All American Handyman - Week 4 Recap

 

The pressure was on for the All American Handyman’s final seven as the contestants battled through yet another week. The fix-it challenge this week was a two-parter, and included having the contestants do their own version of a home inspection. Each contestant was taken off site to a house in need of repair, and given five minutes per room to write down as many problems as they could see. Whoever was able to identify the most legitimate problems was given first pick at the fix-it challenge. The other contestants also chose their fix-it challenge in the order in which they ranked in the home inspection challenge.

When the contestants returned to the warehouse, they found miniature replicas of the problem areas from the house, including a replica of a damaged roof, a couple of doors, an uninsullated attic space, and some gutters (or “eavestroughs” as Mike and Scott would call them in Canada.)

Sonne ranked first, having identified the most problems, and chose to work on the gutters. Chris L. came in second, and chose the damaged roof. Rodney came in third and picked the pinched door. Carol was fourth, and picked the hole in the drywall. Scott C. “Sarge” was next in line, and he selected the plumbing under the sink. Michael picked the other door. Scott asked Michael if he knew what was wrong with it, and he responded, “we’ll see.” Surprisingly, Scott H. who usually does very well came in last place, and was given the task of insulating the attic space.

The handyman hopefuls had 45 minutes to complete their chosen tasks, and Anitra, Mike, and Scott assured the contestants that the advantage for winning this fix-it challenge would be “huge.”

During the challenge, it became evident to the judges that Sonne had never done gutters before. She chose the task as a “personal challenge” but Mike felt that she had thrown away her advantage and probably should have picked something she knew how to do. In the end, Sonne installed the gutters incorrectly. Scott pointed out that in a heavy down pour, the water would run away from the downspout instead of towards it. It was a big mistake the judges could not ignore.

Chris L. made the mistake of ripping all of the shingles off of his roof instead of just removing the damaged area. It was a mistake that ensured he would be unable to finish the job in time and would have to rush to keep up. By the end of the challenge, he had done the job right, but had made a lot of aesthetic mistakes and was unable to complete the job in the allotted time.

Scott C. “Sarge” was given a box of random parts to fix the plumbing under the sink. Unfortunately, he was confused by all the spare parts and didn’t really know what parts he needed to do the job. When all was said and done, Sarge was unable to fix the drain correctly.

Carol came into the challenge with confidence, remarking that putting up drywall was her specialty. She repaired the hole with relative ease and then proceeded to make an enormous mess with the spray-on popcorn ceiling in a can. Her antics with the spray thoroughly amused Mike, Scott, and Anitra.

Rodney was also confident about his challenge, which was to repair a pinched door. He had a rough start, however. He failed to recognize right away that the cause of the pinched door was that there was no header, and the weight of the loadbearing wall was crushing down on the jamb. Scott had to figuratively hold his and walk him through the process of diagnosing the problem. In the end, the header he installed wasn’t flush with the 2x4 and the cripple studs, and therefore the door would have never looked right aesthetically had drywall and trim been put up.

Michael had a good strong start with his door. He recognized what the problem was right away, and took proper steps to fix it. Mike was impressed by how he took the door out of the frame so he could clean it up and reinstall it correctly. However, as he was putting the finishing nails in the trim, Mike commented “one of these days I’m going to teach you how to do it right.” Michael marred the door in several places as he put it back in. It was an amateurish and sloppy mistake that didn’t impress Mike or Scott.

Scott H. got “stuck” with the “easy” job of insulating the attic. Overall, he did a good job, except he didn’t insulate all the way to the outside. It was a seemingly minor problem, but would have caused larger problems down the road if he had been doing an actual repair. Failing to insulate properly could have caused condensation to form in the roof, which would lead to mold and rot.

The top two contestants chosen by the judges were Carol and Scott H. Although Carol made a mess, the judges didn’t hold it against her and deemed her the winner of the advantage. The advantage turned out to be immunity from elimination, ensuring her spot for another week.

The “build-it” challenge was to create a lovely garden retreat for two in three hours. The requirements were to create seating for two and to use all of the plants and flowers provided. Contestants would be judged on how they used the space in the allotted amount of time.

All in all, the contestants did a generally good job, but some did better than others.

Sarge dedicated the build to his daughter, creating a multi-tiered planter and a sign reading “Lilly’s Garden. Daddy Loves You.” Unfortunately, he made a lot of small mistakes. His measurements were off, his tiers were different heights, and the judges were not satisfied with his general craftsmanship.

Scott H. built a U-shaped garden with a detached bench seat, complete with a lovely, albeit incomplete, trellis. Although it was a unique design, Scott H. failed to impress Mike. Several times during his build, Mike would brandish his carpenter’s square at Scott H. “SQUARE!!!” he yelled several times, pointing out that his planters were not square. The finished product was not very impressive to the judges either. His “pickup truck” bench wasn’t strong enough to hold the weight of Mike and Scott, and tipped over when they attempted to sit on it.

Rodney was ambitious as usual, focusing more on creativity than quality. Instead of utilizing the space, he built an entirely new one, creating a deck. The judges felt that he was biting off a bit more than he could chew, skimping on safety and creating unsafe railings that lacked strength. Mike noted that he only saw Rodney use a level once during the entire build. Scott and Mike both agreed that Rodney needed to slow down and focus on the details.

Michael struggled a bit during the challenge. His planters were not straight – a detail which bothered Mike. Overall, though, he created a space which “felt good” to Mike.

Sonne’s garden retreat was simple when compared to the other contestants’, however, she impressed Scott by focusing on the details such as the structure of her planter. She made it strong and built it well. She also created a heart shaped planter which wowed the judges and other contestants alike. Mike stated he could picture himself sitting out in the garden she created having coffee in the morning, and that it was her best work so far.

Carol’s garden included a bench with a planter on each side. However, when Scott sat on the bench, it pinched his butt. Mike stated that it was “probably a good thing [she] had immunity.” As a whole, though, the judges agreed that she had some good ideas, but failed in the execution of the project.

