The Holmes Spot is on Christmas break, but I did promise to come back and post if something interesting happened. Tomorrow, December 29 on Global News Toronto, Liza Fromer gets up close and personal with Mike Holmes in her special, "Intimate with Liza Fromer." The special airs at 10 PM Eastern time. I do hope they post it online, and if they do I'll repost it here on the Holmes Spot and review it!
Here's a teaser from Global News.ca:
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Ho-Ho-Holmes!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays from the Holmes Spot! For the last couple of years, I've put together some (in my opinion) very cute little Christmas "gifts" for you, the readers, and also for Mike and the crew. This year, however, I've been battling some rather severe pregnancy symptoms. It's been a wild ride in the evenings for me, which is why I'm glad that Mike made an awesome Christmas card for all of his fans to share. Last year, Mike and his crew were depicted on snow mobiles, doing all sorts of crazy things as they made their way down the hill.
Mike also posted this "behind the scenes" video, showing viewers how the card was made. Enjoy!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Holmes Spot. I am looking forward to next year in so many ways! Unless something big or extremely interesting happens, the next time I post will probably be after the new year. Hopefully my sickness will alleviate soon and I'll be able to post more in 2015! Cheers!
This year's card was just as adorable and full of heart. In it, Mike, Mike Jr., and Sherry reenact the famous scene from "A Christmas Story" where the little boy gets his tongue stuck to the flag pole after being triple dog dared to lick it.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Holmes Spot. I am looking forward to next year in so many ways! Unless something big or extremely interesting happens, the next time I post will probably be after the new year. Hopefully my sickness will alleviate soon and I'll be able to post more in 2015! Cheers!
Monday, December 15, 2014
Mike Holmes for Emerald Park Homes
Mike Holmes has been endorsing builders who meet his stringent standards for quality for his Holmes Approved program. He occasionally creates promo videos endorsing these Holmes Approved builders, explaining why he has decided to partner with them. This video for Emerald Park Homes, a Saskatchewan custom home builder, was released in late November. In the video, Mike describes in his own words the Holmes Approved program and why Emerald Park Homes fits into that paradigm.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Mike Holmes For RDC Fine Homes in Squamish - Video
Back in September of this year, Mike Holmes was in British Columbia promoting Holmes Approved builder RDC Fine Homes and their new project in Squamish. Mike touted RDC Fine Homes' superior building quality and confessed that he would love to buy a home in the Crumpit Woods community, where he met and greeted fans and prospective buyers alike during a September 22 promotional event. This last week, Shaw TV released this short video about the builder and Mike's involvement with the project in Squamish.
For more information about this, see Mike Holmes for RDC Fine Homes and BC's First "Holmes Approved" Home Built By RDC Fine Homes
For more information about this, see Mike Holmes for RDC Fine Homes and BC's First "Holmes Approved" Home Built By RDC Fine Homes
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Mike Holmes at Construct Canada
Mike Holmes and his son Mike Holmes Jr. were in attendance today at the 26th annual Construct Canada building expo in Toronto. They met and greeted fans at booth 702 as special guests of CertainTeed, a company that creates AirRenew drywall, which is one of Mike's favorite building products (see Mike Holmes Joins Forces with CertainTeed to Tackle Indoor Air Quality Issues for more information). Mike Holmes will be at the BASF booth (#846) tomorrow December 4th.
Pictures:
Pictures:
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Mike Holmes/Holmes Group Being Sued By Former CEO
Breaking news, Mike Holmes and two co-directors of Holmes Communities are being sued for $3 million by former HCMR CEO Julius Brinkman. Mike Holmes, Drew Atkins, and Seth Atkins are named as the defendants in the breach of contract lawsuit. There's not a whole lot of commentary I can give on this given that Mike's side has not yet made a public statement in response to the lawsuit. The Holmes Spot will follow this and report any new information, but as most of these things tend to go, I'm betting that this lawsuit will be settled out of court and the results will not be disclosed. Only time will tell.
