Mike Holmes on Safety, Comfort, and Home Security

Home: it's a word that connotes warmth and comfort. It's a place where most of us feel our safest and happiest. People spend billions of dollars a year upgrading and renovating their homes to be more comfortable and safer for the people inside. In this interview conducted by Media Planet, Mike Holmes talks about home safety, comfort, and security. When I had my home built a couple years ago, one of the first upgrades we included was pre-wiring for a security system. Of course, now technology has changed a little bit and many security companies are going wireless with no hard installation required. Whether or not you choose a traditional hardwired system or a fancy new wireless one, Mike Holmes stresses that functionality is what's really important. Mike also talks about the importance of renovating your home from the outside in. You can have the fanciest furniture in the world, the finest hardwood floors, and the most expensive kitchen cabinets money can buy, but what does it all matter if you don't have a good roof to protect everything inside? It's always better to build it right the first time using the right products then to have to rip everything out and start all over again because you have a major problem.

From MediaPlanet.com:


Holmes' sweet homes
Host and creator of Holmes on Homes and Holmes Makes It Right, Mike Holmes provides advice on renovating for comfort and safety.
Question: What advice/tips would you give to homeowners who want to improve the comfort and safety in their home?

Answer: Work from the outside in, not the inside out. Most people just think about getting the new kitchen, the new bathroom, finishing the basement. But what’s protecting everything? Your roof, your exterior walls, the foundation, the windows and doors. Put your money here first. Because if you have a problem on the outside of your home, you will definitely end up with a problem on the inside of your home. Why spend all this money renovating just to rip it all out to fix a problem that should have been fixed in the first place?
Q: When do security systems play a role in the home building process? At what point are they implemented?

A: When the wiring in the house is being done. A licensed electrician needs to do the wiring for the security system—it should have a back up and it should be hardwired. They will also need to pull data cables for security cameras, if that’s what’s included in the security system. Some homeowners make the mistake of leaving the security system stuff for the very end of the build. They think it’s part of the finishes. But it involves wiring, and that could mean cutting through drywall. You might as well get all the wiring done at once.
Q:How do home security systems increase the overall value of a home?

A: A home with a proper security system will have a higher resale value. But it also has a lot to do with the security system’s functionality—the different options it gives homeowners when it comes to securing their home. Can it tell you who’s at the door? When your kids get home? Can you monitor everything from your phone? Will it automatically alert police when the alarm goes off? These are important things homeowners need to think about when choosing the right security system for their home. Do your homework.


"This opens the doors wide open on what you can do to protect your home—now and in the future."

Q:Who are the leaders in the home safety and security industries? Who inspires you?

A: There are plenty of great companies; CISCO stands out. They specialize in home automation. Over the last year or so they’ve been focusing more on building automation. But the innovations they’re doing there is changing home safety and security. CISCO has really pushed the industry forward. Now you can lock your doors, control the temperature in your home, turn the lights on and off, control smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, turn off your appliances—all from your smartphone. This opens the doors wide open on what you can do to protect your home—now and in the future.
Are there any home renovation techniques that decrease the chance of a fire? Alternatively, can poor home renovation plans negatively influence fire safety within a home?

A: Absolutely. We now have fire-resistant products, like PinkWood. This is wood that’s been coated with a treatment that slows down fire ignition. So when we use PinkWood in the structure of a home, like in the framing and sheathing, it gives homeowners more time to escape a potential fire. A secondary lint trap is also a good idea. Dryer lint is a huge fire hazard. All you need is a spark or enough heat, like from a pot light, and you’ve got total ignition. But a renovation done wrong, like with faulty wiring, can definitely lead to a fire.
Q:Why is it important to consider the safety of your home when consumers are in the building and renovation process?

