of authenticity. Bobi Jensen, who appeared on "House Hunters," said that she was asked by producers to go along with a fake reason for getting a bigger house. She said they told her that her real reason was "boring and overdone."

Maintaining a new, expensive house isn't easy.

When the TV cameras, hosts, and contractors are gone, many families are left with stunning, enormous houses that they don't have the means to keep up with.

Property tax can increase exponentially, and maintenance and energy costs can skyrocket as a result of these shows. (After all, a new swimming pool, sparkling kitchen, and indoor tennis court don't come without a cost.)

India Dickinson won "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and said she suffered astronomical electric bills from her new 4,000-square-foot home. According to Screenrant, her family's electric bill "was around $200 before the makeover; now, in a good month, it's about $450 and it often ranges between $500 and $600."

Just because it's on TV doesn't mean it's totally free.

Allison Kaplan wrote about her experience on "I Hate My Kitchen" for Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine, and stressed this point.

"Everyone assumes having your kitchen remodeled on TV makes it free," she wrote. "Not true. Every show is a little different. On 'I Hate My Kitchen,' the homeowners pay varied amounts depending on the project — sometimes they cover labor, and usually, appliances."

For "Income Property," host Scott McGillivray noted that furniture is not included in the homeowners' budget. "Some do end up purchasing the furniture and renting [their apartment] furnished," he revealed.