While Adam & Lisa completely deserving winners there’s some controversy around the viewer vote and what role it played in changing the winner after Carole & Russell were clear winners from the judge’s scores. More to come as information comes out of the Network. Until then, from the press release…

Victoria’s dark horses gallop to victory in House Rules Grand Final – Lisa and Adam are mortgage free after defeating Western Australia.

Australia’s biggest and most popular renovation show of 2014 concluded tonight with Victoria’s Lisa Lamond and Adam Dovile crowned this year’s House Rules winners.

Taking home one of television’s biggest prizes – their entire mortgage wiped clean – the engaged couple fought back tears as the result was announced by host Johanna Griggs. “To get your mortgage paid off is the most amazing thing that could happen to anyone,” Adam, 31, said.

Lisa, 29, added: “I think we’ve proven anything is achievable. We were absolutely down and out. But we kept fighting. We feel like the luckiest people in the world.”

The grand finalists were given one last renovation challenge – to transform a secret room in each other’s homes. The judges’ scores were combined with the public vote to determine the winner.

It was the viewers’ vote which propelled Team Victoria to victory, as they trailed WA after the secret room scores were revealed.

Lisa and Adam turned WA’s downstairs room and adjoining garden bed into a Balinese bar and spa area fit for a party. Judges Joe Snell and Wendy Moore gave them a combined score of 17 out of 20, with Joe declaring them “the biggest improvers” in the competition.

Team WA transformed the Victorian team’s shed and adjacent lawn into a James Bond-style entertainment area complete with bar and spa. It was a hit with the judges who gave them a near perfect score of 19 out of 20, putting them ahead until the viewer vote came in.

Runners-up Carole, 53, and Russell Bramston, 55, don’t walk away empty handed after having their entire house, garden and exterior completely renovated.

Lisa and Adam have won the life-changing prize after a grueling competition which saw six house interiors, five apartments, four garden/exteriors and a special charity home completely transformed.

House Rules has been a ratings smash in 2014, with audiences up 23 per cent and the series averaging 2.3 million (Metro + Regional).

Applications are now open for the next series of House Rules. For further details, go to the official website yahoo7.com.au/houserules.