A: Because there are plenty of things that you can do during these stages that will make your home safer. You can use fire- mould- and moisture resistant products in the structure of your house. Install better windows that are more energy efficient and secure. For example, there are multipoint lock windows that have three locks on the inside, so they can’t be picked. You can also add a multipoint lock to your door, so it’s secured at four points instead of two. But once construction is done, you can only do the smaller stuff to make your home more safe.

Mike Holmes
editorial@mediaplanet.com

Winning the War on Old Man Winter

Where I live, we've been having the most beautiful winter weather since the New Year began. Temperatures have been hitting their highs in the mid-60's, and lows in low 40's. That's practically t-shirt weather in Mike Holmes' part of the world, no doubt. Up north, there are different battles to contend with, mainly snow and ice. In the article below, Mike gives some great advice to win the war on Old Man Winter. Just because I live in a region where snow is a pretty rare treat, doesn't mean I'm clueless about de-icers such as salt. I've seen the detrimental effects that can occur from regular use of salt on concrete steps by visiting my Great Grandpa's farm every year up in North Dakota. Years of using salt on his front steps literally ate the concrete down to the rebar. So what does Mike recommend instead? Try a shoveling and some sand and gravel. I'm not an expert, but I would assume that the sand and gravel would allow walkers gain some traction and avoid nasty slips and falls on icy walkways. Along with shoveling snow from the walkways, Mike reminds people to protect their foundations by keeping the snow away from foundation walls as best they can with regular shoveling. Mike also recommends keeping eavestroughs (or "gutters" where I come from) clear of debris to prevent ice dams, which can ruin your shingles. It may be a cliche but it's true. An ounce of winter maintenance prevention is certainly worth a pound of cure in the form of spring repairs.

 

From LeaderPost.com:

Winter can wreck your house - and your budget

By Mike Holmes, Regina Leader Post December 30, 2013

Winter can really do a number on your house: Melting snow piled up against your foundation can lead to a leak in the basement; salt can eat away at your mortar; ice damming on the roof can cause water damage to the structure below; or a non-insulated pipe running through a cold zone could burst.

Luckily, there are a few things we can do to minimize the damage from Old Man Winter.

When it comes to de-icers the most common is salt, but it damages your lawn and garden and eats away at rock, concrete and mortar. It’s just one of those things that causes deterioration. Instead, after shovelling I apply a good layer of sand and gravel.

And remember to shovel the snow away from your foundation walls, too. Concrete is porous and moisture from melting snow can be absorbed by foundation walls and penetrate into the basement. A little more shovelling can go a long a way.

Also, make sure that any pipes that run through cold zones — such as crawl spaces, a garage or along a wall that isn’t insulated, like in the basement — are properly wrapped with foam.

Sometimes builders forget to insulate the lines properly in short runs — when the line temporarily goes under the insulation or where there’s a transition from the cold zone to the rest of the house. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Ideally, you want your plumbing lines installed on the warm side of the insulation to prevent them from freezing and bursting. If they aren’t on the warm side the pipes have to be rerun. It’s a project worth planning for 2014.

Then there are ice dams.

If the bottom of your roof along the eavestroughs is full of ice, and the snow starts to melt, the water isn’t going to flow down the eavestroughs and downspouts. It’s going to go right back up under the shingles. And once water creeps under the shingles it can drain inside exterior walls, causing damage to framing, sheathing, siding and drywall.

There are a couple of reasons for ice dams: No. 1, your eavestroughs (gutters) could be clogged with leaves and debris. Add freezing temperatures and you’ve got the potential for a frozen channel of muck. And No. 2, heat loss.

The best way to prevent an ice dam caused by clogged gutters is to get them cleaned in the spring and fall. But if you’re dealing with an ice dam now, call a professional roofer. They can take a look at your gutters and make sure there aren’t any breaks or disconnections that could be making a bad situation worse.

Some roofers or ice-dam removal companies recommend using steam to melt the ice, but I wouldn’t introduce steam to a freezing environment. Instead, there are de-icers that are non-corrosive to roofing materials that can be sprinkled along the frozen channel to melt the ice. One product is a calcium chloride flake — it looks like snow. Once everything has melted, all the debris from the eavestroughs can be removed.