Chris L. was the only contestant to use all of the flowers and plants provided. However, under pressure to maintain his winning streak, he began to fall behind the other contestants, time wise. Scott and Mike noted that he did a good job bracing his planter. For the most part, he did a good job and utilized the space well, however, the judges agreed that he took a step back.

The top two contestants were Chris L. and Sonne. Mike and Scott judged their work to be virtually equal, so to break the tie, they asked the other contestants whom they though should win the challenge. It was unanimous – Sonne was the clear winner. Even Chris L. piped in and said he was impressed by Sonne’s garden.

 Rodney and Scott C. “Sarge” were called to the carpet as the bottom two. The reasons the judges gave were that both chose not to use squares and levels to create a quality product, and neither of them were listening to the judges and learning from their previous mistakes. In the end though, Sarge was “honorably discharged” from the competition. He was given a standing ovation from the other contestants as he exited the warehouse for the last time.


ALL AMERICAN HANDYMAN CONTESTANTS - WEEK 4

 

 

The Holmes Spot - Mike Holmes Complete Bio

This is something I've been compiling now for a couple of months. It's a full and extensive bio on Mike, covering his early years all the way down to his more current projects. I've proof read it and spell checked it numerous times, but silly me, there's always a ton of errors any time I write something like this. I'm sure they'll eventually be weeded out as I receive feedback from readers. I'll be adding a few more sections to the bio in the next couple of days as well before I add it to the "bio" section of the blog. I'm on vacation right now... and yet I still can't keep myself away from the computer. Enjoy!

“I’m Just a Contractor” – Mike Holmes



To the millions of people around the world who watch Mike Holmes on TV every day, he is far more than just a contractor. Fueled by a larger-than-life personality, Holmes is the powerhouse behind a media empire that encompasses several award-winning television series, syndicated newspaper columns, bestselling books, DVDs, magazines, and his own line of personal protective equipment manufactured by 3M. Dubbed “Canada’s most trusted contractor,” his popularity stretches far beyond the northern borders of Canada. His reno-reality shows, Holmes on Homes, Holmes Inspection, and his latest endeavor Holmes Makes It Right, air in multiple countries around the world, built upon the premise integrity, honesty, and work ethic.



CHILDHOOD



Michael James Holmes was born in Canada on August 3, 1963. He grew up in Toronto, Ontario with his mother Shirley, father Jim, and his several siblings, including an older sister and several younger brothers. Mike described his childhood family as poor, but happy, and one in which the value of “doing things right the first time” was fostered. From a very early age, Mike began to show great interest and a natural proficiency in the skilled trades. As a young boy, he began to follow in the footsteps of his father, a “jack of all trades, master of none.” At the age of six, the young prodigy helped to rewire the family home. At the age of 12, he finished his first basement under his father’s watchful supervision. As a child, Mike was the type to dismantle his toys to see how they worked, an activity that would often draw the ire of his father. As Mike grew older, however, his potential as a master craftsman became evident to his father and friends. He recalled once using all of his dad’s lumber and nails to build a multi-room tree fort in the yard and putting his building skills to good use crafting some of the most amazing go-carts the neighborhood kids had ever seen.



Leaning the skilled trades from his father was one of the greatest influencing factors in Mike’s life. To this day, he frequently credits his dad with instilling in him a love of craftsmanship and his “make it right” ethic. “In my eyes, he was Superman,” he recalled. “I talk about my dad all the time…sometimes I get the feeling I talk about him too much, but he is the inspiration behind what I do, for sure.” Mike’s dad not only passed down his knowledge of the trades, but also a heart for people. While growing up, he often observed his father going out of his way to help the neighbors with a variety of issues they had around their homes. Jim may not have received much of anything for his troubles, but in his eyes, helping others in need was just the right thing to do.



TEENAGE AND YOUNG ADULT YEARS



As a teenager, Mike found himself at odds with authority, and would often butt heads with his teachers. Unable or unwilling to deal with the pressure of school, he dropped out in grade 11. At the age of 17, he and his friends decided to get tattoos, and Mike chose an English bulldog wearing a hat, placed on the lower portion of his right bicep. A year later, after some peer pressure to get a second tattoo on the other arm (because it was the cool thing to do, to paraphrase Mike), he chose a small cobra on the lower portion of his left bicep. Years later at the age of 48, Mike would have his teenage souvenirs covered up with now, more appropriately placed ink.



At the age of 19, Mike got married and began a career as a contractor. Later that same year, he stared his own contracting company with 13 employees, quite a feat for such a young man. At the age of 21, Mike became the father of a daughter, Amanda. He also made large strides in his professional life, becoming the owner of his own renovation company. In only a few short years, Mike’s family would grow once and twice again, with the addition of two more children, middle daughter Sherry and youngest son Mike Jr. By the age of 25, Mike Holmes was a husband, father of three young children under the age of 5, and a business man. From the start, Mike began to make a living at fixing the mistakes of other contractors. His early business cards read “The F-up Fixer.”



The early 1990’s was a difficult time for world economically. The recession that followed hit Mike’s young family especially hard, nearly wiping out his entire company, as well as the entire construction industry as a whole, leaving only “bottom feeders,” who were willing to do poor work on the cheap. As a result, Mike was forced to sell his business and lay off all of his employees. The dire situation he found himself in became a ginormous strain on the young family, and Mike’s marriage crumbled. Mike sold his car and separated from his wife soon thereafter. Not more than a month later, his father Jim died at the age of 55 in a tragic accident. As he was walking down the narrow stairs into the basement, he missed the first step, fell, and broke his neck. Only a few years later, his mother Shirley passed away at the age of 56 from a heart condition.



A NEW START – TELEVISION



If you ask him, he’ll be happy to tell you – Mike Holmes never sought out a career on television. “It was an accident,” he has stated numerous times. In 2001, while working as a stagehand building sets for the HGTV show Just Ask Jon Eakes, Mike Holmes met Michael Quast, the director of studio programming for Alliance Alantis at the time. Quast was taken aback by the loud and outspoken Holmes, who “came in with veins popping out on his neck, and diarrhea of the mouth, talking about how he was sick and tired of seeing people get screwed by contractors. Quast thought Mike was on to something and wanted to turn his ideas for a new kind of TV show into a reality, with one small caveat – he wanted Mike to be the host. At first, Mike was opposed to being on camera (after all, he was just a contractor), but Quast saw star potential in Holmes, and after a little persuasion, Mike reluctantly agreed.



