The Whispering Crane Institute

Holmes on Homes

wci-chop-2.jpgI’ve pretty much given up on good information from the TV Networks. DIY is not very good, mundane information presented Sesame St. style. HGTV . . . . sheeesh . . . where to start, it wasn’t very good to begin with and has gone steadily downhill, and has for presentation, well . . . it makes Sesame St. seem intellectual.

The 3rd channel in this bunch is Discovery Home, not much here either. Maybe even worse, if that is possible. However there is one program on DHome that has caught my attention . . . it’s Holmes on Homes. This guy; Mike Holmes, seems like my kind of guy. From their website:

Please keep the premise of the show in mind… Mike rescues homeowners who have been ripped off by contractors or have been left with a job that wasn’t done right the first time. This does not include, Do It Yourself projects gone wrong, renovations done by previous owners or problems related to a lack of home maintenance.

Mike seems to have a lot of integrity, he acts and produces work professionally. He goes beyond the basic code standards. He’s a do it right, use the right tools, be proud of your work, respcect the clients kind of guy.

Mike Holmes . . . Holmes on Homes it’s worth a look.

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Addendum: I just found out the show is also on HGTV at various times. I’ve only seen it on DHome. Speaking of DHome their page on Holmes on Homes is less than thrilling.

Rick Anderson
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41 responses to “Holmes on Homes”

  1. for sale » Holmes on Homes

    […] Ben Jones wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThe 3rd channel in this bunch is Discovery Home, not much here either. Maybe even worse, if that is possible. However there is one program on DHome that has caught my attention . . . it’s Holmes on Homes. This guy; Mike Holmes, … […]

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  2. tthomas Avatar
    tthomas

    I’ve seen this program on TV . It seemed a good concept (to rescue home owners from bad business decisions), Holmes also seems like the kind of experienced skilled laborer I would like to have help do renovations to my families homes if they had an unlimited budget to draw from. That brings me to what seems a large gap in the television show , and that is there are no attempts made to explain the most important aspects of the construction “business” cost and time .
    Through the magic of television the his jobs are accomplished in under an hour including commercial breaks, and none of the work has been broken down into it’s most understandable components i.e. dollars and cents. I find it somewhat misleading to the viewing public that someone of Mike Holmes background would omit this important information from his program, but it is hard to be a superhero if you show the adouring fans the bill for your time and materials for a job that is commited to high standard (all respectable and commited professionals hold high standards if they are worth their salt).
    Another omittance is that it is never explained how the hapless homeowner has been dupped by the original group of experienced laborers contracted to do the work, Just a brief few minutes bemoaning (justified) the downfall of the client/contractor negotiations and contractor neglect. if anything should be pointed out it should be the lack of professionalism in Mikes Holmes home town . The man with one eye is King in the land of the blind. I will continue to watch for entertainment purposes, my fear is most people don’t see the production value( read advertising worth) in the making of the caricature branding of this larger then life philanthropic laborer known as “Holmes On Homes”

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    1. Jim N Avatar
      Jim N

      You’re an IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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      1. Mike T Avatar
        Mike T

        Agreed! That guys is an idiot.

        Cost and time? It doesn’t matter. If you say that you’re going to do a project for X amount of money, time is irrelevant as long as it’s done right. You don’t walk off a job because it’s no longer profitable and a new client (sucker!) is waiting.

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        1. Andy Avatar
          Andy

          Contracts stipulate time and when work hasn’t been finished in time the contractors get a fine per day. Time does matter greatly but contractors don’t generally walk off a job because the contract demands they finish their work. That is one of the biggest reasons contracts exists. However it is common that contractors cut corners to make the deadline. I have worked one job that the framers walked off but that was because their company went bankrupt. We, the general, had to finish their work.

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      2. Jim Hooker Avatar
        Jim Hooker

        And you are Shakespeare!

