| Holmes on Homes and HGTV in General While I commend the guy for showing lots of energy in his show "Holmes on Homes", to "do a job right", am I the only one who thinks he overbuilds and overspends on these projects? I've read that the show production company pays 80-90% of the project costs, so it's not like the homeowner cares.
But to me it just seems like he would never make it in the real world since not many people could afford him. Plus he criticizes the contractor who failed to get the job done before him, but we never hear the other contractor's side.
Since we bought our house a month ago, HGTV is pretty much the only thing we watch. However, I chuckle when I see shows like "Sell My house" which claim to spruce up a house for $2,000 to get it to sell quicker. Sure, $2,000 covers the materials, but the labor alone for some of their projects would be twice or triple that. Of course, the show covers the labor costs.
But back to Holmes. There is also some chatter on the Internets that he isn't even licensed or certified in anything himself, and he frequently uses incorrect verbiage when describing jobs or giving instructions to his team. Maybe there critics are simply the "bad contractors" out there hateful of his legit ways...
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"Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them." -- George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four.
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 ropeguruPremium
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA
2 edits | You must be talking about this article:
»hubpages.com/hub/Holmes-on-Holmes-Exposed
Seems to me that the writer, Johnny Kowal, has some arrogance of his own to deal with.
Especially this response to an average person's opinion on Mike Holmes:
I'm known as someone who will tell you exactly how I feel Homeowner. That way you know where you stand with me and don't have to look over your shoulders to see me coming.
You are not a Contractor and have not encountered or worked with as many as I have in the last 32 years,or completed work in as many countries as I have. I love my career and trade and have done everything possible to get all my certification and knowledge available. There are 10 times as many "Good' Contractors out there as bad. I know because I am in the industry. I am so disgusted at the show Holmes on Homes because he says the most ridiculous things about contracting. If you are going to sling mud,you better be squeaky clean...and he is far from it. Over the next few weeks I am going to dissect all of his shows and from just 3 episodes I already have an """"Unacceptable""" amount of errors, Bad building practice and ridiculous claims that would cost homeowners money if they followed his advice. Go ahead and love him but beware what you believe on TV cause it will bite you. Follow my hubs and I will take you deep into understanding why every contractor I know has said. " That guy really isn't a Professional Contractor"
I have had the same clients as long as 25 years. That is enough proof that I stand by my work, ethics and Professionalism. If you stick with me I will correct all the damage that has been done and help homeowners get the ammo they need to protect themselves. I will give you so many resources your head will spin and I will give you my best from all 32 years as a trusted Contractor amongst all my peers.
Yours Sincerely
Johnny
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bemis
join:2008-07-18
Reading, MA Reviews:
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| reply to biggbrother
said by biggbrother:...am I the only one who thinks he overbuilds and overspends on these projects? I think the same thing... it's typical though, whenever a repair is being done, especially to something that isn't worn out from age, I think you tend to either blame the last guy to work on it, or the quality of the material (which ends up blamed on the last guy as well).
I was watching him pull apart a bathroom where there was some slight mold... he ended up ripping out all the walls, he points to some dark colored dust and tells the homeowner "This is mold starting, this would be a problem" ... and I'm thinking, what the heck? I don't think so, that looks like freaking regular dust to me. It all started w/ some water under a tile or something...
He and his guys proceed to talk about what a hack job the last installer did, yet their final product looked pretty much the same, they used all the same materials, install was pretty much the reverse of what they pulled out--yet they're talking about the previous install as though it were completely a**backwards. So if there were some problems w/ the original install they were subtle, not as gross as they made it seem.
Don't get me started on the insane foundation job they did the other week... digging everything up under this house with a 10-man bucket brigade or something, then bringing in thousands of lbs of concrete, etc... all for some shack of a house. In the real world it wouldn't and couldn't be done like that by anyone who could afford that home... it would be done a lot more reasonably and would last just the same.
Houses have been built for decades using techniques not all that dissimilar to what is used today, and people have lived happy and healthy lives in them, if Holmes had his way these places would all be gutted because they're disasters waiting to happen in his mind. |
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said by biggbrother:But to me it just seems like he would never make it in the real world since not many people could afford him. Plus he criticizes the contractor who failed to get the job done before him, but we never hear the other contractor's side. He shows the previous contractors work, what more do you need to know? Just because there may be a story behind the shitty work doesn't make it any less dangerous or in some way better.
