After the drama of Week 8, the contestants on The Block Season 22 were back on site for another huge challenge.
This time, the teams had to tackle their family bathrooms and powder rooms, spaces that needed to balance practicality, luxury and plenty of personality.
But with only seven days to complete some of the most trade-heavy rooms in the competition, things quickly became chaotic.
From tiling disasters and missing trades to disagreements over who was helping who, Week 9 had plenty of drama before the judges even stepped through the doors.
And when reveal night finally arrived, Courtney & Sev came out on top once again, securing their second consecutive room win.
A Big Bathroom Challenge
Family bathroom week was always going to be a challenging one.
The teams needed to create bathrooms that weren't just visually impressive, but also functional for everyday family life.
That meant plenty of decisions around layouts, storage, showers, baths, vanities, tapware, lighting and, perhaps most importantly, tiling.
With the contestants already under pressure from the previous weeks, the tight timeline quickly started to cause problems.
And for some teams, those problems were much bigger than others.
The Tiling Troubles Begin
One of the biggest challenges of the week was finding enough trades to get the bathrooms completed.
Several teams found themselves struggling with their tilers, while Courtney & Sev were particularly pushed for time after making changes to their original plans.
Lisa & Rosco had the biggest disaster of the week when their bathroom tiling went badly wrong.
Their tiler's work was rushed and out of square, forcing the team to rip out what had been done and start again.
With time running out, they eventually made the brutal decision to abandon their family bathroom and focus on salvaging their powder room.
It was a huge blow for the couple and meant they would arrive at judging without completing the full brief.
Courtney & Sev Need a Helping Hand
Courtney & Sev were also in serious trouble as the week came to an end.
The girls had made changes to their bathroom layout, including their skylight plans, which put them further behind.
They also found themselves in a difficult position after a deal with Lisa & Rosco around waterproofing didn't go to plan.
With only hours remaining, Courtney & Sev desperately needed help.
And somehow, they managed to bring in an entire crew to get the bathroom over the line.
Courtney even described it as potentially the greatest comeback in Block history.
After all the chaos, they somehow pulled it together just in time for judging.
Not Everyone Was Happy About the Help
While Courtney & Sev were celebrating their last-minute comeback, not everyone was impressed.
Jolene was particularly frustrated by the amount of help Courtney & Sev had received towards the end of the week.
The extra trades became another source of tension between the contestants, with questions about how some teams were managing to get their rooms completed while others were struggling to find enough workers.
After everything that happened during the charity challenge in Week 8, it felt like the relationships between some of the contestants were becoming even more strained.
And with the competition getting closer to the pointy end, there's definitely more pressure than ever.
Adam & Jolene Deliver - But Make One Big Mistake
Adam & Jolene produced one of the more polished bathrooms of the week.
The judges liked their material choices and the overall finish, with Darren Palmer particularly impressed by the combination of finishes.
There was plenty to like about the space, including a shower seat and a considered material palette.
But there was one major problem.
The couple removed the door from their powder room.
Rather than having the toilet separated from the main bathroom, the layout created what Shaynna Blaze described as a "free-for-all toilet".
Marty Fox also questioned the decision, pointing out that whoever was using the toilet would essentially be on display.
It was a good example of how one layout decision can have a huge impact on an otherwise strong room.
Chantel & Wyatt Bounce Back
After a difficult few weeks, Chantel & Wyatt managed to have a much more positive week.
Their bathroom wasn't a favourite with the judges, but they did manage to take home the CommBank Better Budgeting Award, earning $10,000 for keeping their spending closest to their budget.
The judges were much less enthusiastic about the actual design.
Shaynna felt the room was forgettable, while Darren also had plenty of criticism.
Still, after the pressure and tension of previous weeks, taking home $10,000 was certainly something for the couple to celebrate.
Rick & Tayla Stand Out
Rick & Tayla also had a challenging week after finding themselves short on tiling help.
Despite the setbacks, the couple managed to create a bathroom that the judges felt was different from what the other teams were doing.
Marty praised their willingness to take risks and create something memorable, although there were still plenty of details that needed improvement.
Shaynna agreed that they were moving in a much better direction.
The biggest surprise came from the help they gave Courtney & Sev.
After helping the girls get their bathroom finished, Rick & Tayla ended up having their own tiling bill covered, turning a stressful trade shortage into a pretty good outcome for the father-daughter team.
Lisa & Rosco's Bathroom Disaster
For Lisa & Rosco, this was easily their toughest week so far.
After their original tiling work had to be removed, the couple simply didn't have enough time to finish their family bathroom.