HOLMES ON HOMES



Getting Holmes on Homes off the ground turned out to be a greater challenge than anyone could have ever imagined. “Nobody wanted anything to do with Mike. We couldn’t get into anybody’s house to film,” said HOH director Peter Kettlewell. There were very few submissions to the show at first, and Mike was reduced to handing out fliers in Home Depot parking lots to drum up participants.



Holmes on Homes first aired HGTV Canada in 2003. The episodes in the first couple of seasons were 30 minutes in length and had much lower budgets than the hour long episodes in the later seasons. By the show’s fourth season, the show had exploded in popularity, and Mike was receiving hundreds of emails a week from desperate homeowners begging for his help. It became clear to Mike that there was something fundamentally wrong with the industry, and the “minimum code” as it stood had to change.



The shooting schedule for Mike and his crew was grueling. Early mornings and late nights were the norm, and shooting often took place seven days a week. In 2009, Holmes on Homes officially wrapped after seven enormously successful seasons, which aired to captive audiences all over the world.



HOLMES IN NEW ORLEANS



In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina swept through the southern gulf, breaking levees in Louisiana, causing tremendous amounts of damage to cities build below sea level, such as New Orleans. In 2008, Brad Pitt and girlfriend Angelina Jolie started a foundation to render aid to those affected by Katrina in the poorest and most heavily devastated areas of New Orleans. They called their foundation the “Make It Right Foundation.” Although the A-List couple had only good intentions when they started their foundation, they failed to realize that the phrase “Make It Right” was already trademarked to Mike Holmes. Instead of starting a war over words, Mike decided to pack up his crew and head down south, where he worked to help build the foundation’s first house in the Lower 9th Ward. Their efforts were filmed for the special Holmes in New Orleans. The recipient of the first house was Gloria Guy, a woman who was doing her best to raise her deceased daughter’s gaggle of children.



The work was physically, mentally, and emotionally draining for the crew. “It was brutal. Unbelievably HOT AS HELL…Seriously – the heat was extreme. We were shocked every day how it got so hot and humid from early in the morning, and it never let up,” Mike stated in response to a fan’s question during a 2009 live chat on his website. The experience proved to be too much for one crew member, Corin “Pinky” Ames, who left the show during the filming in New Orleans and never came back.



HOLMES INSPECTION



In 2009, post Holmes on Homes and Brad Pitt, audiences eagerly awaited Mike’s new show Holmes Inspection. HI combined Mike’s expertise and know-how with entertaining and education computer graphics. “I call it Holmes on Homes meets CSI,” Mike said to fans in 2009. “I think it’s really great for teaching the viewers about what’s going on behind the walls of the house. I can’t show things like air quality or mould spores on camera, so the special effects lets me do that.” The concept of the show was similar to its predecessor, with one main exception. “I saw an opportunity to educate homeowners so they can hire the right inspectors – just like Holmes on Homes tried to teach people how to hire the right contractors.” Throughout the show, Mike would not just re-inspect people’s homes, but would do the equivalent of exploratory surgery, sometimes going so far as to punch holes in walls to find the source of leaks, creaks, mold, funny odors, and much more. Armed with sophisticated equipment such as the FLIR IR camera (cost: around $20,000) as well as the more standard fare of a flashlight, digital camera, and a ladder, Mike proceeded to document items and issues not caught by the original home inspector. Mike’s diagnosis was often grim as he pointed out the problems, education and explaining every step of the way.



Unlike Holmes on Homes, Holmes Inspection turned over the bulk of the on-site work to right hand man and construction supervisor Damon Bennett. Damon took on the role and persona of Mike as he supervised the crew, including Mike’s son-in-law, Adam Bellanger, and Mike’s two children, Sherry and Mike Jr. “M.J.” Mike’s real life uncle Billy “Uncle Billy” Bell rounded out the crew, making the show a family operation. Holmes Inspection was a great opportunity for Mike’s fans to get to know his protégé Damon; however, many were disappointed to see Mike taking a more off-camera role. “I don’t miss getting dirty so much,” he said. “I worked hard for years – and I tell you, overseeing as the white helmet is better… for the first time in years I feel like I have a life – I have a few days off in a week.”



HOLMES MAKES IT RIGHT



Holmes Inspection officially came to a close in 2012 after three successful, albeit controversial years. Mike received just about as much criticism as he did praise over Holmes Inspection. Critics pointed to Mike’s lack of a background in engineering and accused Mike of playing it up for the camera. Undeterred, the work-a-holic Holmes spent the better part of the year 2012 filming episodes for Holmes Makes It Right, which debuted on HGTV in October 2012.



THE HOLMES FOUNDATION



In 2006, Mike took on what was supposed to be just another project for Holmes on Homes. The homeowners had hired a contractor to renovate and add a second story addition to their home. However, as Mike inspected the structure, he soon came to the realization that the previous contractor had done such abysmal work, no amount of repairs could sufficiently save the home. Mike knew the homeowners were in a heap of trouble and that the entire house needed to come down. He approached the show’s producers with the details of the situation and expressed his desire to help the family. Although producers attempted to talk him out of it, Mike was adamant, and he threatened to leave the show if they wouldn’t let him do it. After two years of work, the infamous "Lien on Me" aired, documenting the build. The ordeal affected Mike in such a profound way, he was inspired to create his own charitable foundation, The Holmes Foundation. The Holmes Foundation seeks to aid victims of renovations gone wrong, and encourages young Canadians to choose careers in the skilled trades by providing financial aid and bursaries for the training of future tradespeople.