TV renovation personality Mike Holmes sued by former CEO
In a statement of claim filed last Thursday, Juius Brinkman alleges HCMR failed to issue to him as part of his contract five per cent of the total shareholdings of the company; failed to pay him five per cent of the total value of $15.5 million in capital raised by him for the benefit of HCMR; failed to reimburse him for expenses reasonably incurred by him; failed to establish a benefits program in which he could participate; and created a working environment designed to frustrate his efforts.
Also named as defendants in the lawsuit by Brinkman are Drew Atkins, Seth Atkins and three numbered companies.
At the time of his employment, says Brinkman, he was responsible for raising private and public capital to expand the business and operations of HCMR in Alberta.
He alleges he raised more than $17.5 million in capital on four named projects and has caused to be raised an additional $25 million, which transaction is scheduled to close this year regarding a residential construction project in the Municipal District of Foothills.
Brinkman is seeking an interim injunction precluding the defendants and its directors and other shareholders to pay all sums allegedly due to him, five per cent of the total value of the company, and order directing HCMR to have a business evaluation prepared at its own expense with a reputable certified business valuator, and an order directing HCMR to prepare audited financial statements at its sole expense.
“Julius Brinkman says that the representations were made intentionally, deliberately and knowing that they were inaccurate, untrue, misleading and false, upon which representations of the plaintiff reasonable relied to the detriment and on account of which he has and will suffer or incur damages and losses . . . ” says the claim.
“The plaintiff says that the defendants HCMR, Mike Holmes, Drew Atkins and Seth Atkins, or any one or more of them, acted in concert and/or agreement with a common design to deliberately deprive Juius Brinkman of his a bonus, five per cent ownership interest in HCMR, full remuneration and vacation pay, knowing that in the circumstances, injury would result to him and, more particularly, damage, extinguishment and impairment to his interest in HCMR and all entitlements to amounts due and owing to him under the term and conditions of the consulting agreement.”
Brinkman alleges that HCMR, Holmes and the two Atkins defendants unlawfully converted those funds for their own use and benefit and.or otherwise accounted in such a fashion for these amounts to have solely benefited themselves.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
No statement of defence has yet been filed.
dslade@calgaryherald.com
Twitter.vom/heraldcourt
From the Calgary Herald:
TV renovation personality Mike Holmes sued by former CEO
Television renovation personality Mike Holmes and two co-directors of Holmes Communities “Make It Right” (HCMR) have been sued by their former chief executive officer for $3.1 million for alleged breach of contract during his two-year term with the company that ended on Sept. 4.
In a statement of claim filed last Thursday, Juius Brinkman alleges HCMR failed to issue to him as part of his contract five per cent of the total shareholdings of the company; failed to pay him five per cent of the total value of $15.5 million in capital raised by him for the benefit of HCMR; failed to reimburse him for expenses reasonably incurred by him; failed to establish a benefits program in which he could participate; and created a working environment designed to frustrate his efforts.
Also named as defendants in the lawsuit by Brinkman are Drew Atkins, Seth Atkins and three numbered companies.
At the time of his employment, says Brinkman, he was responsible for raising private and public capital to expand the business and operations of HCMR in Alberta.
He alleges he raised more than $17.5 million in capital on four named projects and has caused to be raised an additional $25 million, which transaction is scheduled to close this year regarding a residential construction project in the Municipal District of Foothills.
Brinkman is seeking an interim injunction precluding the defendants and its directors and other shareholders to pay all sums allegedly due to him, five per cent of the total value of the company, and order directing HCMR to have a business evaluation prepared at its own expense with a reputable certified business valuator, and an order directing HCMR to prepare audited financial statements at its sole expense.
“Julius Brinkman says that the representations were made intentionally, deliberately and knowing that they were inaccurate, untrue, misleading and false, upon which representations of the plaintiff reasonable relied to the detriment and on account of which he has and will suffer or incur damages and losses . . . ” says the claim.