The other and more popular cause of ice dams is heat loss. Patches of melted snow on the roof are a definite sign, and if that’s the case, cleaning the gutters is not a permanent fix. The ice damming will come back. The only real solution is adding more insulation and ventilation in the attic and making sure it’s properly sealed off from the rest of the home.

If you’re dealing with a roof leak in the winter, call a professional roofer. They can tell if there’s a problem with the roof structure, the flashing or the shingles in an area and offer solutions. You might just need a relatively small repair.

Another winter threat to your roof is hail. Hailstones can make serious dents on an asphalt roof that can potentially compromise the roof’s integrity, to the point that you should call your insurance policy agent.

Typically, a homeowner files a claim; an adjuster visits the site to appraise the damage and decides, based on industry standards and the extent of the damage, whether or not the insurance will cover the cost of a replacement.

How do you prevent hail damage to your roof? Hail-resistant shingles resist damage, but they also cost more money. Metal roofs are also more resistant but again, they are also very expensive, and I wouldn’t recommend replacing your roof during winter. It can be done, but you risk exposing your home to the elements and the conditions make the work more difficult. If you can, hold off until the spring. But start calling contractors now! Because the good ones will be booked come peak season.

Catch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right, Tuesdays on HGTV. For more information, visit hgtv.ca.

© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post

Who's Your HGTV Boyfriend?

I'm always a sucker for an article that points out the rampant eye candy on the HGTV network... call me a desperate housewife if you wish, but I vastly prefer the handsome handyman over any movie star out there. I'm pretty sure that every female HGTV fan has at least one "HGTV Boyfriend," if not more. Betcha can guess who my favorite HGTV "hunk" is... I'll give you three tries, but you'll only need one! In this blog post from YourTango.com, the author discusses all the "hotties" of HGTV that make home improvement sizzle. And guess who made the list? I won't post the entire entry, but Mike's in great company.

From YourTango.com:

HGTV Hotties! Meet The Guys Making Home Improvement Sizzle

By Emily L. Foley

 

Someone call the handyman stat!

Desperate housewives of the world may have the hots for the pool boy, but you don't have to watch HGTV very long to know the real eye candy is the handyman and the landscaper!
So don't judge us if we're watching a Property Brothers marathon when we're not in the market for a new home—these 10 home improvement gurus are just too charming to look away.

 

...

 

Mike Holmes
There is nothing more attractive than a guy helping someone out of a sticky situation. So it's no wonder that week after week on show after show, we just love watching Mike Holmes save homeowners from remodeling disasters gone wrong on Holmes on Homes.

New Year's Renovation: Mike's Tips For Planning A Reno in 2014

Every year when the calendar rolls over, people start thinking about how they can make their lives better. Oftentimes, a new year can mean a new kitchen, bathroom, basement, or backyard. If you've never been through a major home renovation, you might not know what to expect. Here's a clue - expect a lot of dust and debris until the job is finished. In fact, in the article below, Mike Holmes gives 8 tips for planning your New Year's renovation, one of which is find a place to stay while your home is being worked on. Why? Because renovations are loud, disruptive, and rather dirty. All that dust and dirt that gets kicked up can get sucked up by your HVAC unit, or by you. Staying with friends and family during the course of your renovation can also allow your renovators to devote more of their hours to working and less to cleaning up at the end of each day, which can save you money and get your job done faster. Other valuable tips Mike offers - get references, and lots of them. Think three or four is enough? Ha! Try at least 20, and make sure that you check out jobs your contract has done in the distant past as well as projects he is currently working and has recently finished. A good contractor will be proud to show off his work. Mike also recommends you do a background check as well as checking with the Better Business Bureau. Sounds like a lot of hassle? When it comes to getting the job done right the first time around, you can never be too careful. Besides, it's a much bigger headache to have to hire a second guy to fix what the first guy screwed up! Take the proper steps now, and you'll have a much smoother renovation later.

