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The names Ben and Erin Napier are well-known by those who are fans of house renovations and wholesome TV families. After rising to fame in 2016 with their first show “Home Town”, this couple based in Mississippi have become big names in the genre of house renovations, by doing everything in their power to make their town a better-looking place while also keeping its essence.
Though the Napiers are known for their successful career on TV, the family also owns several businesses, and has expanded their operations out of their hometown, but how much has their work increased their fortune and improved their lifestyle?
Stay here to know all about Erin and Ben’s net worth, TV salary, their businesses, houses, how much their renovations cost, and a lot more!
How Rich Are They?
Given how incredibly famous and popular Erin and Ben Napier have become thanks to their expertise in everything related to the house-flipping business, it’s unsurprising to find out they’re doing quite well financially-wise. According to online reports, the Napiers have a combined net worth of $5 million, though this number doesn’t only come from their career on TV – businesses, and other side incomes such as advertisement deals, which come with being internationally famous.
It’s unclear how much the Napiers earn from their TV appearances, but it’s not far-fetched to think their salary is quite high. According to The Fort Morgan Times, their spin-off “Home Town Takeover” took the number one spot for the most watched cable series during its first season premiere in 2021, added to several millions of streams it gained across social media. As well, the couple has made a good deal out of their writing projects, by releasing children’s books such as “The Lantern House”, which became a New York Times Best Seller upon its release.
All of this leaves no doubts about the popularity and profitability of their numerous projects, on top of doing a great deal in promoting the Napiers’ several owned businesses such as the retailer Laurel Mercantile and woodwork-centered Scotsman Co, which are often featured in their shows.
Who Pays For Their Show Renovations?
One of the most common questions when it comes to house-flipping shows is related to money, especially who exactly pays for the renovations and items put in the houses, along with several other finance-related matters.
While “Home Town” and its spin-offs aren’t free from these questions, Erin Napier took it upon herself to explain some of them in an Instagram post from 2017. As she affirmed back then, the show’s renovations were funded by the homeowners themselves, and she and Ben just planned everything according to the established budget.
The furnishing items put in the houses after renovations are over are either owned by homeowners beforehand or purchased during the renovations. There are also cases when Erin and Ben decorated the houses with items which don’t belong to the homeowners, but come from local businesses which offer good price deals in case the families want to purchase them.
While the aforementioned applies to the “Home Town” projects, finances go a different way when it comes to the spin-off “Home Town Takeover”, which focuses on renovations of businesses, public spaces, and houses outside Laurel, Mississippi. According to The Fort Morgan Times, this show was mostly funded by tax waivers and donations from local citizens, leaving the production company to pay only for some services and salaries of the cast.
What Are Their Businesses About?
Even though Erin and Ben Napier don’t renovate other people’s houses outside of the show, they have built profitable businesses which are successfully promoted by their TV appearances.
The first of those is Laurel Mercantile, a retail shop which offers a wide variety of American-made home items, sourced both in Laurel and other small towns across the country. Though the shop was founded by Erin and Ben Napier and their associates in 2016, the business is a reprise of the old Laurel Mercantile, which distributed goods all around the South between 1901 and 1930.
Later in 2021, Laurel Mercantile opened a second store, though this one specializes in goods and candies. The second shop is also strategically located next to Scotsman General, the only physical store of Scotsman Co., founded in 2019 by Ben and named in honor of his family’s Scottish heritage. The store sells Ben’s woodwork projects, apparel, and even a coffee line.
Also in 2021, the Napiers started the manufacturer Scotsman Manufacturing Co., which nowadays produces most of the items sold at Laurel Mercantile, playing a huge role in the expansion of their company to countertops and other heavy tools and items for the home. All of this not only contributes to Erin and Ben’s net worth, but also lets them accomplish their mission of supporting local crafters.
Houses & Family
Everyone who has ever watched “Home Town” knows that Erin and Ben Napier have a deep love for historical houses. What most people don’t imagine is that said love started long before when they renovated their first house, back during the early years of their marriage.
It began during Erin’s teens, when she fell in love with a 1920s yellow house in the center of her hometown Laurel. The dream of living in that house didn’t become a reality until the early 2010s, when she and Ben bought it after the loft they had been renting since their marriage had become just too small for the young couple and their growing business, a wedding-themed stationery shop named Lucky Luxe.
Though their house was everything they wanted, Ben and Erin made several improvements to make it fit their style. Their design choices and renovation process attracted the attention of a Southern Weddings blogger, who in 2014 ran a story about the couple, which eventually landed them their “Home Town” show as well.
While Erin and Ben’s 1920 cottage is still their family’s main home, in 2021 they found the second home of their dreams on the outskirts of Laurel, not taking long after buying it with plans of turning it into their vacation house. The entire renovation process was covered by “Home Town” during the sixth season aired in 2022.
Current & Future Projects
It’s not a secret that Erin and Ben Napier’s shows are some of the big names in the genre of house-flipping TV shows these days. Their popularity can easily be proven by the impressive growth of their “Home Town” franchise, which includes very successful shows such as “Takeover”, “Kickstarter”, “Ben’s Workshop”, “Erin’spired” and “Christmas in Laurel”. The Napiers also made a special appearance in the Christmas romantic film “Open House”, starring Katie Stevens and Victor Rasuk.
Besides their TV projects, the Napiers have been working non-stop on their books, such as Erin’s 2023 “Heirloom Rooms”, and Ben’s coffee blend brand Big Ben’s Deluxe.
While it’s clear that Ben and Erin have many plans for the future, the couple remains grateful for all the great things which have come their way since their TV debut in 2016. As they told People in 2020, fame came to them as a surprise, as not only didn’t they have lots of experience in home improvement before renovating their 1920s house, but also for turning out so well that it became their main business: ‘The way it all happened was crazy, it was never something we thought would turn into a career’, as Ben said back then.
All in all, Ben and Erin Napier’s rise to stardom brought them more than just financial stability but also became the best platform to achieve their dreams, and help others to do the same.
