Mike Holmes to Host "Home Free" New Reality TV Series on Fox Network

Back in November of last year, Mike was in Los Angeles being courted by TV executives. He couldn't say exactly what he was up to, but he assured his fans that whatever it was, it was "big" and asked his fans to wish him good luck (See What's Mike Up To? Rumors and Speculations... for more information). As it turns out, "big" just doesn't seem like the appropriate word to describe Mike's most recent activities. It was announced today by both Fox Broadcasting and Mike Holmes that Mike is slated to host his very own prime time reality series this summer. The show entitled Home Free features couples competing to win their dream home by renovating a dilapidated home every week under the supervision of Mike. The catch? The couples will have to live in the homes 24/7 as they are renovated, meaning the better they do at the challenges Mike throws at them, the more comfortably they live. Home Free is set to air Wednesday nights at 9/8C starting July 22 on Fox. As most fans are aware, Mike Holmes is no stranger to reality show series. Besides Holmes on Homes, Holmes Inspection, and Holmes Makes It Right, which are sort of reality series, Mike has been a host judge on Canada's Handyman Challenge and its across-the-border sister spin-off All American Handyman. Although successful in their own rights, these HGTV and DIY Network series are small bananas compared to prime time on a major TV network. A show like this will undoubtedly expose Mike to a whole new and potentially much larger audience than anything he's ever done! It's a fantastic opportunity for him to spread his message far and wide and gain some much needed support for the trades.

From Fox.com:

ALL-NEW COMPETITION SERIES “HOME FREE”

BREAKS GROUND WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, ON FOX

Host Mike Holmes to Award the Winning Couple a Dream Home

FOX has ordered HOME FREE, a new competition series that will feature never-before-seen twists and plenty of surprises, as couples vie to win their dream home. From Relativity Television and executive producer Tom Forman (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”), and hosted by famed professional contractor Mike Holmes (“Holmes on Homes®”), the eight-episode unscripted series breaks ground Wednesday, July 22 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

“HOME FREE is a ‘renovation’ of the home makeover genre and FOX is, without question, the right network to partner with,” said Tom Forman, CEO of Relativity Television. “We’re thrilled to have host Mike Holmes, the most legit name in renovation. He’s going to inspire our contestants, but also push them to the limit...and that’s a great thing. I’ve done some big shows, but this is the biggest, complete with all sorts of twists and turns you’ll have to watch to believe. We can’t wait to get renovating.”

“A home is way more than brick and mortar. So being part of this new series and partnering with FOX is truly exciting for me,” said Holmes. “I’m ready to break ground with these couples. It’s going to be a lot of sweat and tears but I promise you, all worth it in the end...trust me on this.”

On HOME FREE, nine deserving couples are challenged to revive one run-down home every week. During each episode, Holmes will present the couples with tasks designed to test and challenge the skills of these do-it-yourself enthusiasts. Holmes will be with the competitors every step of the way – picking apart their work and demanding they meet his high standards, while also sharing his expertise and guidance to help them reach new heights. But in a surprise twist, when the work is done for the day, the couples don’t have far to travel to get home…because not only must they work together to restore the home, they must all live together in the same dilapidated home 24/7. The more they accomplish, the better they sleep at night.

Each week, the couples with the best work will move forward in the competition, while the couple who didn’t perform up to code will face elimination. Eliminations will continue each week, until only two couples remain, who will fight to the finish to win their ultimate dream home.

Holmes is a professional contractor and the host and creator of the hit TV series “Holmes on Homes®,” “Holmes Inspection” and “Holmes Makes It Right.” After working in the building and renovation industry for more than 20 years, Holmes was asked to develop and host his own television series, “Holmes on Homes®,” which became an international success and broke ratings records, solidifying his career in television. With more than 30 years’ experience as a licensed contractor, Holmes has been able to use television as a tool to educate homeowners on how to manage a renovation; what to look for in contractors; the right products for the right job; proper home repair and maintenance; and their rights as homeowners.

HOME FREE is produced by Relativity Television and executive-produced by Tom Forman, George Verschoor, Trice Bartow, Brad Bishop, Andrew Marcus and Mike Holmes. The series will be distributed internationally by ELECTUS.

About Relativity Television

Relativity Television is one of the largest suppliers of television programming in the United States. Since its inception in 2008, Relativity Television has produced more than 1,000 hours of programming for more than 55 networks, including NBC, MTV, Showtime, A&E, Discovery Channel, Food Network and Disney Channel. In 2014, Relativity Television produced 45 series/specials, including ”Catfish: The TV Show” (MTV), “The Great Food Truck Race” (Food Network), “The American Bible Challenge” (Game Show Network) and ”All About Sex” (TLC).

Mike Holmes on Celebrating Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, and as a leading voice for building cleaner and greener, Mike is all about making small decisions that add up to big change. What does it mean to build green? According to Mike, going green is more than choosing so-called green products. A product can claim to be environmentally friendly, but if it doesn't work, it usually ends up in the waste bin. Building with the environment in mind is more about choosing products wisely, and choosing products that will last and don't have to be replaced in a couple of years. It's also about choosing products that will save energy and cut down on heating and cooling costs. Using energy efficient windows and strategically placed awnings not only look great and increase the value and aesthetics of your home, they also save big bucks off your utility bills by reducing the amount of energy you consume. It's a win-win for everybody and a big win for the environment.