From the Montreal Gazette:

Mike Holmes: 8 tips for planning a reno in 2014

Plan ahead, and know your needs

By Mike Holmes, For Postmedia News December 31, 2013

 

After a decade, Mike Holmes still cares because he knows the work he, his crew and others do makes a real difference to the people they help.
Photograph by: Alex Schuldt/The Holmes Group, Postmedia News

 

It’s the New Year and many homeowners are thinking about renovating some part of their home. The goal of any renovation is to add value, whether it’s in the materials and finishes going into the home or for improvements to the structure, mechanics or physical comfort.
Whether it’s a kitchen, bathroom, basement, backyard or all of the above, plan ahead, know your needs and keep communication clear between you and your contractor. Do that and your renovation should go smoothly, as long as you hire the right pros.
The most important step is to plan it right, so here are a few tips from someone who knows a thing or two about doing a renovation the right way.
Make decisions before you start. I’ve said it a million times: It takes longer to plan a renovation than to do it. The more time you spend making decisions before construction starts, the less time will be spent on actual labour, which helps control costs and work schedules.
Find qualified pros. You need to do your own research. Don’t rely on the advice of friends and family alone. Get at least 10 to 20 references for any contractor you’re thinking of hiring — the more the better — and go see their work and speak to the homeowners. Don’t just look at jobs they just finished either. Look at jobs they did five years ago, 10 years ago. These are the jobs that will tell you the durability of their work. And check out job sites in progress, both during and after hours, so you get a real understanding of how work is carried out, how orderly the job site is and how well it’s cleaned up.
Do a background check. Bad contractors cover their tracks by changing company names. Do a corporate check with the Better Business Bureau and make sure they have a valid business and/or general contractor licence and insurance.
Get a detailed contract. The more detail the better. It should describe every task that will be completed and include buffers for the unexpected, such as not getting certain items or materials by a certain date or not getting the mechanics done by a certain time. This is also the time to determine who is responsible for which permits.
Set up a payment schedule tied to project milestones. The best payment schedules are tied to specific project milestones, usually rough-in, drywall and completed, because it keeps the renovation moving. So your contractor completes the rough-in stage, a city inspector comes in and approves all the work — because you got the proper permits, of course — and then you hand over the first payment to your contractor. Only then does your contractor move onto the next stage of the renovation, and you do this for every stage.
Discuss changes. Every change you make costs time and money. Talk to your contractor to make sure it’s worth the expense and potential delays. Workers might be reassigned to different jobs, which means yours will have to wait.
Know the work schedule. That includes the daily work hours. If your contractor says they work from 9 to 4, it’s easy to keep track. If no one shows until the afternoon a couple days in a row, contact your contractor immediately and ask why. These could be first signs that your job is falling off the rails, but it’s soon enough that you can get it back on track.

Should you stay or should you go? Living through major construction is never easy. I always recommend homeowners find another place to stay during a reno, especially when we’re gutting an entire floor or if it involves the water, electricity and/or furnace to be shut off for extended periods of time. (Renovations kick up a lot of dust which you don’t want ending up in your HVAC system. That’s why it’s a good idea to shut it off during a renovation.)
But deciding to stay home during a reno comes down to safety, time, comfort and convenience. If you know toxins such as asbestos, mould or lead paint will need to be removed you have to be out of the house until everything is clear and clean. Same thing if spray foam is being installed or certain solvents are being used.
Plus, if you decide to stay your contractor and their crew will be doing a lot of cleaning every day, which you will have to pay for. All that cleaning also wastes time — time they could use to work on your reno, so it slows down the job.
If you’re planning a reno in 2014 take your time to do it right. And you might want to start sweet-talking anyone that can offer a free place to stay while the work gets done.
Catch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HGTV. For more information, visit hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Happy New Year From the Holmes Spot!