OTHER PROJECTS



Being the handyman superstar that he is, Mike has served as the judge of Handyman Superstar Challenge in Canada and its American counterpart All American Handyman. Mike has also participated as the official spokesman and self-proclaimed mascot for Skills Canada, an Olympic-like world competition for the skilled trades.



A philanthropist to the core, Mike has lent his name, time, and resources to children’s charity SOS Children’s Villages, traveling to Africa to drum up support for children in the third world. Mike has also done humanitarian work in Haiti after the earthquake 2010.

August 29th was the seven year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which leveled much of New Orleans, Louisiana. Every year around this time, the warm waters of the southeastern United States make for some primo storms and hurricanes. Right after Mike and his crew left New Orleans back in 2008, Hurricane Gustav was licking at their heels. Luckily, they made it out just in time. This year's big storm was Hurricane Isaac. Mike stated on his Facebook page earlier this week that he's been receiving many questions about the "Make It Right" homes they helped build in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans as part of Brad Pitt's "Make It Right NOLA" foundation. He assured everyone that the levees held strong, and because the houses were built right, the only real damage the neighborhood endured due to Isaac was some downed trees and fences.

 

In this article, reposted from Canada.com, Mike speaks about building houses to endure the extreme weather of the region. If you're going to build a house in a hurricane zone, you'd better make sure that the house is built to withstand some major wind and water. If you don't, you're just wasting a lot of time and money, as well as putting people's lives at risk. Unfortunately, many of the houses in New Orleans were poorly constructed and build on top of cinder blocks instead of solid foundations. When the levees broke, the houses simply floated away. Mike makes the bold statement people didn't die because of Hurricane Katrina, "[t]hey died because of poor construction."

 

Responsible builders should never ignore the environment they are building in. To do so is a costly - and potentially deadly - mistake.

 

 

 

Building for extreme weather

  

By Mike Holmes, Postmedia News September 6, 2012

 

Mike Holmes (file photo)

Photograph by: Handout , The Holmes Group

I don't know what it is about August 29th and New Orleans. But it seems like ever since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans gets hit with a major storm on the anniversary.
In 2008 my crew and I were down there building a home for a Hurricane Katrina victim. Our target date to complete the build was August 29th Ð the three-year anniversary. Thanks to a lot of help we met our deadline. But literally, as soon as we were done we had to evacuate - Hurricane Gustav was on his way. Now seven years after Katrina, it was Isaac.
All of this tells me one thing: New Orleans is in a hurricane zone. And if you're going to build a house in a hurricane zone, you need to make sure it's hurricane proof. That's a no-brainer.
By the time Katrina was over more than 1,800 people had died-not because of the hurricane, as is often misunderstood. They died because of poor construction.
The people of New Orleans had two strikes against them. First, the levees failed because they weren't built properly. This was a massive failure with devastating results. Then, the construction of their homes didn't take into account the surrounding environment.
The Lower Ninth Ward was one of the areas worst hit. And it's no surprise - none of the houses there had foundations. They were just built on top of cinder blocks sitting on the ground. That's why they floated away in the storm surge.
Engineers learned their lesson - the new levees around New Orleans are built to withstand a Category 3 storm. But unfortunately, that lesson came at a high price. Too many people lost their lives that didn't have to.
It would have been easy for us to throw up a few stick-framed homes on top of cinder blocks. We probably could have built half a dozen homes in the time it took us to build the one house. But it would have been pointless - a huge waste of time, energy, materials and resources. Those kinds of homes couldn't stand up to a hurricane. And with a track record like New Orleans' you can't afford to build that way. The construction would fail sooner or later, and when it did, it would endanger people's lives.
As a builder, you never ignore your environment. In fact, the best construction projects are designed and built according to their environments. For example, the Kansai International Airport in Japan was built on an artificial island made of compacted fill. Not only did engineers have to make sure the airport could withstand earthquakes and typhoons, but also that it stayed above water.
The artificial island the airport was built on gradually sinks. This is because the weight of building materials compresses the fill. So what did engineers do? They created adjustable columns that are extended by inserting thick metal plates. As the island sinks the columns are extended and the airport rises.
Good construction addresses the risks, minimizes vulnerabilities and maximizes advantages. That means building a house above flood levels if it's vulnerable to floods - even if you have to build it on stilts like we did in New Orleans.
If a house is in an area where there's a high risk of fires, build it with Pinkwood and add a metal roof. If it's in a region that's prone to earthquakes, use flexible materials in its construction, like wood and steel rather than stucco, unreinforced concrete and masonry - the walls and roof should be tied together too.
Engineering and technology are always moving forward, developing new and better ways to build structures that can stand up to extreme weather. There is no excuse for cutting corners.
If the house is in a hurricane zone it needs to have strong walls. The plans for the home we built called for stud walls built 24Ó on centre. Instead we built them 16Ó on centre. We also added threaded steel rods that went through the walls to help keep the roof on and the structure tied together vertically. The result? A stronger, hurricane-resistant house.
The roof structure was designed to withstand winds up to 150 km/h. All the windows have glass that can tolerate impacts of up to 80 km/h. The exterior doors open out instead of in to prevent them from blowing in from wind pressure. We even added a window on the second floor above the side porch that opens onto the low-pitched roof. This gives the homeowners an escape hatch in case of another flood.
New Orleans gets a lot of rain and humidity. It's the perfect environment for mould and rot. So what did we do? We used BluWood for the framing and sheathing of the house. BluWood protects against mould, rot and even insects. Is this above code? Yes. Is it over-building? No.
You can't turn a blind eye and hope for the best. When it comes to extreme weather that's just a recipe for disaster. You need to address the issues, face the facts and adapt your building methods and construction materials. You do this until you have a house that's safe and strong to protect its residents. That's what building right is all about.
Catch Mike Holmes in his new series, Best of Holmes on Homes, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HGTV. For more information, visit hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.

© Copyright (c) Postmedia News

 

Oops... I Did It Again

"Canadian Rhapsody"

 Coming soon to a YouTube channel near you. Summer 2013.

 

Don't be afraid. Be f***ing terrified.