From the National Post:

Mike Holmes: Celebrate Earth Day year-round with good building practices


Earth Day is April 22, and it’s a good reminder for all of us to make greener choices to help save energy (which means more money in your pocket), reduce waste and have better, healthier homes. Because that’s what it’s about — going green but being smart about it.
I’ve seen many so-called “green” products that end up creating extra waste because they don’t work. But I’ve also seen many great, durable products that protect our homes, so we don’t waste materials but do increase our comfort.
One example is Schluter’s Ditra-Heat floor-warming system. It protects the integrity of your tiles, so they don’t crack and need to be replaced, protects your floor against moisture and mould, and has heating cables so your feet feel warm and toasty in the morning, using minimal energy — all pluses.
Ensuring a home is built with better construction is thinking green. When we improve the building envelope — windows, insulation, roof, foundation and exterior siding — we make our homes more weather resistant and energy efficient. When things last longer and we don’t have to throw them away and replace them with new materials, we keep garbage out of landfills and save the energy that’d be used having a new product manufactured and shipped.

There are plenty of changes that most homeowners can do to make their homes more green, for example, switching to LED lights and using solar-powered outdoor lights.
If you’re replacing your roof, you can recycle the old asphalt shingles and, if you can afford it, go with a metal roof. A metal roof will last a minimum of 50 years; it’s fire-resistant, helps you save loads in heating costs and looks good, too. (Some metal-roof products look like regular asphalt shingles.)
You can also use landscaping to help block out heat in the summer and cold in the winter. You can install awnings, which act like visors for your home. In some environments they can reduce heat gain by 55 to 77 per cent and save homeowners as much as 25 per cent on energy bills. Then there’s the big stuff all homes are eventually moving toward, such as using geothermal energy — the earth’s natural temperature — to help heat our homes and domestic water. We could also use greywater or rainwater to wash cars and water lawns, use solar energy to power our homes and solar lights to light them, or add a green roof to help manage storm water and increase insulation.
But these bigger changes that affect the structure and the mechanics of the home, and require incorporating new innovative systems, are more difficult for homeowners to do today, either because they’re beyond their budget or it’s too difficult to modify their homes to accommodate those changes.
That’s why bigger, greener changes need to come from the top down — from the industry (whether it’s a builder, renovator, architect or contractor) to the homeowner.
That might mean more builders offering “green” home packages, where everything that makes the house more durable and energy efficient is planned out and developed before the first shovel hits the dirt. Renovators can specialize in “green” renovations, where they take a house that might have been built 30 or 50 years ago and update it with all the latest systems so it uses minimal energy.
This is where energy-efficiency home inspections can also really make a difference, because they can help identify all the spots in your home that are losing energy — and money. These types of inspections include tests like the blower door test or thermal imaging to find heat loss.
Most homeowners I talk to want a home that’s energy efficient and healthy. If you told them they could power their home with a reliable and clean source of energy for just a fraction of what it costs them now, they would be on board.
But these changes have to make sense financially, environmentally and construction wise. And they need to be accessible to the average homeowner if we want to really make a change, make it right and make it count.
Watch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right on HGTV. For more information visit makeitright.ca.

Mike Holmes: The Caulking King

When Mike was young, Mike caulked a lot of bathroom fixtures. So much so, that he earned a nick name from the guys at the hardware store who noticed Mike with caulk wiped all over his pants: The Caulking King. Caulking windows and fixtures is definitely a DIY project that Mike encourages homeowners to do, but just like any project, practice makes perfect. If you want to be a more proficient caulker, watch Mike's tips on how to caulk right.

You can watch Mike's web exclusive video on the HGTV Canada website.

Photos:

A Heartfelt Thanks

Today, Mike Holmes took the time to post an unsolicited heartfelt thanks to all of his fans on Facebook for supporting him and passing along the "Make It Right" attitude. For as much good as Mike has done in the world for other people, the thought that Mike would take the time to thank his fans is truly a display of his big heart.

Just want to say thanks to all my fans out there. Your support over the years has been unbelievable. You've helped encourage me and my guys to continue our work, helping others to ‪#‎makeitright‬.

 

New Mike Holmes Workwear - Coming Soon

There can only be one Mike Holmes. Well, technically there's two, but one is Junior and one is Senior, and they're both featured in this downright manly (and kind of sexy, if you don't mind me saying) video promoting the Holmes Workwear brand. The video shows both Mike Jr. and Sr. "modeling" an all-new line of Holmes brand Workwear, which is coming soon to an internet store near you! No one can be Mike Holmes (except Mike), but maybe you can look like him while you work!

According to Mike's official YouTube channel:

"Responding to the modern workforce, Holmes Workwear has developed a fully functional work wear collection designed to help you get the job done right."

Pictures:

3rd Annual Baeumler Family Foundation Celebrity Karaoke Gala - Video Preview

For the past couple of years, HGTV star Bryan Baeumler and his wife have hosted a black tie event that brings out the biggest and brightest names in HGTV and beyond, all for a good cause. The 3rd Annual Baeumler Family Foundation Celebrity Karaoke Gala, slated to be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Toronto on May 21, 2015 will no doubt be a blast for all those in attendance. You can buy a ticket to the charity event at the BFF website, but you better hurry because they will sell out. Mike Holmes has been a celebrity guest for the past two years, and although the website doesn't list him as an attendee this year, I'm betting that he'll make an appearance or support the organization in some way.



A video montage was released today on the YouTube channel belonging to the photographer for last year's (and presumably this year's) event. The video really gives you a good feel for the affair, and features Mike and his date Anna (wearing the green dress) in multiple spots.