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    2. chris Avatar
      chris

      ive had 5 houses, only had one inspected because of high water table.
      got a green light from inspector.
      worst house i ever bought to many items to mention.
      the construction industry people are just out to screw u.
      i now own a 150 year old house, and was expecting all sorts of issues, but as i am
      renovating this one i am always surprised how well it built.
      i will never buy a new house again!

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  3. Chuck Avatar
    Chuck

    Points are valid.

    I would like to know the financial arrangements with those whose homes are featured on the show. Who pays what.

    I would also like names named. The sleazeball contractors, developers, builders, who are doing the ripoffs and shoddy work.

    Time scale is irrelevant. What can you do?

    I am more interested in comparisons with the attitudes of the so called investors in shows like Flip This House and Flip That House and the like, where the attitude is good, cheap, fast. We all know you can only have two, and the rock stars of the Flip shows need to be held accountable for the results of their work, if it is shoddy, which I am sure a lot of it is.

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  4. Ward Avatar
    Ward

    I’d like to know if the plumbers and electricians Mike’s uses ever go after the ones who do the lousy work. In one instance, I believe his electrician said he was going to go to the local government on one electrician’s work. Sure, his people would be spending most of their time in court as expert witnesses, but couldn’t the production company hire lawyers to do the footwork so the experts would only have to spend the minimum amount of time in the courts? How much time does it take to pull a License? Wait, do you need a License in Canada to do this kind of work? I hate to see the irresponsible electricians, plumbers, and carpenters getting away with murder.

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    1. Andy Avatar
      Andy

      Each province has their own laws on skilled trades. I am most familiar with Alberta since I live and work here. Plumbers and Electricians are required to take a four year apprenticeship which includes eight months of technical training in college. They are only certified to work in Alberta unless they pass the Red Seal exam. Carpenters have the same apprenticeship, however, Alberta does not require this of Carpenters. That is mainly because Alberta farmers often frame houses when they aren’t farming. Mike Holmes works in Ontario though, and I am not sure what their laws are. Any business requires a license. The government is also capable of revoking a certificate.

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  5. Chuck Avatar
    Chuck

    Let me take this a step further. I know the reason names aren’t names and photos aren’t posted and broadcast. The lawyers have forbidden it, especially given the idiocy of the courts. (yes I know the show is Canadian, and the rules may be different there) But if this were a US show, I’d take the chance and publicize names and faces. What are they going to do? Sue? With film documentation of their shoddy work ready to use against them?

    Why is it that in this day of consumer protection, that the construction industry remains a center of shoddy work and sleazeball ripoffs?

    This is where television could shine. And where it chickens out. In the meantime, the consumer is left with no recourse.

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  6. Linda Prescott Avatar
    Linda Prescott

    I am an average home owner ( that means financially challanged ). I love the show, however I do not understand why these shows are never done from an area even close to where I live. Mabe that is how the renovation shows that I see are able to do the fix-ups on such a low budget. I have gotten estimates from several contractors in my area and their prices seem to be quite high (usually about 100 thousand or more, plus they always include things that I did not ask for. I had a contractor fix my outside steps and sidewalk, which he decided should be pink….and they are not level. We checked him out before he did the work and looked at some work that he had done ( they must have been lying for him). Now of course we cannot find him or his company, so we could use someone like Holmes in our area. It would be great if he could fix our mess, because now I am a little afraid to trust another contractor.

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    1. Andy Avatar
      Andy

      If you don’t tune in regularly to his shows (I only watch it every now and then) you may notice that Mike Holmes does the exact things you just described. He takes liberty to make all the decisions that the homeowners are entitled to make and carries through without their permission. I have seen episodes where he made drastic and expensive changes which dissatisfied the homeowners and justified it by saying it was required for their safety. At the same time he could have fixed the problem in a much more cost efficient way, keep the basic design and keep the homeowners happy.

