Scott Cam stuns Block contestants by revealing their spends

Scott Cam gathered The Block contestants to drop a bombshell, revealing who is spending the least this season – and who’s getting ripped off.

The Block host Scott Cam left this season’s contestants stunned during Monday’s episode, when he revealed just how much – and how little – different teams were paying for their tradies, electricians and plasterers.

Cam made the announcement at a group dinner and explained that, while he would tell the contestants the highest and lowest spend for each category, he would not name and shame teams. Instead, he wanted to make the point that tradies’ fees could vary wildly, and it was possible to bargain for a better price.

Scott Cam delivers the news.

Viewers at home, however, got to see which team was getting the best deal – and who was getting the worst.

At the four-week mark, the lowest spend on builders and chippies came from Dylan and Jenny, both tradies themselves, who had spent $22,600. Perhaps surprisingly, the highest came from experienced Sydney renovators Rachel and Ryan, who’d spent $40,000.

“It was very interesting to see trades doubling in price. The fact that we’re all doing the same work, the same rooms, to double in price … there’s something definitely going wrong there,” said contestant Omar, while Cam told the teams that the wildly differing figures showed “it is possible to get your builders down”.

Tom and Sarah-Jane had spent the lowest amount so far – $6500 – on electricians, while Rachel and Ryan had again spent the highest amount – more than double on $14,000.

And then for the “absolute corker,” as Cam put it: Plasterers. Omar and Oz had scored the cheapest deal, spending $7500 so far. Spending more than four times that figure, Sharon and Ankur had forked out $35,000 for plasterers so far this season.

Omar and Oz are getting a very good deal.

The contestants were shocked – and more so by the team getting the lower price.

“How would you be $7500? Unless they’re doing a bit of a dodgy backhander,” said Jenny. “It seems weird.”

Elsewhere in Monday’s episode, controversial couple Sharon and Ankur – who have publicly complained they are getting the “villain edit” this season – once again clashed with their builder, Liam.

This time, he was furious when he arrived at site for a new day, only to find the couple hadn’t done the demolition and clearing work they were meant to do overnight.

“That completely ruins my day. Straight away I’m in a f***ing mood, because we should have been at this stage at 8 o’clock,” he said, as he began demolishing before he could move to the task at hand.

Sharon and Ankur said dinners like the one shown in Monday’s episode stopped them from doing after-hours work.

In a piece to camera, Ankur said there was sometimes “miscommunication” about how much work the couple were expected to do after hours.

“After hours, potentially we’re wrecked from the day or we’ve got a dinner, and then that work doesn’t get done,” he said.

“I think it is really important for mental health to be able to process things, but it does hurt my feelings,” Sharon said of their builder’s latest venting of his frustrations.

But away from the cameras, the couple were caught on tape complaining about being expected to carry out demolition work on the site.

“Our own builders think we’re not doing enough demolition work, or whatever,” Sharon was heard saying. “But I am a female – I can’t pick up as much as those guys.”

“Either can I,” said Ankur.

“I know, we’re not trades. It f***ing p**ses me off: ‘We’re a bit behind in demo.’ Why don’t you f***ing help?” fumed Sharon.

Meanwhile, the five houses currently under construction on The Block were officially listed for sale this week – and the price guides are the highest in the show’s history.