Bad work is bad work and that's the only story you need to know. Unless the insurance company will start to pay out because the poor workmanship that led to the flooded basement has a nice story behind it...
Also he had to make it in the real world to get where he is. Good work costs less then bad work every time.
said by biggbrother:Since we bought our house a month ago, HGTV is pretty much the only thing we watch. However, I chuckle when I see shows like "Sell My house" which claim to spruce up a house for $2,000 to get it to sell quicker. Sure, $2,000 covers the materials, but the labor alone for some of their projects would be twice or triple that. Of course, the show covers the labor costs. But back to Holmes. There is also some chatter on the Internets that he isn't even licensed or certified in anything himself, and he frequently uses incorrect verbiage when describing jobs or giving instructions to his team. Maybe there critics are simply the "bad contractors" out there hateful of his legit ways... At the end of the day he does good work and he hires the right people and he manages the job correctly.
It gets done properly and on time.
Who cares if he isn't a licensed electrician? He HIRES a licensed electrician and makes sure they do the work to code. Thats his job as a GC. |
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 morboComplete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
·Charter
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said by bemis:Houses have been built for decades using techniques not all that dissimilar to what is used today, and people have lived happy and healthy lives in them, if Holmes had his way these places would all be gutted because they're disasters waiting to happen in his mind. Do the techniques work? Yes. Are the superior based on our current knowledge? No. That's his big issue, and he makes that clear on the show when he talks about "code" that needs updating. He also is big on doing a job right the first time not using band aides. Fixing a problem instead of band aiding it will always cost more. |
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 r81984Fair and BalancedPremium
join:2001-11-14
Katy, TX
 ·row44
·AT&T U-Verse
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| reply to ropeguru
That guy is just jealous that he does not have a show.
said by Johnny Kowal :
I know that because I've been working in film and TV for 20+ years and in the construction trade for 32.
said by :
No one I know listens to him or watches his show...
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Republicans: less fiscally conservative than that other party. |
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I don't have any comments specifically about his skills or lack thereof. What drives me crazy about the show is that they only show maybe 15 seconds of each task so you never really get to understand what's being done and what the "right" way to do it is. Also, as with all DIY/HGTV shows, there are so many ^#$*& commercials that I can barely stand to watch. It seems like it's 4-5 minutes of show and then 4-5 minutes of commericials. |
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 JonPremium
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL
3 edits | reply to biggbrother
said by biggbrother:While I commend the guy for showing lots of energy in his show "Holmes on Homes", to "do a job right", am I the only one who thinks he overbuilds and overspends on these projects? I don't think so. He seems to take pride in doing it right. I'd be happy to pay a little more to have him (or someone like him) do my work. You get what you pay for. Well, according to the show, not always. 
said by biggbrother:Plus he criticizes the contractor who failed to get the job done before him, but we never hear the other contractor's side. That's because by the time he gets there, the other contractor has vanished with someones money.
I'd bet they would be willing to let the other guy tell his side on the show. You think they would accept that offer? |
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 Lurch77BBR BullyPremium
join:2001-11-22
Oconto, WI
kudos:4 | reply to biggbrother
said by biggbrother: Plus he criticizes the contractor who failed to get the job done before him, but we never hear the other contractor's side. This is a good point. I run into a lot of things on my job where I ask myself why another contractor would do something so half assed. Then you see why when after given a customer a quote they balk at the price and want it cut in half. You can only do what the customer will pay for.
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"On a motorcycle, you're penetrating distance right along with the machine. In a car you're just a spectator; the windshield's like a TV." ~ Kenny "Von Dutch" Howard |
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| said by Lurch77:said by biggbrother: Plus he criticizes the contractor who failed to get the job done before him, but we never hear the other contractor's side. This is a good point. I run into a lot of things on my job where I ask myself why another contractor would do something so half assed. Then you see why when after given a customer a quote they balk at the price and want it cut in half. You can only do what the customer will pay for. Seriously? You are OK with doing bad, half-assed and possibly dangerous work because it is what the customer will pay for!?
You either explain to the customer why it costs so much, why you can't halve the price and convince them it is worth it or you don't do the work. Customers low-balling quotes is standard in all industries.