 

Making It Right in New Orleans

In light of the recent news of the "Make It Right" homes in New Orleans weathering the storm of Hurricane Isaac, I thought I'd post a vintage article from the year 2009 about the build that started all the fuss. In the shadow of Hurricane Katrina, Mike Holmes and crew traveled down to New Orleans to assist Brad Pitt in "making it right" for the people who lived in the badly devastated Lower 9th Ward.

 

 

 

Mike Holmes helps Make it Right in New Orleans

Published on Tuesday April 07, 2009

By Rob Salem Television Critic

 

Mike Holmes hands Gloria Guy the keys to her new home.

Mike Holmes managed to snag an A-list guest star – more like an A-plus, really – for his two-part TV special, Holmes in New Orleans, airing tonight and tomorrow at 9 p.m. on Global, to be followed Thursday by the first of a six-part spinoff series, to run consecutive Thursday nights at 8 on HGTV.
Marquee movie superstar Brad Pitt shows up early – tonight, in fact – in the new documentary chronicling the unprecedented rebuilding efforts of the Make it Right Foundation.
As Holmes himself did in the Pitt-initiated project's formative stages.
It really all started ... well, with Hurricane Katrina, the 2005 disaster that flooded almost 80 per cent of the historic city of New Orleans, taking more than 1,700 lives. Unlike many similar celebrity campaigns, Pitt's resolutely pro-active Make it Right Foundation got right down to the business of rebuilding homes for Katrina's many displaced survivors. All he needed was an experienced expert to oversee the effort. And as it happened, our own Holmes held the trademark for the "Make it Right" title, and has of course long shared Pitt's commitment to charitable humanitarian action.
"This is Brad's passion," Holmes says. "He's actually spent a lot of time working on this, talking to people, very secretly, because to him ... well, you know, it isn't about him. It's about the people. That just shows how much he cares."
But caring is one thing and acting is another. Pitt's heart was obviously in the right place, even if his technical expertise fell short.
"He had his vision of doing it when I talked to him," says Holmes, "but he (knew) he didn't know enough about it. He is definitely right on his vision, but to him, I guess, to (be able to) complete the gift of it, that just rocked his socks off."
The job turned out to be even tougher than it looked. The immediate task at hand was to build a prototype home for flood victim Gloria Guy and the gaggle of grandchildren she is struggling to raise. Five more homes were to follow, the first of a planned 150, rebuilding a sustainable, hurricane-safe residential community in the devastated city's Lower 9th Ward.
Construction of the prototype dwelling would take approximately 20 weeks. Holmes and his crew had only 10 to make the deadline of handing over the keys on Aug. 29, the third anniversary of the flood. When he arrived in New Orleans, the project was already two weeks behind. And it was not exactly an appropriate venue for Holmes's trademark hardline style.
"I wasn't there to beat anyone up, that's for sure," he says . "But it wasn't easy either. We had to deal with the inspectors, we had to deal with the unknown ... so many people down there didn't know what they were doing."
Not to mention the miles of red tape to contend with. "I call it `green tape,'" Holmes says. "There's so much corruption. I don't want to point fingers, but it was disgusting."
The official aspect of it, perhaps, but Holmes quickly came to see the other side. "I went to community meetings; we talked to everyone. Being there for 10 weeks we had an opportunity to get to know a lot of people, and one thing that I did learn (amidst) all that corruption is that there are a lot of good people down there, truly good, caring people. And it's a shame that the right people didn't really seem to care about them."
Others did, and gratefully acknowledged and applauded Holmes's efforts, among them Dave Walker, a columnist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, a long-time fan who came down several times to visit the site.
"I discovered Holmes on Homes during a bout with insomnia and immediately loved it," Walker says. "I think the appeal was his sense of honour about getting it right and his disgust at the contractors whose work he was remediating. The connection to our situation in New Orleans is obvious.
"The only bright spot about Katrina was the outpouring of help from people all over. You still can't get through the airport without running into packs of high school kids in matching T-shirts who've come down to do the dirtiest recovery work – gutting mouldy houses, hanging sheet rock – for people who can't. Church groups from places that would otherwise have no connection to libertine New Orleans.
"It's genuinely moving to the people who live here, and Mike Holmes is now part of that wave of kindness."
The effectiveness of the effort became apparent the day after work was completed, right on time, on Katrina's third anniversary.
"We had to leave the next morning, because Hurricane Gustav was on its way," Holmes recalls. "It was unbelievable! When we were at the airport, the military were there. It was surreal. I wanted to stay. I was going to stay in the house."
He didn't, but then he needn't have bothered. Gloria Guy's new home easily weathered the storm. "Not even a scratch," Holmes says.
And now the momentum is in full swing. "I like to call it the pebble in the pond," he says. "I think being down there with the Make it Right Foundation has started the ripple effect ... you never see it until it's done. And now that six houses are done – I did the first one and oversaw the other five – it's made a statement. I mean, there are bus tours going by.
"So I think now we're going to see a big change, especially in the New Orleans area, and hopefully it ripples right through the States."
Rob Salem, the Star's TV columnist, is barely able to construct a sentence.
rsalem@thestar.ca

"Make it Right" Homes Still Standing After Hurricane Isaac

From Mike's Facebook page yesterday:

Lots of questions coming in about how the house we built in New Orleans weathered Hurricane Isaac. I'm happy to report that there was no significant damage to any of the homes in Ward 9! They were built right. http://holmesinneworleans.com/
 

     

Mike Holmes is often mocked and ridiculed to various degrees for overbuilding houses, for building far above the minimum code, and expecting other builders to do the same. I'm sure the people who live in those homes in New Orleans are grateful for Mike's uncompromising standards. They still have homes to return to at the end of the day.

 

Mike Makes It PINK!