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  7. shunhaha Avatar
    shunhaha

    I doubt if anyone will see this, being this was posted April 1, 07, but here goes.
    I like the show Holmes on Homes but having done some renovation work myself, I would like to see what the contractor had to say about the home owner. I have been on both side of the issue, having had work done for me and doing work for people. Half the people in the show kind of stated they used the cheapest contractor and I will bet didn’t want to buy the best material but ask the contractor to use what ever was cheapest or leftover. I had one guy bring me burned nails he had found. I had one lady ask me to do 2 bathroom makeovers for “around” $1000.00. I don’t know if she ever got
    it done.
    I wish there was a show that showed what contractors have to go through. It could be made like some crime reenactment show using actors. Most of the show would show the contractors trying to get paid.

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    1. Bill Avatar
      Bill

      Yeah that would be a great idea. Wonder where all of the homeowners are that are willing to pay for quality?

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  8. brandon hobbs Avatar
    brandon hobbs

    As my one of my latino workers likes to say, “oh my guches! (pronounced gooochez) i would watch that show on pbs every sunday after this old house, ask this old house, the new yankee workshop and the fishing show.

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  9. Su Avatar
    Su

    I totally agree with tthomas. I love the show, but am not blind to the fact that there are things we aren’t seeing. Mainly financial. The homeowners tell horrible stories about how much they paid for the shoddy work. Mike Holmes has dropped a couple of statements that indicate that they are no paying him to do the work right. If he’s getting paid handsomely for coming in and looking like a hero, it tarnishes his halo a bit in my eyes. Most people will do good work if you pay them enough, and if these homeowners have already been suckered, what is it doing to them to have to pay Mike now? I would watch the show with more enjoyment if I knew who was footing how much of the bill. Is the show paying for all this beautiful work he does beyond what the homeowner asked for? I assume so, or they wouldn’t look so happy at the end. Does anyone know how this works? I am curious…

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    1. Andy Avatar
      Andy

      The homeowners actually do pay the bill. The customers aren’t always happy and I’m sure there is alot we don’t see. I am pretty sure if the show paid for the extra work they would drop Mike Holmes for taking a huge loss.

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  10. jimmy widdrington Avatar
    jimmy widdrington

    as a roofing and building contractor in scotland when we meet a customer to quote for work if we suggest better ways to carry out the job they look at me like i have two heads,they want to keep to budget but want a perfect finish,this takes time and time is money which they will not spend,we need the work so do it to the best of our ability given the time allowed this works 99% of the time but GOD HELP US WHEN IT DOESNT

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  11. Joshua Avatar
    Joshua

    I have watched every single episode of Holmes on Homes (except season 7 because only seasons 1-6 air in the United States). From the Holmes on Homes website:

    “Holmes on Homes™ offers discounts depending on the scope of the job, which are passed onto the homeowner. As HOH is a TV show, we have money to cover Mike’s time and his crew, and we pass these savings onto the homeowner. Any other costs are paid for by the homeowner. ”

    Basically, Mike and his regular crew are payed by the production company while the homeowner pays for the materials and subcontractors. There are of course exceptions based on how needy the homeowners are (one episode, the tile company that got cheated by the contractor offered their services and product for free). There is only a certain amount of time in each episode and finances are actually pretty boring compared to everything else. Financial stuff are mentioned throughout the episodes only when focus on Mike’s main point of “Make it Right”, are interesting to the story, or significantly affect the project in a unique way.

    at tthomas:

    You really missed the point of what Mike Holmes is doing. He is trying to teach the viewing public that the price and pretty looks aren’t the only things that matter. Everybody has gotten into this attitude of that price is the most important thing. The truth is that the quality of you built things is more important than price or looks. Most problems Mike faces is because the previous contractor cut corners trying to save some money (one episode the painter had skipped putting primer on the walls). That is THE primary focus of the show and it is stated in his motto “Make it Right”.