If you do the work you set a pathetic benchmark and in a year when the work fails you will look like an incompetent asshole to the homeowner, the new contractor and if we are all so lucky the world when we see your work on Holmes on Homes. |
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Holmes and the homeowners never mention the company or name of bad contractors for a very obvious reason: potential lawsuits for slander or libel. I doubt if Holmes or the homeowners want to spend a fortune and maybe years in court.
Holmes is a general contractor, subbing nearly everything out to his crew and other ticketed tradespeople. My father was a general contractor for decades and he let all his tickets and union memberships lapse because he simply didn't need them anymore. You are better off subbing to specialists because keeping up with a trade like an electrician or a plumber is a full time learning experience if you want to remain competitive. The trend to tankless water heaters is a good example. You can't just decide to install one. You need to understand the technology and how to size a unit and do a lot of research including understanding bylaws. Manufacturers give workshops that tradespeople attend and the manufacturers usually give a certificate that the tradesperson is qualified to install the product.
-Bob |
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I stopped doing any homes in my trade for just the reasons mentioned. The home owner does not want to spend the money to do things correctly and is not worth the pain in the ass trying to work around the money and destruction issues to do it right.
The last place I did was for a friend who's wife had the kitchen and dining room completely remodeled. When she called me in for electrical the walls and cabinets wereinstalled, finished and painted. I had to use what wire was in the walls originally and a bunch of junction boxes in the attic. Looked like shit and the next guy up there will say so. |
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Lurch77BBR BullyPremium
join:2001-11-22
Oconto, WI
kudos:4 | reply to Shark_615
said by Shark_615: Seriously? You are OK with doing bad, half-assed and possibly dangerous work because it is what the customer will pay for!? I never said we do it. We typically walk when this happens, as shortcuts in the HVAC industry kill people. I would never tolerate a safety issue shortcut. But when it comes to using low quality materials and parts that are not critical, I can't blame a contractor for it. If the customer only wants to pay for cheap stuff and quick installs, well, it is a tough economy right now and contractors still have bills to pay and mouths to feed too.
Bottom line, to cut down a contractor for lower quality work without knowing his side of the story is crap.
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"On a motorcycle, you're penetrating distance right along with the machine. In a car you're just a spectator; the windshield's like a TV." ~ Kenny "Von Dutch" Howard |
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 cmcasey79
join:2000-12-10
Farmington, MI
kudos:1 | reply to biggbrother
It doesn't seem like the show focuses on contractors just using lower quality parts, but using lower quality parts alone with bad building practices. I've seen a lot of the shows where walls were put up without even being screwed/nailed in a lot of places.
I agree, though, that some problems might be a bit exaggerated (like someone else said with the mold). If the show is going to pay for most of it to be corrected though, why wouldn't he make sure its done in the best way possible? Sure most homeowners probably wouldn't want to pay what he'd charge to do it, however, he's taking down bad work that was already paid for, so there's additional cost right there. To have the job done right the first time probably wouldn't have cost much more. Stuff like the hidden electrical junction boxes, drainage plumbing not even glued together, being sloped wrong, etc... aren't cost issues though, that's just overall laziness, or lack of knowledge or caring.
Holmes does often talk about things being done right costing more. I've heard him say on more than one occasion that doing x y and z better would have cost a couple thousand more... If that's the case, I would think a contractor would at least give the choices to the homeowner... I'm guessing most contractors just give the cheapest price possible to try and win the bid though...
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- cmcasey79, BrightHouse Business Class (10000/1500), Farmington Hills, MI |
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| reply to Lurch77
said by Lurch77:said by Shark_615: Seriously? You are OK with doing bad, half-assed and possibly dangerous work because it is what the customer will pay for!? I never said we do it. We typically walk when this happens, as shortcuts in the HVAC industry kill people. I would never tolerate a safety issue shortcut. But when it comes to using low quality materials and parts that are not critical, I can't blame a contractor for it. If the customer only wants to pay for cheap stuff and quick installs, well, it is a tough economy right now and contractors still have bills to pay and mouths to feed too. If more contractors took the same tack as you did perhaps poor work and unrealistic expectations from customers wouldn't happen, or be as prevalent.