“The plaintiff says that the defendants HCMR, Mike Holmes, Drew Atkins and Seth Atkins, or any one or more of them, acted in concert and/or agreement with a common design to deliberately deprive Juius Brinkman of his a bonus, five per cent ownership interest in HCMR, full remuneration and vacation pay, knowing that in the circumstances, injury would result to him and, more particularly, damage, extinguishment and impairment to his interest in HCMR and all entitlements to amounts due and owing to him under the term and conditions of the consulting agreement.”
Brinkman alleges that HCMR, Holmes and the two Atkins defendants unlawfully converted those funds for their own use and benefit and.or otherwise accounted in such a fashion for these amounts to have solely benefited themselves.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
No statement of defence has yet been filed.
dslade@calgaryherald.com
Twitter.vom/heraldcourt
The Holmes Spot is Back!
If you're a regular visitor to the Holmes Spot, you might have noticed that entries have been pretty sparse for the past month or so. There's a reason for this, and it's not because Mike isn't doing anything interesting. Nope, something beautiful has happened to me and it's caused me to be very fatigued and sick for the last month and a half. But I'm starting to feel a little better, so hopefully the entries will start becoming a little more frequent and regular! If you haven't guessed, there's a new little Mike Holmes fan in the making, and he or she is really taking a toll on me in the evenings, but again, as I start to feel better, I'll be updating more frequently. Just bare with me and keep me in your thoughts and prayers!
R~
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
What's Mike Up To? Rumors and Speculations...
 |
| Mike at The Barrymore, Las Vegas |
In October, Mike visited the Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona areas as a keynote speaker for Pathways Events, a company that trains people to buy and sell real estate. In November, Mike was in Utah and Las Vegas with the same company. A week after Mike's appearance with Pathways in Las Vegas, Mike was spotted at a local Vegas nightclub, The Barrymore, indicating that Mike made a vacation out of his trip to the City of Sin.
 |
| Mike in Miami, FL |
This past Saturday, Mike posted pictures of himself having a "mini-vacation" on the beach in Miami, Florida. And today, Mike posted these little tid-bits on Twitter about his recent trip to LA, where he apparently stayed as a guest at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California:
I am in #LosAngeles to meet with some television networks. Wish me luck!
So, what exactly is Mike doing in LA, what is he talking about with the TV networks, and why does he need
us to wish him good luck??? Hmmmm.... this is going to take some serious speculation.
In October, my husband and I made the short trip from Las Vegas to Tempe to see Mike. When my husband told Mike we were from Las Vegas, Mike told my husband that he liked Vegas, but he really liked Phoenix and that he was considering buying a house there. It's no secret that Mike intends to expand his Holmes Approved program to the US, and during his keynote address, Mike mentioned that he'd like to expand into Arizona and perhaps plant an office there.
 |
| Mike speaking at Pathways Events, Las Vegas |
So let's speculate here... Mike is expanding into the States -- that's a for-sure fact. He's spending a lot of time in Arizona, Nevada, and Florida -- for those who know, these states are known to be very business friendly (and have great weather!). And Mike is currently pitching something to TV executives in LA. So could it be that Mike is pitching a new show about how to buy it right in the US? Now that speculation to the max! It could very well be that Mike is simply on vacation and ducking the cold. Whatever Mike's got up his sleeve, I guess we'll all know soon!