Pink! It's my favorite crayon! I even have a room in my house that's just for me, and the walls are bubblegum pink. But now, pink can go much further than the paint on the walls. Earlier this year, Mike Holmes put his stamp of approval on a new product, PinkWood. Like BluWood, PinkWood is wood that has been coated with a special coating, Pinkshield, which makes it mold resistant, moisture resistant, and fire resistant. It's completely non-toxic, and "when exposed to flame, creates an endothermic reaction that significantly slows the time to ignition of the coated material and decreases the rate at which the fire spreads," according to the website. Endothermic is a fancy word for absorbing heat. Basically, when exposed to heat, PinkWood gets colder through a chemical reaction, similar to an ice pack. So scientific... and pretty     :-)

From the PinkWood website:

MIKE HOLMES MAKES IT PINK

Posted on Thu, Mar 15, 2012 @ 04:55 PM

 

MIKE HOLMES MAKES IT PINK

Calgary, AB—March 14, 2012—PinkWood Ltd. is proud to announce The Holmes Group’s support of PinkWood’s family of products. Mike Holmes is lending his public appeal to endorse PinkWood’s fire, mould and moisture resistant PKI I-joists, lumber and sheathing, fire rated PK Fireboard, and Pinkshield 5000 intumescent paint.
“PinkWood helps protect a home’s structure against moisture and mould,” stated Mike Holmes. “It also helps reduce the spread of flames in case of fire. That’s smart. As a builder, it makes sense to use PinkWood.”
Holmes Approved Home builders provide those purchasing a Holmes Approved Home with the option of upgrading to PinkWood for their home’s construction.
“We are very pleased to have the endorsement of Mike Holmes,” stated Blair Nutting, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for PinkWood. “He is a well respected contractor with a great deal of experience in solving problems that plague wood frame construction. His support will help us reach homeowners who are unaware of the problems that moisture can cause on structural wood products, both during construction and after the home is built,” added Nutting.
Mike Holmes is continually working to improve the industry by raising building standards. This includes incorporating premium products into home building and renovation practices.
“When we use PinkWood products we create safer living environments for homeowners,” added Holmes. “And that’s something I can stand behind.”

 

All American Handyman – Week 3 Recap

It was “From Clutter and Chaos to the Dream Garage” week, and the Handyman contestants were whittled down to 7 after this week’s exciting, albeit somewhat predictable elimination. Here’s the Holmes Spot recap for week 3 of All American Handyman…

In this week’s “fix-it” challenge, the contestants were given 90 minutes to replace a broken window. Simple enough for any competent handyman or woman, right? Wrong. The kicker was that the new window was larger than the old one, and the Handyman hopefuls had to cut into structure to make the new window fit.
The contestants started out strong, but Mike and Scott noticed a lot of mistakes as they observed their work in progress. 

 Mike was not impressed by Scott C. (“Sarge”). His work was a tad rushed and “imprecise.” As time began to run down, Mike observed Sarge putting the new window in inside out, and then upside down.

Sonne decided to build the new window’s structure on the floor instead of building it in place and ran into problems when the structure wouldn’t fit into the wall’s frame.

Julia was once again working at a snail’s pace and continued to fall behind the other contestants. As usual, she failed to finish her project.

Rodney ran into problems when he overcut the wrong piece of structure, leaving a gaping hole in the wall. In the end, he was missing the jack studs, rendering his header useless. However, Scott told Rodney that he admired how he made a mistake in the beginning, but kept on going without getting discouraged.

Carol got flustered under the pressure as Scott, Mike, and Anitra observed her work. The more frustrated she got, the redder her face turned. Mike asked her if she needed any help, but Carol felt intimidated by his “tone” and essentially shooed him away. She even accused Mike of giving her attitude during the judging process, putting Mike on the defensive.

Michael failed to put any cripples/jack studs under his header, leaving it unsupported and pretty much useless. He acknowledged his mistake, stating “You can’t win them all.”

There were some contestants who did well, however. Chris L. impressed Scott when he “beefed up” his header with glue and nails. In fact, Mike called Chris L.’s structure “perfect.” However, Chris L. failed to finish the project in the time allotted. Scott H. was also observed to be doing quite well, and worked at a good pace. He finished the project with flying colors.

In the end, Scott H. was the clear winner to the judges and contestants alike. He “slaughtered it” according to Scott. His project was pretty much perfect and he was awarded the round 2 “build-it” advantage. Mike’s only criticism? “The window’s dirty,” he pointed out with a smirk on his face.

Round 2’s “build-it” challenge was to create a well-organized garage oasis in 3 hours, using a variety of organization accessories. The garage was to include a work bench and need to have enough space to park a car in. Ryan Ostrom, chief marketing officer from Craftsman, once again served as guest judge.

The teams for the build-it challenge were randomly selected.

Team 1 – Scott H. and Scott C. “Sarge”

Team 2 – Carol and Sonne

Team 3 – Michael and Chris L.

Team 4 – Rodney and Julia

The teams were judged on teamwork, how they utilized the available space, and how they used the accessories they were given.

Scott H. won the advantage in round 1. The advantage was a two minute head start to get all the organization accessories his team needed. The accessories included Craftsman VersaTracks, various hooks, and racks. Scott H. and Sarge’s strategy was to use their advantage to take everything they could, leaving the other contestants with very slim pickings.

During the challenge, Carol and Sonne had a hard time seeing eye-to-eye. Within a short amount of time, however, they found their groove and began working well together. When Mike and Scott entered their garage to judge it, they noticed a poorly constructed shelf which lacked proper support. The shelf was also dangerous because a person could easily hit their head on it. Overall, they did a lot of little things right, displayed relatively good teamwork, but didn’t execute the project well as a whole.

Scott H. and Scott C. created a fairly well organized garage, but didn’t use the big wall to its full potential in Mike’s opinion. They also didn’t make good use of the glut of accessories they accumulated with the two minute advantage Scott H. earned during round 1. In the end, they admitted to using the advantage as a way to sabotage the other teams as opposed to helping themselves win the challenge. In Mike’s words, they “didn’t take advantage of [their] advantage.”