Happy New Year from the Holmes Spot blog! Hopefully 2014 will be our best year yet! I've got lots of good stuff planned, so don't forget to check back often to see all that's going on!

So how did Mike Holmes spend his Christmas and New Year? Having fun in the snow, of course! Check out these photos below in which Mike Holmes and his crew made the most out of the cold weather by going tobogganing.

 

 

Looks like fun! And don't forget this one, which is an outtake from the Christmas card Mike and crew made for their fans:

 

 

Mike also wished all of his fans well on his Facebook page this morning, and even offered a piece of valuable advice:

 

 

Happy New Year and a big THANK YOU to all my fans! Without your support I wouldn't be where I am today. I hope 2014 is your best year yet!

 

 

Wishing you all a Happy New Years!

Remember, if you're thinking of new renovations this year, make it right from the start. Do your research and plan ahead.

Merry Christmas From the Holmes Spot!

With all of the holiday sales at the MAKEITRIGHT.ca store this year, you'd think that one item they would have is a Holmes Christmas ornament! Since they didn't have one, I decided to make one for myself. As with almost everything, I got a little carried away and ended up creating Make it Right crew for my tree! Now, I realize that not everyone is represented, and I also realize that I forgot Carlito (poor Carl), but hopefully you can get as much holiday joy from these as I did from making them! Merry Christmas from the Holmes Spot!

When the weather outside is frightful, a fire inside can be so delightful, as long as the fire stays in the fireplace. Winter weather can increase chances of household fires, and is it any wonder why? Between space heaters, crispy Christmas trees strung with bright electric lights, votive candles that twinkle on window sills, and cozy snuggley fires flickering in the fireplace, disaster is just a careless moment away. When it comes to warding off the cold or decorating with candles, it's important to take some basic safety precautions. The first, and probably the biggest precaution one can take is an annual fireplace and chimney inspections. Let us not forget to use common sense when putting up the Christmas tree -- make sure the tree is far enough away from heat sources such as fireplaces, and decorate them with non-flammable decorations. Last but not least, it's always a good idea to make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are up to snuff. When it comes to safety, there's no excuse for taking short cuts. In this article, Mike Holmes gives some common sense tips on how to keep your holidays safe as well as bright.

From the Montreal Gazette:

Mike Holmes: Dreaming of a safe Christmas

From fireplaces and Christmas trees to lights, fire hazards are everywhere

By Mike Holmes, For Postmedia NewsDecember 19, 2013

After a decade, Mike Holmes still cares because he knows the work he, his crew and others do makes a real difference to the people they help.
Photograph by: Alex Schuldt/The Holmes Group, Postmedia News

 