I was insulated from it before I started programming as I was in a niche field but now that I am in computers the same thing happens all the time with customers thinking it must be a piece of piss to build an app because their cousin said he could do it.
said by Lurch77:Bottom line, to cut down a contractor for lower quality work without knowing his side of the story is crap. He shows the work the previous contractor does and he avoids 'cutting them down' but in a lot of cases the work speaks volumes and there is very little justification for what was done.
Look up the Lien on Me episode and let me know if you honestly think that contractor deserves to have sympathy and share their side of the story.
If he was whinging about the quality of drywall or using plastic instead of metal boxes then you are 100% right but for the more serious issue fark em. |
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I have seen Holmes quite a bit, various incarnations, and its easy to pick holes when you are the next contractor.
you never know the full story really.
Always Mike's story or no story..I think not
Lots of these house poor consumers browbeat the contractors into the shoddy mess to..they don't want to pay anything to do it right.
Holmes holier than thou attitude makes me wonder 
I remember once they installed a dryer vent with sheet metal screws a real no no. 
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Southern Ontario,Canada |
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 bentand IngaPremium
join:2004-10-04
Loveland, CO
·Comcast
| said by Tyreman:I have seen Holmes quite a bit, various incarnations, and its easy to pick holes when you are the next contractor. you never know the full story really. Always Mike's story or no story..I think not Lots of these house poor consumers browbeat the contractors into the shoddy mess to..they don't want to pay anything to do it right. Holmes holier than thou attitude makes me wonder I remember once they installed a dryer vent with sheet metal screws a real no no. In the only episode of that show I've seen the problems with the house were almost all just crap work, not cost saving cut-corners. How do you save money by having a reverse grade sewer main?
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Greedy Old Pigs |
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r81984Fair and BalancedPremium
join:2001-11-14
Katy, TX Reviews:
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1 edit | reply to Tyreman
Some of the shows the people say how much they were going to pay for the work and even Mike Holmes says they were overpaying.
For a lot of these shows it is obvious that it is not always that the customer paid too little.
And from the way people act, it seems like the contractors did not explain anything to them.
If I hire a contract I want it in writing the itemized cost of materials and the cost of the labor before the job starts. If they know what they are doing and have experience they can easily give you an accurate estimate within a few % of actual.
The contract will also stipulate how hidden problems will be handled and paid for.
The Holmes Inspector even shows more of how people get screwed. It is crazy at how some inspectors will just lie on their reports to the people paying them for protection.
Mike Holmes really knows what he is doing. Anyone that attacks him is just jealous.
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Republicans: less fiscally conservative than that other party. |
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 Nick_LPremium
join:2003-01-22
Pittsburgh, PA | I think sometimes people (not singling anyone in particular out) tend to forget that they are watching a TV show. It's not a peak into real time events. It's not even a documentary style show. It has lighting, it has camera blocking, it has interns, it even has retakes.
Im' not suggesting that things are faked, but they are certainly played for maximum effect. Showing a couple of sheets of drywall with too few screws is great, but what about the other 15 or 20 sheets? An electrical junction burried in the wall without a box is definately bad, but it does not necessarily mean the the whole house would have gone up in flames tomorrow. It's all shot an edited for maximum effect, to make Mike Holmes out the be the savior of these poor taken advantage of homeowners. That's certainly ok, but just remember what you are actually watching.
I don't think Mike Holmes is a bad guy. In truth, to me he comes off as extremely whiney on the show. However, I very much respect his dedication and his ability to organize and get donations to help the people that he does. His zeal certainly comes across as genuine. To suggest that anyone that might possible say bad things about him is just jealous, is totally rediculous though. He's just a man and certainly not above criticism.
Nick |
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| said by Nick_L:I don't think Mike Holmes is a bad guy. In truth, to me he comes off as extremely whiney on the show. However, I very much respect his dedication and his ability to organize and get donations to help the people that he does. His zeal certainly comes across as genuine. To suggest that anyone that might possible say bad things about him is just jealous, is totally rediculous though. He's just a man and certainly not above criticism. Nick Exactly my take on him. I love how he has passion to do things right. However, even many of the homeowners admit that he went way above and beyond what they even wanted.
A recent episode that comes to minds was a Canadian couple who wanted an addition on top of their house. Holmes literally remodeled almost the entire house just to put an addition on it.
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"Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them." -- George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four.
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