The current firestorm, if you want to call it that, started when Mike Holmes stated to Readers Digest that "80 percent of contractors are bad." His exact quote was:
[READERS DIGEST:]What percentage of contractors are doing good, honest work?
[MIKE HOLMES:] I call it the good, the bad and the ugly: 20, 70 and ten percent, respectively.
(For the full article, read http://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/home-improvement/making-it-right-interview-canadian-contractor-mike-holmes)
I can understand the industry being a little off-put by this remark. It does sound flippant at best and overly harsh at worst. But it is just one man's opinion. That's how he feels, because that's what he's seen.
In the end, Mike's heart is not with the industry. His heart belongs to the people he helps, and the people who do get screwed by bad contractors.
A lot of critics will turn to the age-old "It's about the $$$" criticism. Last I checked, Mike doesn't live in a palace, and he doesn't go out clubbing with Paris Hilton every night with an entourage of women and bodyguards. I know he has a watch fetish, but most of the watches I've seen him wear are well under $400. Mike has enough money to retire at age 50 and live a comfortable existence for the rest of his life, and yet he continues to work and work and work. And if he doesn't check himself, he'll probably work himself to death. I don't buy it that he does it for the money. I honestly believe his heart is in the right place, but sometimes his mouth gets ahead of him. Sometimes. Other times, I think he's speaking his honest opinion and he just doesn't care who likes it. You'll have to decide for yourself which one of those scenarios fit this situation.
Well, you’ve had your say about what the show Holmes Makes It Right has done to our industry and your reputation. Now the host of the show, Mike Holmes, will get a chance to answer back. Last week, I did a 30 minute interview with Mike that we will be posting over the next few weeks on canadiancontractor.ca.
I was impressed with Mike during the interview. He was very, very forthcoming while we talked, and didn’t shy away from any of the criticisms you leveled at him. I’ll confess, I didn’t directly quote some of the more personal attacks we received (like, “I wouldn’t let Mike build my doghouse!”) but I did zero in on the three objections that came up again and again; that he doesn’t have a ticket for any of the work he does, that he gets the benefit of sponsors supplying product for free and that he is destroying the reputation of the industry to fill his own pockets.
Now that we have begun a dialogue with Mike, I expect it to continue. At the end of the day, Mike considers himself one of us, and wants to make the relationship between him and the industry right. The only way that happens is if we talk, you you need to continue to send your comments. It would be very interesting if you could send comments that were specific to a particular episode of the show. Just comment on this post to continue the dialogue. In the mean time, stay tuned to this website for more from Mike.
Mike's segment starts here.
I think this is a good time to point out, as I often do, that this is a unofficial fan run blog. I don't represent Mike, in fact, I don't even know him! Please do not confuse my opinions as any kind of official representation! :-)
Who cares whether the percentage of bad contractors is 70% or 50% or 20%. As far as I'm concerned, 1% is to many.
ReplyDeleteMany contractors were members of the now defunct Forum & one could tell by their advice that these people knew what they were talking about & took pride in doing a good job.
The ones who complain, many very viciously,
must have a reason. You know, whom the shoe fits.
I think in many cases it's no more than jealousy. They always complain that Mike can spend all kinds of money because he has a TV show. After watching his various shows for years & years, & having had close contact with Mike, his crew & his staff & his contractors, I think I'm a bit better qualified to voice an opinion.
If he has the resources to spend more money & use better materials, what's wrong with that?
How many times have I seen sloppy and downright dangerous work by people who either didn't know or didn't care to do a proper job.
Even if you use cheaper material that doesn't mean you can't install it properly.
If all these complainers had to deal with the problems that Mike & his crew have had to deal with over the years, I wonder what they would have to say about it.
Does any fair minded person really think that anybody could pull off a fake operation for 10 years without being exposed.
Jundee
Well said Jundee..I was very converned when the forums were shut down with no explaination..i have been a Mike Holmes fan for years.and it seems like he is taking a big step back from his fans. I was also concerned wether the criticisms were out numbering the good comments. I am on the same industry and believe wholeheartedly in what Mike is trying to do..educate the homeowners..any contractor that feels differently in my opinion would be exactly the ones you would not want working on your project.. but from a fan, and numerous others i talk to its very hard to watch now..the ones who gave the strongest support are now completely shut out..its hard to stand strong in support of him when there's little to no communication with his fans..and here in the states theres talk of him lossing his niche..stupid comments that all it would take is a prettier face with the same niche to knock him off his throne..i have always been and will always be a Holmes supporter. But instead of talking to people about Mike and the education he can offer my customers i find myself, instead not saying a word for fear of the growing criticism surrounding Mike..its never been anything i can listen to without really ticking me off..but how much further can his message go when the fans stop talking and Mike being MIA..the fans in the US are getting the cold shoulder..its heart breaking to watch just how fickle fans can be..my faith in him doesn't waiver..but i feel i may be a very lonely fan in the end..:(
DeleteI agree with a lot of what you said with the exception of one small thing. Mike's niche does not stand and will not fall on his "pretty" face. LOL, it's almost silly to have to point out. We have Damon... we love him, he's great, he's a lot younger and more conventionally "pretty" than Mike, and yet he hasn't managed to fill the niche that Mike fills. Then we have Mike's son, who looks like an underwear model, and still has not managed to be able to completely stand in his father's shoes. At least not yet. Point is, many "pretty" faces have emerged, and yet Mike is still doing what Mike does, and he doesn't look like he's going to be dethroned anytime in the near future.
DeleteThe loss of the forums was sad, but losing that voice doesn't mean that the voices of the critics go completely unopposed. I LOVE that people come here and post such thoughful and well informed comments. Again, I think someone much more knowlegeable than I will have to start a fan-run place for supportive voices to be heard. I talk to many contractors who are friends of my family, and they all love Mike. Unfortunately Mike's supporters who are in the industry apparantly don't have time to post on the "I hate Mike Holmes anti-fan forums" that are out there. They're too busy making money and building their businesses.
I find it hilarious that someone whose credo stems around doing what you do to the best of your ability, caring about what you do, and educating yourself and the people around you can be so hated. It's irrational. It's unthinkable. It doesn't make sense. /rant
Well said!
ReplyDeleteAny celebrity becomes a target just because he/she is a celebrity. And a contractor celebrity, whoever heard of that? Especially one as outspoken as Mike Holmes.
ReplyDeleteWhile I voiced my opinions about the sudden closure of the forum which,in my opinion, was quite out of character for Mike. That doesn't mean that I hate his guts now. I was more disappointed because it just didn't fit the man I know. He was out of the country when it happened & came back quite ill. So it wasn't his decision.But as boss of the Holmes Group he should have said something, that's just common courtesy.
You don't kick people in the pants, that have faithfully supported you for years, without creating some negative feedback.
Jundee
I am a home owner in Ma. USA for 30 some yrs and had many contractors and I can say that ever person I've hired to do work has failed to do a quality job fore the money they get paid to do
ReplyDeletethis past winter a electrical company in to install new digital electric thermostats total of 8 units he was young did not clean up his mess under each unit was trash wire nuts and fallen plaster 2 of the units he did not attach to wall securely. reason was he did not know how to remove stripped screws and cut box to remove and was to lazy to change the box
my concern with mikes tactics is that he keeps talking about things not meeting min code and a bad contractor . mikes projects from 10 years ago are not going to meet todays code .
ReplyDeletemike never tells anyone when the job was done or if it met code when it was done .
i like that he does help people having problems but wish he disclosed the dollar amounts spent