‘Rehab Addict’ Star Nicole Curtis Makes Bold Statement About House Flipping

Nicole Curtis made her big return to HGTV with a new season of “Rehab Addict” kicking off in June 2025. Curtis shares why she remains so passionate about saving historic homes and preserving their original features.

Nicole Curtis Is All About Home Preservation

In a June 2025 interview with Detroit Free Press, Curtis discussed her views on restoring homes to their original glory, rather than renovating houses by gutting them and making bland design choices.

“The purpose of showcasing this house in Detroit [in season 9] is that I really want to put an end to the developers that are taking the little, tiny houses and just completely gutting them,” Curtis explained.

She continued, “The easiest path to get them (houses) done, flipped and on the market is that they go in with dumpsters and sledgehammers, and they take everything original out and throw it in a dumpster.”

The HGTV star added, “They white wall it, they throw in some big tile and some new cabinets and ugly-looking bathrooms, and they sell it. And then we don’t have any more original details.”

‘Rehab Addict’ Star Wants People to ‘Quit Flipping’ Old Homes

The “Rehab Addict” star is not about renovating for a quick flip at all, noting that there’s time and care involved in preserving old homes.

“We don’t just throw up drywall, we abate the asbestos. We do lead and mold remediation,” she said. “It’s a different kind of beast … We don’t speed through the process, and it shows.”

Curtis also explained why she’s so passionate about her restoration approach and drawing attention to historic homes. “It’s important to showcase it and its historic significance,” the HGTV star said. “There are so many trendy sections of Detroit, and if you’re ever trying to find me, don’t look for me there.”

She added, “I want to shine the light on places that need people to care about the history and save the houses.”

Curtis also has a message for flippers, in the hope that they reconsider their approach to renovations.

“Quit doing it. Quit flipping our historic homes,” she said. “I’d rather them sit vacant. I’m that person. I will say, let that house sit vacant for 20 years before having somebody come in and flip it and tear out the original bathroom tile or the original old-growth wood floors, the original windows.”

She added, “You have to have the original stuff in a house. That’s what makes it old.”