Best of luck in LA, Mike! Knock 'em dead!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Mike Holmes: Hope For the Reno Industry
Watching shows like Holmes Makes it Right, Holmes on Homes, and To Catch A Contractor hosted by Adam Carolla and Skip Bedel can leave homeowners with a bad taste in their mouths for contractors. It's true that hiring the wrong guy who doesn't know or care enough can ruin your life, your home, and maybe even your marriage (Mike Holmes calls the debris kicked up during a painful renovation "divorce dust"). But just when it seems that all hope is lost, Mike Holmes reminds us that there's a lot to be positive and hopeful about. It seems that under Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, two more fraudulent contractors are going to jail for not following through with their work. This is great news for homeowners and good contractors alike, because it sends a clear message to all the frauds out there that there are consequences for taking people's money and running. Because of people like Mike and shows like To Catch a Contractor and Holmes Makes it Right, word is getting out that a job in the trades is something to be proud of, and can be very lucrative as well. It's also apparent that homeowners are taking notes and educating themselves so they don't become victims. This is all great news for the renovation industry!
I’ve been saying it for years: We must have clear consequences for people who take people’s money, disappear — sometimes after destroying a home — only to move onto their next victim.
When bad guys get caught and are penalized for it, the entire industry benefits. And stories like the one about these convictions give me hope. They tell us we’re on the right track. There are other signs, too.
Growing up, I didn’t have things like Skills Canada and WorldSkills, national and global competitions that recognize the trades for what they are — cool, something worth investing in, to be proud of and that you can turn into a great career.
Canada’s tradespeople rank among its best natural resources. Being a contractor, carpenter, mechanic, plumber or electrician means something different than it did when I was growing up. These days, you’re likely to get a date if you are in any one of these professions. That wasn’t always the case in my day.
The word is getting out that these are great careers attached to great paycheques. And that’s attracting some of the best students this country has ever seen — people who care about doing a good job and who are proud to do it.
Take Our Kids to Work Day (held this year on Nov. 5) is another great opportunity that’s helping to improve the trades and educate another generation about them.
The first time my son, Mike Jr., worked on a job site was on Take Our Kids to Work Day. Now he’s in his second year of carpentry earning his Red Seal, and he’s an experienced site supervisor who led the build on my garage.
If I hadn’t taught my kids the trades were legitimate and respectable ways to earn a living and support a family, I don’t think they would have gone into them. So as the bad guys get caught and are held accountable, we’re getting more good guys (and gals) going into the trades.
But what else is changing? The homeowner.
The average homeowner’s knowledge is growing. More people know what a good home-related job is supposed to look like, what a pro sounds like and how to avoid the bad guys.
Do we need more homeowner education? Absolutely. But we’re in much better shape than we were 10, 20 years ago. A lot of that has to do with women getting more involved in decisions that affect a home — from construction and renovation to maintenance, design and systems. They’re asking lots of questions and learning the basics of running a healthy, well-functioning home.
More information also means making better decisions, and that’s why an increasing number of homeowners are interested in energy efficiency, sustainable construction, greywater reuse, solar power, and green products and materials.
You never used to hear homeowners ask about the R-value of insulation, if the windows are argon- or krypton-gas filled, if there’s underlayment on the roof, or whether a home has lo-flow fixtures, high indoor-air quality or better mould-, moisture- and fire resistance.
I’m hearing more people ask the right questions. That tells you something about the market — it’s smarter. More people care about living in a healthy home and the impact on the environment. It’s not just about fancy finishes anymore. It’s about making it right, for you, your family and your future.
Watch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right on HGTV. For more information visit makeitright.ca.
Mike Holmes: There is hope for the reno industry
Two more “contractors” are going to jail, this time convicted of charges under Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act. Their crimes? Not following through on kitchen and bathroom renovations — by far the two most popular renovation projects homeowners undertake.
I’ve been saying it for years: We must have clear consequences for people who take people’s money, disappear — sometimes after destroying a home — only to move onto their next victim.
When bad guys get caught and are penalized for it, the entire industry benefits. And stories like the one about these convictions give me hope. They tell us we’re on the right track. There are other signs, too.
Growing up, I didn’t have things like Skills Canada and WorldSkills, national and global competitions that recognize the trades for what they are — cool, something worth investing in, to be proud of and that you can turn into a great career.