    Mike is constantly saying to not go cheap on structure and the internals of a building that it will last forever. You are way better off spending your money on a stronger structure than that nice granite countertop. Unfortunately, the opposite is happing today. People want things that look nice (like hardwood floors and granite countertops) and want it cheap, and they neglect the internals of the building. You would be surprised how many of his episodes deal with new houses that just passed the homewarranty period.

    Also, the “downfall of the contractor/client negotiations” is how the contractor “dupped” the clients are the same thing. Sometimes the contractor stalls until the homewarranty runs out, sometimes they get as much money as possible then leave (by closing up shop and opening under a new name and license), and other times the contractor just flat out refused to finish the job or refund the money.

    An Episode actually focused on how the contractors get away with this. It has to do with how the law is written. Because they did some work on the house, they can’t be charged criminally. That only leaves a civil suit to get the money back. In small Claims court you can only get 5000 dollars, and a full civil suit isn’t worth it cause of lawyer costs. Also, the most you get from the contractor anyways would be for them to come back and finish the job. I can tell you that I would NOT want somebody working on my house that was forced to be there.

    One final note, Holmes on homes is filmed in Toronto and surrounding regions. He also points out when contractors do things right as well as giving credit his subcontractors (you noticed how every sub had his company name under his name?). There are many episodes that also devote a few minutes showing them at their best and mike being impressed.

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  12. Joyce Avatar
    Joyce

    My husband loves Homes on Homes. I like to watch it, also, but it gets my ire up to know that those criminal contractors can get away with such things. If I had my way, they COULD be sued, then any and all attempts at business by that person would be forbidden in this country for the rest of their miserable, cheating, lying lives. If they try to change their names, they’d be S.O.L. Any alias or legal change they make would be recorded and used against them. There’s no room in this world for that kind of non-human.
    I would like to know if there is any way to contact Mike Holmes to convey my regards. I’ve been shot down at all my internet attempts.
    I’d like to add another thing: WHEN is someone going to have a show about fixing up a manufactured home? We poor people have a right to a nice home even if we can’t afford a “real” one. The same goes for a food show on squeezing blood out of the food stamp turnip.

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  13. Todd Avatar
    Todd

    I just watched my first episode of Holmes on homes it was great it was 3 episodes back to back I was up till 2:00 A.M. I could not stop watching this Mike and his crew are incredible I have been in the window and cabinet business for 18 yrs I have been in thousands of homes and it is very rare to see a finished product like Mike puts out his attention to detail is out of this world and he is never raising his voice to his crew or never worried about deadlines he praises everyone involved and also again it would be nice to convey this to Mike personally I was lucky enough to be a part of Extreme Makover In North Dakota I helped install Pella windows in their home so I know how it feels to help a needy family out on my own time thanks again Mike keep upo the awesome job

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  14. Kern Avatar
    Kern

    I am a single mother with a thirteen year old son. Ever since I stareted waching Mike I was so amazed by him. What he does for people is great!!!! I always turn him on Saturday & Sunday & I watch every hour he is on. He is a miricale & does wonders for people. I would like to know how to contact him to come to my home. I lost both of my parents 18 months apart. & I am the only survivvor of my famaily. We has a fire in the kitchen, and had to move into an apartmrnt for almost a year. While the work was beinf done we were back & forth. The paint on the walls is all flat paint, There is flat paint everywhere!!!!! it is so bad. The bathroom downstairs keeps getting mold in the sink and toilet. I don’t know why I just know that mold is not healthy. I need Mike at my house because I know he will uncover things that I can’t see that may be harmful for me & MY SON.

    Sounds like you need some help, good luck getting a hold of Mike or his people. If it works out let us know. Maybe we can somehow help you with the landscaping!

