The Block has introduced several new ‘firsts’ to the 2025 season, which is taking place in Daylesford this year.

The Block fans have been left stunned by a new detail that's usually kept secret from contestants. Photo: Nine

The Block fans have been left stunned by a new detail that’s usually kept secret from contestants. Photo: Nine

This year, The Block, which is set in Daylesford, Victoria, has decided to add a few new ‘firsts’ for the contestants. Not only are all five houses exactly 346 sqm, but they also have identical floor plans, which host Scott Cam says will put the teams “under more pressure than ever” to make winning decisions.

Another first that The Block has introduced this year is that the teams get access to the schedule and budget on day one. And fans have been left scratching their heads over how that budget has been divided.

The Block shared the budget on social media, writing, “In a Block first, contestants get the budget and full schedule on day one!”

The total budget is $250,000, but teams can win extra bonus cash by winning challenges or room reveals.

However, fans have noticed that contestants receive $10,000 for the kitchen in week seven, while $30,000 is allocated to the guest suite in week eight.

 

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“Wondering how realistic $10,000 is for a kitchen?” one viewer questioned, while another wrote, “I’d be swapping week seven and eight’s budget around.”

“$10,000 is no where near enough when you factor in every aspect,” a third weighed in.

“Kitchen will have a $20K sponsor to go with that budget surely…” another added, with one viewer responding, “If not more, they were like $100k kitchens last year.”

“They get vouchers from sponsors for appliances and cupboards, they only pay for the building work,” someone else pointed out.

“Clearly not enough money,” yet another said.

“$10k for the kitchen seems a little stingy,” one person wrote.

“With everything going up these days, they should get a higher budget,” someone else pointed out.

The change to share the schedule comes after a major scandal during the 2021 season contestants Tanya and Vito took photos of the schedule and sent them around to other teams, giving them an edge in the competition.

One fan referenced the scandal and wrote, “No need to take a photo this time 😉.”

 

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Many other fans were left divided over the fact that the show will feature identical houses and floor plans, with one excited viewer writing, “I actually like them all being the same, and see how they style them differently, should be interesting.”

“I love it! Makes it a level playing field,” another agreed.

“OMG yes, I’ve been wondering how cool it would be if everyone had the same house and could only change the elements of design,” a third said. “It’s all fair game now. So excited for this one!”

Others suggested that the teams should be allowed to change the floor plan, implying that the teams are more interior designers this year.

“The Block should be called ‘Design’ because 99 per cent of the work is done by contractors/builders etc and the contestants do the interior design,” one person wrote. “You get the occasional contestant that is a chippy or tiler etc, it’s supposed to be a contestant renovation show, more of a joke than that!”

“All the same floor plan? I get why it serves the competition, needing to be creative with the same place…” another said. “But paying millions for a flatpack carbon copy of your four neighbours…”