Rodney and Julia’s team had a lot of problems. Rodney formulated the project’s plan “in his head” – not a good idea when you’re supposed to be working as a team. Rodney used Julia as his own personal “go-for” yelling “JULIA!” over and over and over again during the challenge. Julia did not step up and take any kind of leadership, instead, she allowed herself to be used as more of an assistant to Rodney. In the end, the work bench they were supposed to build together was weak and structurally unsound. Mike also found the makeshift bike hook constructed from a small piece of VersaTrack and a piece of wood laughably awful. In fact, he pulled it off the wall and took it with him on his way out.

Chris L. and Michael did very well throughout the entire challenge. They built a solid workbench, and made good use of the VersaTrack, although it was a bit randomly placed on the wall. All in all, they executed a good plan, and created a fairly good shelving unit. However, Mike noted that the shelving unit was very deep, and cripples/jacks should have been used to support the deep shelves.

Chris L. and Michael were judged by Mike and Scott to be the top team in the build-it challenge. This win was the third win in a row for Chris L.

The bottom team was judged by Mike and Scott to be Julia and Rodney. Their lack of team work combined with some poor craftsmanship sunk them into last place. Mike stated that Julia looked “bored and tired.” Because, according to Mike and Scott, she wasn’t progressing in her skill level, and that she worked abnormally slow when compared to the other contestants, Julia was eliminated from the competition. Rodney was spared from elimination because he was deemed “creative” and “eager” and therefore had the most potential for improvement.

That’s the All American Handyman week 3 recap! If you missed week 1 and week 2, you can read the Holmes Spot recaps, or you can go to HGTV and watch the full episodes.

ALL AMERICAN HANDYMAN CONTESTANTS - WEEK 3

 

 

 

Interesting Google Search...

So, I had another article planned and masterfully written out for today's Holmes Spot blog entry. Then, while doing some research for tomorrow's new episode of All American Handyman, I entered in the following keywords into Google and got some rather interesting search results. Go ahead, try it.

"building a swing set mike holmes"

Wow, you can buy ANYTHING at Walmart. Weird. Happy Sunday, everyone!

AIC Backlash Over Mike's "Home Appraisers" Column

This is one of several editorial letters printed within the last couple of weeks responding to Mike's newspaper column "No Set Standards For Home Appraisers" (see The Appraiser Needs Appraising for more information).  The author is a member of the AIC (Appraisal Institute of Canada) and sought to "clarify some misconceptions illustrated by Mike Holmes regarding the appraisal profession." Read the letter, and I'll put my two cents in at the end...

Become aware of how the appraisal profession operates

August 31, 2012. 3:29 pm • Section: Letters

 

Re: No set standards for home appraisers, by Mike Holmes, Postmedia News, Aug. 22.

As a member of the Appraisal Institute of Canada, I must clarify some misconceptions illustrated by Mike Holmes regarding the appraisal profession.
As Mr. Holmes indicated, there are a few associations in the real estate valuation field. The Appraisal Institute of Canada was founded in 1938. There are 4,800 members across Canada and around the world.
New members of the Appraisal Institute of Canada are required to have a university degree.
That being said, the degree serves as an undergraduate degree, after which the graduate program offered by the University of British Columbia eventually leads to either a CRA (residential) or AACI (residential/commercial/industrial) designation from the Appraisal Institute of Canada.
The consumer can rest assured that every appraiser that has achieved either the CRA or AACI designation has been educated in basic construction of both residential dwellings and, on the commercial appraisal level, structures utilized for commercial, multi-residential, institutional and industrial properties.
The insinuation by Mr. Holmes that appraisers lack this knowledge is quite inaccurate.
Appraisers are not home inspectors. We inspect properties with construction knowledge above that of the typical homeowner. We know the warning signs of leaky roofs, poor ventilation, and leaky basements.
Professional practice dictates to our members to advise the client to have an expert inspect potential problematic issues with a property.
As for standards, our members are bound by the Canadian Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. This publication is our governing set of principles, requiring all AIC members to maintain ethical and professional standards.
With respect to Mr. Holmes’s homeowners, appraisers are experts at analyzing market data to establish value. Most appraisal assignments ask the appraiser to determine market value, particularly for lending institutions.
The consumer needs to know that appraisers don’t make the market, nor do they manipulate it.
Appraisers research, analyze and interpret market data. Valuation tools such as paired sales analyses and capitalization techniques are utilized to ultimately establish the value for a property being appraised.
I recently appraised a property that was previously purchased new for $400,000. The current market value (and sale price) was less than $315,000. Why? This market is in an economic depression.
Could a builder construct that house for $315,000? No. Why? Because the builder would take a loss due to the high cost of materials (established outside of this marketplace). As for that $2 million house referred to by Mr. Holmes, expert advice should have been retained before building in that undesirable neighbourhood.
It is always disappointing for a homeowner whose house is appraised for lower than anticipated. And appraisers certainly can be proven wrong — I know I have been.
But to dismiss the lender’s due diligence of hiring an appraiser as overkill is somewhat nearsighted.
Banks hire appraisers because we are the experts and they want to protect their investment, regardless of the condition of the housing market.
Consumers should browse the AIC website to become more familiar with educational requirements, our standards, as well as information regarding returns on home renovation investment.
Mr. Holmes is an invaluable resource and a charismatic personality who has provided informative information in the home inspection/construction discipline. Unfortunately, he, and most homeowners, is unaware of how the appraisal profession operates. We are well-educated, well-regulated professionals who provide a necessary component of the lending practice in which so many Canadians are involved.
CHRISTINE E. FAY, Windsor chapter secretary, Appraisal Institute of Canada

First, before I say anything, I'd like to make the following clarifications. I don't speak for Mike - in fact, I don't know him at all! I'm not even Canadian, and I'm certainly not a contractor. That said, my only goal is to compare the above editorial with the column that Mike wrote.

Again, the column in question written by Mike Holmes can be found here.

Mike's article starts off with a story about an email he received from some distraught homeowners caught in a really bad situation. They wanted to fix some bad "improvements" done by the previous homeowners, but couldn't secure a loan because the home appraiser the bank hired said that the home's value was not enough to support the loan. Mike states,

Was the appraiser wrong? Was their home that bad? I don’t know. I haven’t seen the house. But the homeowners didn’t think so. That’s why they emailed me. They thought the appraiser didn’t have the right skills to evaluate their home. And I’ve got to wonder.
 