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  15. Holmes on Homes(2) « The Whispering Crane Institute Avatar
    Holmes on Homes(2) « The Whispering Crane Institute

    […] 16, 2008 by Rick Anderson Mike Holmes hits the nail on the head; again, so to speak. Friday nights episode “Semi […]

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  16. Wes Brewer Avatar
    Wes Brewer

    I love the show so much…..Mike is the dream contractor of America…..Why is it that so many contractors can get a contract to do your home and just leave it in shambles with no guilty feelings or remorse. We live in Texas and bought our house 5 years ago and didn’t realize the electrical problems and structral problems we really have. Even the City permit guys came over and told us we have several problems in the house that we can’t afford to fix.
    I truely wish we could get Mike or one of the fix it up shows to come in and help us fix our house. If you really want to know the whole story on my family please use our e-mail address and we will explain everything to you guys…..I realize you have tons of people writing to you everyday but I really hope i can get some help here. Our house has been broke into 2 times since we have been here and nobody can seem to find out who is doing it.

    we just need help doing the right fix up’s and tring to keep the people from breaking in again. PLEASE HELP US.

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  17. Karen Collins Avatar
    Karen Collins

    Dear Mike;

    My name is Karen Collins, I am a member of the Janvtville United Church. We our a small but MIGHTLY parish. Alot of our parish our elderly and we our working hard fund raising to put Handicap Access so they can attend services. They work very hard to raise funds for many charities and it seems a shame that they cannot attend our church. Because our church is very old we need upgrades to being the process. I thought that reparing this old building would make a good segment on your t.v show. If you could do this it would be like a small maracle, as we our a very small group and usually can keep up with with all our needs but this one is a little BIG for us.

    Yours Turly ;
    Steward Karen Collins

    I’m sorry Karen, I’m not Mike and this is not his blog, nor am I in anyway affiliated with Mike. I wish I could pass this on.

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  18. friend Avatar
    friend

    Wes Brewer here is a idea ;start by getting a book on residential wiring and a outlet tester. That way you can test the outlets yourself to see wich ones are wired right. Try doing some of the electrical work yourself ;like replacing bad switches and outlets and light fixtures.
    Depending on the age of the house the main service line may be only a 50amp or 60amp service ;so i would recomend upgrading to a minimum of a 100 amp service line from the pole to the meter and from the meter to the main panel. If you have a garage ,the garage should have its owne circuit .
    If you have outside outlets around the house they shoud be on there owne circuit. Plus outside outlets are requierd to be groudfault protected . Also outlets in the garage should be groudfault protected.
    As for structural problems take some pics of the problem areas so you have something to show contractors when getting estamits.

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  19. Lynne, BC, Canada Avatar
    Lynne, BC, Canada

    Just a quick post for Karen and others who would like to contact Mike and tell him your stories, you can do so through this link.

    http://www.holmesonhomes.com/tell_us_your_story.php

    Thank you Lynne, we very much appreciate the info.

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    1. Mycrofte Avatar
      Mycrofte

      This link does not work!

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  20. Lynne, BC, Canada Avatar
    Lynne, BC, Canada

    There is a great show in season 7 called “behind the scenes”

    It gives a lot of information about how the show came about and who covers the costs of the projects.

    But basically, the home owner pays about 10-20% of the project. The rest of the costs are covered buy the tv production company, many of the contractors will give their services and product at cost of free, and in some cases Mike has covered the cost himself depending on the need of the family.


    Thanks Lynne, I’ll look for it but Mike’s show is getting harder to find down here in the USA. I have Direct TV and can only find old re-runs once a week on TLC(Friday night’s . . . I think).

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  21. john Avatar
    john

    This guy is an idiot- I have seen altering of the work the contractors have done- watch it with a carefull eye you will see the allthe lies- Its lucky this joker does not have several lawsuits going on for slander

    1st time I’vs seen a negative on Holmes

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    1. Bob Grabowski Avatar
      Bob Grabowski

      I can’t believe how stupid you are

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  22. The Blog Planet – We bring you the best quality

    […] Holmes on Homes « The Whispering Crane Institute […]

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  23. Johnny Avatar
    Johnny

    When I first saw the show,it was obvious that Mike was an apprentice(probably 1st or 2nd year. I thought to myself..”He a good actor but needs to learn about construction quickly”.
    Even after watching an episode in May of this year I could still see inexperience and bad techniques. There is no way I could give this guy a recommendation as a contractor. Actor maybe. I’d like to know if he has any certification. Mike …do you have your Red Seal? Mike do you have any credentials in the U.S.? Are you a citizen of the U.S.? Are you licensed and bonded in the U.S.? You need to finish the apprenticeship program and get your ticket.