Canada’s tradespeople rank among its best natural resources. Being a contractor, carpenter, mechanic, plumber or electrician means something different than it did when I was growing up. These days, you’re likely to get a date if you are in any one of these professions. That wasn’t always the case in my day.
The word is getting out that these are great careers attached to great paycheques. And that’s attracting some of the best students this country has ever seen — people who care about doing a good job and who are proud to do it.
Take Our Kids to Work Day (held this year on Nov. 5) is another great opportunity that’s helping to improve the trades and educate another generation about them.
The first time my son, Mike Jr., worked on a job site was on Take Our Kids to Work Day. Now he’s in his second year of carpentry earning his Red Seal, and he’s an experienced site supervisor who led the build on my garage.
If I hadn’t taught my kids the trades were legitimate and respectable ways to earn a living and support a family, I don’t think they would have gone into them. So as the bad guys get caught and are held accountable, we’re getting more good guys (and gals) going into the trades.
But what else is changing? The homeowner.
The average homeowner’s knowledge is growing. More people know what a good home-related job is supposed to look like, what a pro sounds like and how to avoid the bad guys.
Do we need more homeowner education? Absolutely. But we’re in much better shape than we were 10, 20 years ago. A lot of that has to do with women getting more involved in decisions that affect a home — from construction and renovation to maintenance, design and systems. They’re asking lots of questions and learning the basics of running a healthy, well-functioning home.
More information also means making better decisions, and that’s why an increasing number of homeowners are interested in energy efficiency, sustainable construction, greywater reuse, solar power, and green products and materials.
You never used to hear homeowners ask about the R-value of insulation, if the windows are argon- or krypton-gas filled, if there’s underlayment on the roof, or whether a home has lo-flow fixtures, high indoor-air quality or better mould-, moisture- and fire resistance.
I’m hearing more people ask the right questions. That tells you something about the market — it’s smarter. More people care about living in a healthy home and the impact on the environment. It’s not just about fancy finishes anymore. It’s about making it right, for you, your family and your future.
Watch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right on HGTV. For more information visit makeitright.ca.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Radon: The Silent Killer
November is Radon Action Month, which brings about the question - how much do you know about radon? Radon is a silent killer and the only way to know if you have elevated levels of radon in your home is to test for it. When radon - a colorless, odorless gas - gets trapped inside your home, it can lead to all kinds of problems including cancer. The best tactic to battle this silent killer is to educate yourself about it and learn how you can mitigate it if it's a problem in your home. The great news is that if you find out that radon is an issue, getting rid of it is relatively inexpensive.
From the National Post:
Mike Holmes: Radon is our second silent killer — and testing your home is the only solution
Holmes Group Radon seeps up through porous basement floors and walls — usually in minute amounts. It's impossible to detect without having a test done.
From the National Post:
Mike Holmes: Radon is our second silent killer — and testing your home is the only solution
Holmes Group Radon seeps up through porous basement floors and walls — usually in minute amounts. It's impossible to detect without having a test done.
We turned the clocks back an hour last weekend — it’s also a good time to change the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors (since batteries need to be changed twice a year, doing it when the clocks change makes it easy to remember). If you haven’t done it yet, do it now.
But it’s also time to think about another silent killer in every home — radon.
November is Radon Action Month, aimed at boosting awareness of the gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. If you’re a smoker and have elevated radon levels in your home, over time your chances of developing lung cancer is one in three. It’s estimated that radon causes 3,200 lung cancer deaths a year in Canada.
What really gets me is that these deaths could be avoided.
First, what’s radon?
Radon is a colourless, odourless, radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium, which is found in rocks, soil or water. When diffused into the outdoors, radon isn’t dangerous. It becomes a problem when it gets trapped and accumulates, like in a home.
Most homes nowadays are more tightly sealed — which is great for energy-efficiency, but not if you have a radon problem.
Because radon is a gas, it seeps into homes very easily, through small cracks in the floor slab, foundation, crawl spaces, the sump pump, and openings for venting and plumbing. It can even get in through the water supply.