Winter is the most popular season for household fires. A lot of it has to do with using different heat sources, like fireplaces and space heaters, cooking more, or holiday decorations such as Christmas trees, unsafe lighting and candles. That’s why it’s especially important we make sure our smoke detectors are working and that we minimize the potential for fires around the house.
Fireplaces. Annual fireplace and chimney inspections should be part of your regular home maintenance. Every working chimney’s flue must be inspected and cleaned every year, no exception. Creosote is extremely combustible. It’s basically tiny, unburned flammable particles that build up on the inside of your chimney’s walls. All you need is a tiny spark and you can have total ignition.
Cook it simple. If you have never fried a turkey before, don’t use the holidays as your test run. According to one home insurance company, there are three times more turkey fryer claims over the holidays. A lot of people get inspired to try new recipes around this season, but if it involves equipment you’ve never used and techniques you have never done, save the trial run for when you have more time and fewer things to worry about.
Trees. Whether your Christmas tree is real or not, use flame-resistant materials when decorating, and make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source such as fireplaces, candles, radiators, heat vents and lights. When you go to bed or leave the house, turn off any lights or electronic decorations on the tree.
If you have an artificial tree, it should be fire retardant (check the label). If you have the real thing, watch for dry needles, which pose a fire hazard. Once the needles start to drop it’s the beginning of the end; you’re going to have to get rid of the tree soon. Check with your local community to find a proper Christmas tree recycling program.
Outdoor outlets. If you don’t have outdoor outlets, keep the lights inside. Don’t run them through windows from indoor outlets. And, extension cords — even the ones made for use outdoors — are definitely fire hazards if they’re pinched by something like closed windows. The pinching breaks the wires inside, which then overheat, melting the rubber cord insulation and potentially starting a fire.
For the long run, invest in getting proper, weather-rated, GFCI-protected outdoor outlets installed by a licensed professional.
Extension cords. Extension cords are temporary solutions — at best. I would avoid using them altogether, but if you do use them, make sure they’re compatible with your lights or whatever other device you plan on using it for.
Also, if you’re going to use an extension cord outside, make sure the outside jacket of the cord is rated for exterior use and the wire gauge is rated for what you plan on plugging into the extension cord. I’d go with one that is at least 14-gauge outdoor rated.
Lights. Holiday lights are a big fire hazard. Replace any lights with frayed or damaged cords, and choose LEDs whenever possible. They’re brighter, more energy efficient, don’t overheat as much and cause fewer fuses to burn out than traditional bulbs.

You can safely connect more strings of LED lights together than you can those with traditional bulbs — usually a maximum of five strings of lights as opposed to three. However, always read instructions and warning labels. If the lights are going outside, plug them into a GFCI-protected outlet only, so if moisture gets in it will trip the circuit.
When the holidays are over, take the lights down. Outdoor holiday lights aren’t meant to be outside all year round — two months max. They will wear out faster, plus the cold weather causes the wiring in string lights to become brittle, making them vulnerable to damage. Damaged wiring is a fire risk, so don’t set yourself up for disaster next year.
Too many homeowners put too much pressure on themselves to make the holidays perfect — the perfect gifts, meal, decorations and lighting. Unfortunately, that kind of pressure can also lead to mistakes, short cuts and safety mishaps.
To me, the perfect holiday season is a safe one. The last thing you want is a house fire, and especially one that could have been prevented.
Catch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HGTV. For more information, visit hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.

Holmes Group 2013 Holiday E-Card and Video

Goofy fun is right up my alley, so when I saw this from the Holmes Group this morning, I nearly fell out of my chair with glee! Mike Holmes and crew did a holiday e-card for all their friends and fans. It's clear these Christmas hams had a lot of fun making this. Check it out...




The behind the scenes video is just as entertaining as the card itself! Sherry's reaction to seeing her dad as "Santa Holmes" was simply priceless! In fact, all of their expressions are priceless. I would give ANYTHING to see the outtake photos from this shoot!




Great job guys! Two thumbs up!

Here's the official newsletter for December... Dashing through the snow!

The Holmes Spot Commentary On Damon Bennett's Departure

***The Holmes Spot Obligatory Disclaimer***
The Holmes Spot is an UNOFFICIAL FAN RUN BLOG... all opinions expressed are MY OWN!


Damon Bennett has been a staple crew member on Mike's shows for almost a decade. Speaking purely as a fan and avid follower of both Mike Holmes and his shows, how do I feel about Damon's departure from the show, and presumably the Holmes Group? One word describes it: unceremonious. It's almost like a slashed tire... there's no loud pop, it just hisses, rapidly deflates, and it's done. For me, that's kind of how this feels, and here's why...

First, reading Damon's statement, it's obvious the heart that went into it. How do you sum up a ten year career on television, especially one with as many emotional highs and lows as the Holmes shows have had? It's not easy to do, I'm sure. But one glaring thing that stands out to me is this, that Damon doesn't acknowledge Mike Holmes directly. He acknowledges him indirectly as "The Holmes Group" and "crew" and even acknowledges certain crew members, but not Mike. I find that fascinating, given Damon's elevated position as Mike's right hand man and crew supervisor.

