The Block building foreman Keith ‘The Blockinator’ Schleiger reveals his favourite things

KEITH Schleiger has become a TV star through his appearances as building foreman on Channel 9’s The Block. He let us in on his home comforts.

Home At Home Keith Schleiger At Home with The Block foreman Keith Schleiger and some of his favourite things.

KEITH Schleiger has become a TV star through his appearances as building foreman on Channel 9’s The Block.

He lives in a Melbourne house he built himself, with his wife, Rebecca, and their two daughters, Ebony, 5, and Jasmin, 3. He lets us in on his home comforts.

TYPICAL SATURDAY MORNING: If I’m working on a series of The Block, I will have been on site since 8am, ahead of a 10-hour day. If I’m not, I’ll sleep in until 7.30am, then play with the girls before taking my eldest daughter to a swimming lesson.

SIGNATURE DISH: I take care of the meat and seafood in our house. I cook a good steak. My secret is to get the hotplate really hot, then cook the steaks for about three-and-a-half minutes on either side, cover with foil and rest a few minutes before eating.

FANTASY PLACE TO LIVE: I love the tropics. If I could combine that with some golf, that would be my idea of heaven. So, living near a golf course in somewhere like Port Douglas would be pretty nice.

HAPPINESS AT HOME: Spending time with my kids. I love putting a smile on my daughters’ faces. They like nothing better than jumping on me and having a bit of a wrestle.

DOG: Jack is our blue labrador, who’s now eight months old. We were looking for a dog who would be good with the girls, and Jack’s just perfect. He’s very gentle and lets our youngest one put him into a headlock and pull his ears. He loves it. He’s already a big part of our family. I don’t take him to work, though. You don’t want a dog running around your feet when you’re working with power tools.

GOLF CLUBS: I absolutely love my golf. I’ve always played sport – I played under-19s for the North Melbourne Football Club and also district cricket for North Melbourne – but after I developed a pretty bad hip problem, I decided to concentrate on golf instead. When I’m not working on The Block, I love to have a hit at least twice a week. I’ve got a handicap of six, which is pretty good, and love the buzz of hitting a good shot, which you can’t really match in any other sport.

Keith Schleiger with wife Bec and daughters Ebony and Jasmin.

FAMILY: One of our best friends took this photo of Bec and I with the kids, a couple of years ago, and I think it’s a ripper. I love my family dearly; they are everything to me. I met Bec 18 years ago in a cafe on Exhibition St, in the city. It was kind of love at first sight. A week later, we were together and we’ve never looked back. She’s definitely my rock. And I’m a big softie with my daughters. I find it really hard to discipline them. They tell me off, rather than the other way around!

CIRCULAR SAW: I’m a carpenter by trade and this circular saw gets a good workout. I find it beautiful to use. I was going to be a PE teacher until I got some advice from my uncle who is a successful businessman. He said if I went into teaching I would always be restricted as to how much I could earn; whereas, if I learnt a trade, I could run my own business and the sky would be the limit. I took that on board and haven’t looked back. I don’t consider it a job; I love what I do.

Keith with Dan Reilly and Dale Vine at the Keysborough Golf Club Pro-Am.

PHOTO: This photo of me with (ex-The Block contestants) Dan Reilly and Dale Vine was taken when we won the team event at the Keysborough Golf Club Pro-Am in January. I’ve made a lot of good friends through The Block, and even though there will always be arguments with the contestants while we’re filming, there’s only been a handful of people I haven’t hit it off with over the years. The Block has changed my life hugely.

Schleiger’s first book, Be Your Own Builder: How to Design and Build Your Own Home (New Holland), is out now.