While I've read comments in this newsgroup critical of Mike Holmes, I do think I'm learning about construction from watching his shows. Does anyone here have any inside information on Holmes? The show is a TV show. That's a given. Is most of what he does legitimate? How much does the homeowner have to pay for the work he does? How can there be any bad inspectors left in Mike's geographic area? Are there ever any lawsuits against the companies that do the bad work?
I've been a victim of incompetent home repair people, so I have a sympathetic ear for the homeowners on these shows. One part of me wants to have an inspection done to learn what latent problems my home may have, but how would I know that I've hired a competent inspector? Several years ago, I actually had an inspection done, and much of what the inspector reported as a problem turned out NOT to be a problem.
I'd say Mike is totally competent. I do not know what, if any, the costs to the home-owner are. I'm sure he gets materials ate a very good price - and likely gets some provided for "advertising" EVERYBODY knows about Blue Wood, for instance, now because of his show.
The network pays pretty good for the show too -------..
As for running out of bad contractors? That will take a few more years - and there are always more popping out of the woodwork.
And as for home inspectors????? Most I've run across hardly know Lintels from Lentils, if you get the drift - and many appear to be pretty close to legally blind.
If you're in the states, I guess that maybe you're seeing "Holmes Inspection". Here in Canada we've been watching "Holmes on Homes" for what - 4 or 5 years now?
My gut feeling is that your typical TV episode (for most of the stuff on cable) is going to cost $50k to $100k for a network to purchase.
I would *guestimate* that a homeowner is going to be paying maybe 25% to
50% of the market value of the repair or restoration work that Holmes does on any given episode. In return, the home owner is essentially providing the production set (his home) and is also providing the drama, conflict, tension, or "human element" that makes the show a little more emotional than your typical episode "This Old House".
I live in Halton Hills, the same town as Holmes, population 50 000. he lives in a big mansion in the rural part and I live on a small lot in the urban part.
He doesn't advertise ANY of his services locally but he sure does help out with charties here in town and I've purchased a couple of $1 burgers he's flipped on a BBQ for hospital expansion or animal services. And he doesn't just spend 30 minutes doing stuff. He's been at those events for 4 or 5 hours. Our hospital wants to raise about about 4 million for a badly needed exspansion and I know he did about 3 hours publicity for the fundraising groups last month.
You won't find his name in the local paper advertising or sponsoring anything, you'll only find his name in the paper if he did some notable charity work. There are a number of crappy contractors in our town and lots of good ones too. Unfornately our town is expanding fast because it's a bedroom suburb to Toronto. Mike Holmes really holds housing builders to task over shoddy work across Ontario and Canada but I have no idea if he holds the builders right here in town to task.
When i first moved to Georgetown/Halton Hills I had trouble finding an available home inspector and had to call a guy from Toronto who was pissed he had to come to the fringe burbs, but he knew my real estate agent somehow and at the end of the inspection he and the real estate agent were trading names of inspectors and yes there seemed to be a few bad apples in this area or have sinced moved on or got into another field.
When he first became big time he had a major deal with Home Depot Canada and was often seen in nearby Milton Home Depot dispensing advice during events. He no longer has a tie in with home Depot Canada anymore but I could be wrong.
But in the end Mike Holmes does not do local work. After all there is less than 20 000 homes here so he advertises his service across Ontario. I do believe he is also helping builders in Alberta. Why stay local when you can go North America wide. He has deals in New Orleans and California etc etc. It's just too small to do business locally.
If you wanna see his house, google map 6th line and 22 sideroad Halton Hills. Believe it or not he lives across from a cemetary.
I looked that up. It's more like 10%. Much of the work and products are free or discounted. The show pays the difference.
I found things my home inspector missed, but overall I think he did a reasonable good job. An inspector is not normally going to punch holes.
The show has definitely helped me. I love watching them deal with beams and basement treatments. I started the Holmes floor insulating technique on basement floor. Foam then wood. Attach studding to wood, not floor. Heavy duty supports are attached directly to cement. The wood sheeting is attached to the cement through the foam sheeting. My basement walls are fairly dry. I'm attaching foam sheeting up against blocks and sealing, before adding more fiberglass. Holmes uses spray foam.
I got the whole house electrical protector, but the show gets carried away with their protection power. They would probably replace my box and outside connections, but I'm cheap. Got the arc fault protectors on bedrooms.
They never talk about radon. That's my hell. I installed a radon collector. the real problem in radon testing, it must be done in all seasons. My radon is a passed low in summer, but can go over 30 in winter.
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