As inflammatory as that statement might seem, there's really nothing wrong or incorrect about it. Mike is merely setting up the rest of the column to be an opinion piece, one in which he gives his own unique perspective on an issue. Phrases like "I don't know," and "I've got to wonder," and "they thought" should be red flags to anyone that Mike is about to tell you what he thinks about something. Some columns Mike has written are pretty inoffensively factual, like an article about roofing shingles or radon gas. In this article, though, Mike is making it perfectly clear from go that this column is going to be different, and he will be making statements about life according to Mike Holmes.

Mike's bone of contention with with appraisal industry? Well, he states several. First,

There isn’t a single set of standards. The skills required to be an appraiser depend on the association an appraiser belongs to.
 

His second bone of contention, which ties into the first,

Some associations require a university degree as a first step. Others a business degree. And some don’t require a degree at all...one association requires its members to have a university degree — in anything. Could be sociology or art, it doesn’t matter. Then they have to complete a university-level education program specific to appraising.
 

It's at this point where I believe the AIC and the author of this editorial letter took exception. Although what Mike said is essentially true, the author representing AIC disagreed with Mike's insinuation that there was something wrong or unprofessional with this model. They countered with

New members of the Appraisal Institute of Canada are required to have a university degree. That being said, the degree serves as an undergraduate degree, after which the graduate program offered by the University of British Columbia eventually leads to either a CRA (residential) or AACI (residential/commercial/industrial) designation from the Appraisal Institute of Canada.
 

I actually see the AIC's point. After all, this is how many legitimate professions operate. They require an unspecific undergraduate degree, assuming that an accredited degree in anything insures a better, well-rounded, and generally educated candidate for employment. The degree requirement is used to "weed out" candidates just as much as it is used to hire them. The candidate is then required to take training courses specific to his or her profession, assuming that these training courses will build off of the foundation of the candidate's general education.

However, Mike states that the specific training that many appraisers receive deals with real estate and business, but not with building.

Most of the courses in the program deal with real estate and business. But what about building skills? Understanding the structure of a house? A basic understanding of construction? Knowing how one part of a home affects another? Aren’t these skills important when you’re evaluating a home?
 

Again, the author representing AIC took exception, stating that what Mike said is not true, and that all AIC home appraisers are given a basic knowledge of construction, both in residential and commercial structures.

The consumer can rest assured that every appraiser that has achieved either the CRA or AACI designation has been educated in basic construction of both residential dwellings and, on the commercial appraisal level, structures utilized for commercial, multi-residential, institutional and industrial properties. The insinuation by Mr. Holmes that appraisers lack this knowledge is quite inaccurate.
 

But is Mike really insinuating that all home appraisers have little or no knowledge of construction? Not really. In fact, he states very clearly that some associations do value knowledge of construction, but some don't. Mike's problem is not with all home appraiser associations, but with the associations that have lower standards for building knowledge, and emphasize the real estate and business aspect of home appraising over the building and construction aspect. Contrary to what the author insinuates, Mike states clearly that business skills are "absolutely" important for appraisers to have, but it is his opinion that building knowledge is equally, if not more important.

The author of the editorial letter went on to state:

With respect to Mr. Holmes’s homeowners, appraisers are experts at analyzing market data to establish value. Most appraisal assignments ask the appraiser to determine market value, particularly for lending institutions. The consumer needs to know that appraisers don’t make the market, nor do they manipulate it.
 

With respect to the AIC, I don't believe that Mike would disagree with this statement at all. (He might disagree with the assertion that all appraisers follow the same set of high standards though.) In fact, in his column, he states quite clearly that a $2 million house could be appraised for sale at a much lower value. He asks the question, "Is this fair?" and then goes on to explain that yes, it IS fair. He explains that a home that cost $2 million to build could be valued at far less because of the neighborhood, the land, the market, and the volatile financial climate. Mike touches briefly on mortgages, and how banks operate when it comes to getting their money back.

When it comes to mortgages, banks care about a home’s selling price. Why? Because if a homeowner can’t pay their mortgage the bank will have to sell their house. Banks want their money back. They want to know how much they can sell a house for. And sometimes a home’s construction has very little to do with that.

Mike is simply stating a cold hard fact. His audience is composed not of industry professionals, but of homeowners. He's essentially saying, this is the way it works. It doesn't seem very fair, but hey, what can you do? I hardly perceive this as being critical, though. More like sympathetic.

But if an appraiser’s job is to know how much a house is worth, they should know about construction. That’s basic. You should know how a home works, signs that tell you if there are any huge costs, the difference in finishes, how different improvements affect the value of a home and how different climates affect materials...Having a basic understanding of a home’s structure, materials and mechanics — and knowing how each affects value — is logical. It’s essential.
 

This is Mike's argument in a nutshell and the take-away point of the entire column. It is Mike's honest and informed opinion, which he has formulated over 30 years in the industry. Mike also states that he knows of some homeowners who have had to point things out to their home appraiser which affect their home's value. In the editorial letter, the author states quiet candidly, and honestly,

...appraisers certainly can be proven wrong — I know I have been.
 

I think this author should be commended for her candor. In a way, though, this single statement validates Mike's opinion, at least in part.

The last thing I'd like to point out is that Mike purposely leaves the names of specific companies out when he writes or speaks publicly on an issue. Good guys, bad guys, and everyone in between, typically he doesn't name names. Was Mike specifically referring to AIC in his article? Perhaps. For sure, he was speaking generally about the industry as a whole, as he sees it. This editorial was informative, well written, and certainly gave a different perspective, but it didn't invalidate the points Mike made.

Mike Holmes certainly has a talent of viewing things through the eyes of the homeowner. He speaks honestly, plainly, and he tells it like it is, but he is definitely an advocate of the consumer. It's the reason why people love him, and I think columns like this one will continue coming from Mike, raising the eyebrows of industry professionals everywhere. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is not for me to decide.