They instead focused on completing their powder room, but even that wasn't enough to save them from a disappointing result.
The judges were visibly shocked to see how little had been completed.
Shaynna pointed out that they hadn't tiled the bathroom or painted the ceiling, while Marty said the disaster had effectively cost them their chance at winning the week.
It's a huge setback for a couple who had started to find their feet in the competition.
Courtney & Sev Do It Again
Then came Courtney & Sev.
After winning the previous week's rumpus and laundry challenge, the girls were under serious pressure to prove that their success wasn't a one-off.
And once again, they impressed the judges.
Their bathroom featured a luxurious marble powder room with a curved rendered wall and beautifully detailed ceiling.
In the main bathroom, they used champagne titanium tapware, oyster-toned tiles, inset shaving cabinets and plenty of storage.
The large rectangular skylight was another standout feature, bringing plenty of natural light into the room.
Marty loved the overall result, saying the bathroom "screams luxury", while Shaynna was impressed by the amount of storage and the way the room still worked as a family bathroom.
The judges did identify some finishing issues, including a lack of power points and details that hadn't quite been completed.
But the overall design was enough to secure another huge win for the girls.
And just like that, Courtney & Sev have now won two weeks in a row.
The Week 9 Scoreboard
The final Week 9 placings were:
- Courtney & Sev - 25.5/30
- Adam & Jolene - 24.5/30
- Chantel & Wyatt - 21.5/30
- Rick & Tayla - 18.5/30
- Lisa & Rosco - 15.5/30
Courtney & Sev's win also came with a massive prize, a $250,000 e&s kitchen and laundry appliance upgrade, making it one of the biggest prizes of the competition so far.
My Week 9 Thoughts
Week 9 was definitely another chaotic one!
I think this week really showed just how much pressure the contestants are under as the competition progresses. Bathrooms are already complicated rooms to renovate, but trying to coordinate multiple trades, tiling, waterproofing, plumbing and styling in just seven days is a completely different level of stress.
I felt particularly sorry for Lisa & Rosco.
Having to rip out their bathroom after their tiling went wrong would have been devastating, especially knowing that there simply wasn't enough time to recover. They've had some really strong moments this season, so hopefully they can bounce back from this week.
Adam & Jolene were probably the biggest "what if?" for me. Their bathroom itself was one of the stronger spaces, but removing the powder room door was such a strange decision. It shows how important the layout is, you can spend all the money in the world on beautiful finishes, but if the room doesn't function properly, the judges are going to notice.
I also think Chantel & Wyatt deserved some credit this week. They might not have impressed the judges with their bathroom, but winning the budgeting prize after everything they've been through is a pretty good result.
And then there's Courtney & Sev.
Two wins in a row!
The girls are definitely becoming the team to beat. Their bathroom had plenty of luxurious details, but what I really liked was that they continued to make the space feel considered rather than simply throwing expensive finishes everywhere.
That said, I'm starting to wonder whether their spending is going to catch up with them later in the competition.
With Scott Cam already warning them about their budget, they can't keep spending at this level forever.
The Stratco Big Shed
And, of course, I couldn't finish another Block recap without checking in on the Stratco Big Shed.
As the competition gets closer to the final stages, the Big Shed continues to be one of those familiar features around the site.
While the contestants are busy juggling bathrooms, bedrooms and the next round of challenges, the Big Shed remains the central hub for the huge amount of construction happening across the site.
With trades, tools, materials and equipment constantly moving around the site, having a dedicated space to keep everything organised is more important than ever.
I'm still loving seeing the Stratco Big Shed pop up throughout the episodes, and with the biggest stages of the competition still ahead, I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty more of it.
What's Next?
Nine weeks down and the competition is getting seriously intense.
The contestants have now tackled bedrooms, bathrooms, ensuites, living and dining spaces, kitchens, guest suites, rumpus rooms, laundries and family bathrooms.
And as the houses continue to take shape, the pressure is only getting bigger.
Budgets are becoming a major concern, relationships between the contestants are being tested and there's less and less room for mistakes.
Then there's Courtney & Sev.
After back-to-back wins, the girls have built some serious momentum.
But can they keep it going?
And will their willingness to spend big now come back to haunt them later?
With more major rooms to come and the auction getting closer, every decision is becoming more important.
One thing is for sure, The Block Season 22 isn't slowing down anytime soon!
I'll be back next week with another Block recap, keeping you up to date with all the renovation drama, design decisions, room reveals and, of course, the Stratco Big Shed along the way.