Out of curiosity, I did a quick check over at the Point Load Picture's website, the production company run by Mike Holmes and Peter Kettlewell. There seems to be no trace of Damon's show, Damon Bennett Restoration Company, the one that was supposedly in production and had filmed a pilot episode. Am I being too quick to make the assumption that this is no longer on the table?

I'm not implying for one single second that Damon is not being gracious, nor am I doubting for one single second his sincerity and his appreciation of his role over the last 9 years. I'm merely making the observation that this announcement -- BOTH announcements -- were rather awkward, abrupt, unceremonious, and a little bit icy as well. After all, the Holmes Group is a party-hearty bunch of folks who love to celebrate milestones. One would hope and think that a crew member as significant as Damon moving on to better things would warrant more than a little blurb on a Facebook page. As of now, there's no mention of Damon's departure on the MAKEITRIGHT.ca website, which is a shame. Makes me believe the split is less than amicable, but that's just my own speculation.

As far as the only official statement from Mike at this time, the one made on his Facebook page, I think the same observations can be made... it's quick, abrupt, and cold. I think Damon deserves a little more than a status update, he's been a huge part of the show for a long time, and he's part of why the shows have been so successful over the years. Fans love Damon, and whatever the reason for the split, I think fans deserve a little closure. Drop the bomb and walk away.

If anybody (official) has anything else they'd like to add, or would like to make a statement, please contact theholmesspot@gmail.com.

The Holmes Spot wishes Damon all the best, and hopes to see more from him in the future.

Damon Bennett and Mike Holmes/Holmes Group Part Ways

Breaking news from the Holmes Group posted on Mike Holmes' and Damon Bennett's Facebook pages... Damon Bennett and Mike Holmes announced that Damon is no longer affiliated with the Holmes Group and will be leaving to start his own construction company.

From Damon Bennett's Facebook page (Posted 7:32AM EST, Monday 12/16):

I wanted to be the first to break the news to everyone that after almost 10 years of making it right, I will be moving on and beginning a new chapter. I had a lot of fun growing as a contractor on the show and being able to help so many people was incredibly fulfilling.
I would like to thank The Holmes Group & HGTV for the experience of a lifetime. I've had the opportunity to build an earthquake proof home, a hurricane proof home, I went on a cross canada tour fixing homes from one end to the other, and I even recently built a castle.
I would also like to thank my Make It Right crew, past & present, for working tirelessly along side me for all of those years, always giving 110%. It wouldn't have been the same adventure without you guys.
I will never forget all the excellent tradespeople I have met & worked with, thanks to all of you as well, I couldn't have completed any of those jobs without all if your superb skills & tireless contributions.
To the film crew, you taught me just as much about television over the years, as I learned about construction. The fans don't get to see it, but you guys are there every step of the way, working just as hard as the construction crew to make sure everything gets done on time & looks great for the viewers week after week. Thank you for being my support, my friends and my kick in the butt when I needed it.
And last, but not least, my two right hand guys, my crew chief's, Carl Pavlovich & Adam Belanger, I couldn't have done it without you.
It's an exciting time, I'm looking forward to devoting more time to the charities I support, working with my crew at Damon Bennett Construction, and yes, maybe even a new show.
Anyone in the GTA who would like to contact Damon Bennett Construction please forward your inquiries to damonbennett@live.com.

 

From Mike Holmes' Facebook page (Posted 9:13AM EST):

 

Wanted to let you all know that after 9 years, 4 series and over 100 episodes Damon Bennett will be leaving the Crew to start up his own contracting business. Thanks Damon for all of your hard work making it right. Wish you all the best! You all can keep in touch with Damon on facebook at the link below.

 

 

 

The announcement has been made. I will be posting my own opinion on this later today... come back to read my commentary and analysis of this announcement.