Pt Chev returning to normal after Block filming and auctions

Ben and Quinn Alexandre received $30,000 from the winners. Photo / Michael Craig

The circus is over and life is returning to normal in Newell St, Pt Chevalier.

It's been a crazy few months - for those who call the street home, and for those involved in the production of reality TV favourite The Block NZ.

At least 849,000 Kiwis tuned into the DIY show's two-hour grand finale on Friday night. Time shifted and video on demand figures are yet to be counted.

Show winners Alex and Corban Walls' house sold for $1.552 million, $227,000 over the $1.325m reserves set for all four Block houses. Once the four houses were auctioned, some admitted they cried tears of joy at the Auckland couple's gesture of support to fellow contestants Quinn and Ben Alexandre.

The Alexandres' house performed worst in the live auction, netting them just $10,000 profit. But the Walls, who received an $80,000 winners' cheque on top of their profit, gave the couple $30,000.

The Christchurch couple, who are expecting their first baby in April, were still stunned when the Herald on Sunday spotted them showing family around The Block houses yesterday. A beaming Quinn said she was blown away by the gift.

The pair will join other Block couples at the Pt Chevalier School Fair today and return to Christchurch tomorrow. But they'll see their benefactors again, Quinn said.

"Alex and Corban are coming to Christchurch for Christmas so we'll do something together."

The couple, whose next task is doing up their Christchurch flat, were hoping for a sale price of $1.5m, Ben said.

They believed their buyer "got a steal. It's worth so much more than that. Just going by what people were saying, real estate agents and people in the area and what houses are going for, and they were all around the $1.5 [million] mark".

The show is produced by Eyeworks, and the company's executive producer Greg Heathcote said reserves were based in part on valuations made before the contestants arrived. Those had shown the properties were of similar value.

"It's a competition based on who can do the best job of renovating a house, they all start at a level playing field." Planning had already started on the fourth series.