How much radon is safe?
Every home has some radon in it, depending on geography. The question is how much? The only way to know is through testing.
Health Canada recommends that radon in indoor air should not exceed 200 becquerel per cubic metre (Bq/m3; becquerel is an international standard unit of radioactivity). I recently saw a house that had more than eight times that amount. Think that’s bad? I’ve heard of homes having over 2,300 Bq/m3. One home in Quebec had 20,653 Bq/m3, while the house next door had only 125 Bq/m3 — and it had a crawl space with a dirt floor.
There’s no telling if a home has a radon problem, and that’s why testing is so important.
There are short- and long-term radon tests. You can also buy radon test kits, but testing isn’t so simple. Do it wrong and you compromise the results. For example, you have to place the device a certain distance away from walls, the ceiling, floor and other objects, and it can’t be near any venting, either.
You also have to keep all your windows and doors shut during the entire testing period, which is typically between three to five days for short-term testing and a minimum of three months for long-term testing. The best time to test is during winter, when we keep our windows and doors shut the most.
To test your home, hire a pro who is certified by the Canadian-National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP). You can find these pros on the C-nrpp.ca website. They’ll bring and place the device in the proper position, pick it up when testing is over, send it to the lab and deliver the results.
If your home has elevated radon levels, they can also help you take the necessary steps to make it right and find a certified radon mitigation contractor. And the good news is that fixing the problem is relatively inexpensive.
Get your home tested for radon. It could save a life.
Watch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right on HGTV. For more information visit makeitright.ca.
But it’s also time to think about another silent killer in every home — radon.
November is Radon Action Month, aimed at boosting awareness of the gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. If you’re a smoker and have elevated radon levels in your home, over time your chances of developing lung cancer is one in three. It’s estimated that radon causes 3,200 lung cancer deaths a year in Canada.
What really gets me is that these deaths could be avoided.
First, what’s radon?
Radon is a colourless, odourless, radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium, which is found in rocks, soil or water. When diffused into the outdoors, radon isn’t dangerous. It becomes a problem when it gets trapped and accumulates, like in a home.
Most homes nowadays are more tightly sealed — which is great for energy-efficiency, but not if you have a radon problem.
Because radon is a gas, it seeps into homes very easily, through small cracks in the floor slab, foundation, crawl spaces, the sump pump, and openings for venting and plumbing. It can even get in through the water supply.
How much radon is safe?
Every home has some radon in it, depending on geography. The question is how much? The only way to know is through testing.
Health Canada recommends that radon in indoor air should not exceed 200 becquerel per cubic metre (Bq/m3; becquerel is an international standard unit of radioactivity). I recently saw a house that had more than eight times that amount. Think that’s bad? I’ve heard of homes having over 2,300 Bq/m3. One home in Quebec had 20,653 Bq/m3, while the house next door had only 125 Bq/m3 — and it had a crawl space with a dirt floor.
There’s no telling if a home has a radon problem, and that’s why testing is so important.
There are short- and long-term radon tests. You can also buy radon test kits, but testing isn’t so simple. Do it wrong and you compromise the results. For example, you have to place the device a certain distance away from walls, the ceiling, floor and other objects, and it can’t be near any venting, either.
You also have to keep all your windows and doors shut during the entire testing period, which is typically between three to five days for short-term testing and a minimum of three months for long-term testing. The best time to test is during winter, when we keep our windows and doors shut the most.
To test your home, hire a pro who is certified by the Canadian-National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP). You can find these pros on the C-nrpp.ca website. They’ll bring and place the device in the proper position, pick it up when testing is over, send it to the lab and deliver the results.
If your home has elevated radon levels, they can also help you take the necessary steps to make it right and find a certified radon mitigation contractor. And the good news is that fixing the problem is relatively inexpensive.
Get your home tested for radon. It could save a life.
Watch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right on HGTV. For more information visit makeitright.ca.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)