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    1. marybomb Avatar
      marybomb

      Mike Holmes is a proud and decent CANADIAN, not an American. He has over 20 years experience here in Canada as a contractor. He is a Canadian hero and he has a spotless record. No complaints or lawsuits. If he or any of his subs make a mistake they correct it, no questions asked. How many of your “Red Seal” buddies can measure up to that. He has given thousands of dollars to charity over the years – he even built a beautiful home for FREE for a victim of Hurricane Katrina. If you feel that he needs further training – let him know and I’m sure that he would be open to your advice. He seems to enjoy learning new things on the show. There are thousands of horrible contractors out there in North America that your comments would be better directed towards though.

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  24. IwasMIke Avatar
    IwasMIke

    I was a project manager for a custom residential home builder for 23 years. Due to the economy I have now picked up my tool built. This show (and others) do a tremendous disservice to legitimate quality home improvement contractors. NEVER does the potential customer specify that they want everything done “right” no matter the expense, NEVER.

    ex. customer wants to freshen up a moldy basement bath. They contract for 5k to freshen that bath, yet what the home really needed was 25k of driveway and foundation excavating so that it could be graded and waterproofed properly to stop the water infiltration, then freshen up the bath.

    In other words, these homeowners wanted and paid for lipstick on the pig. they did not contract to have a superior pig genetically engineered.

    For example: customer wanted a totally refinished Master bath. All new flooring, walls and fixturing. During the demolition, customer mentions the drains clog, I find joists out of level and old galvanized clogged from 50 years of accumulation. Do they want to pay to shim joists to level? Nope. do they want to pay for new drains? Nope. They have to pay, I have to build to code. They think it should be in the price. MY price should have been higher to include these unknowns. I got the job because I was low bidder. I bid for new finishes as they requested. I priced each stage, I am inclined to leave at this stage. Fair is fair. They want more work but don’t want to pay for it. This scenario has been the rule more than the exception in my experience.

    I need to work, to feed my kids. I used to specify everything that would need to be done, in detail, with options and stated exemptions along with disclaimers and waivers. Ex.(rough mechanical work, not inc.) and NEVER did i get the job. When I started lipsticking the pig, I started getting more and more jobs and now, referrals.

    Sorry, the market drives the supposed shoddy workmanship. Yes, Mike does it right and that is great. Let’s see him survive in a construction market by competitively bidding the renovation work. HA!

    I am MIke, !0 years after my Renovation TV shows contract. His show is not reality. Makes for good TV, I guess, but that is it.

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  25. cb Avatar
    cb

    I have been involved in a number of home renovations over the years…including a major one that was a disaster and a major one that was exceptional. Good work always costs more and there are a plethora of hidden fees.

    I am a fan of Mike Holmes. Showing examples of shoddy workmanship can help educate the audience at least to possibly ask better questions and not only look for the low bidder as they consider work in their own homes. Having watched the show many times, however, I do think that the examples used are extreme; stuff that you’d have to be blind and in a dark room to miss.

    I would like to see the show approach stuff that is not a disaster but was not done correctly. Stuff that a reasonable and intelligent homeowner might see looks right but is not. I think I could learn from that and so could many others.

    Bottomline, however, is that I enjoy the show. It is good to see someone recognizing quality and good work and passionate about making things right. I do enjoy that Mike talks a lot about the long term value of the work done, and how it will impact the life of the family in that home. Too often we look only at the “here and now” instead of at the long term ramifications.

    Mike….right on. Keep up the good work.

    cb

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