This week, the Let’s Blog Off crew decided to ask – What’s your Favorite “Guilty Pleasure” TV Show? Well as many of us occasionally like to do, we are going to take this one off the rails a little. I would have to say my favorite show that falls into their criteria (in a roundabout way, at least) involves Mike Holmes. Yep, North America’s most trusted contractor, host of Holmes on Holmes, Holmes Inspections, and a couple of Handyman shows – Mr. Make-It-Right. Where else can one laugh at others work without offending the poor homeowner?
While there are plenty of fans and critics in the construction fields, I believe he has done more to help raise the awareness level among customers, than almost any of us could ever hope to. Personally there are a few things I wish he would smack the homeowners a little bit more for; like not doing the appropriate maintenance work, not finding a qualified contractor for their job, etc…
I can honestly say, while I have picked up a tip or two from the show, there is an issue that occasionally pops up with homeowners that just love his show; and that is the belief that everything done, is the best and only way to do things. Besides the shows fetish with screws (no shear strength, folks), this issue seems to popup mostly in his older episodes. While I don’t believe I have seen all his shows (I might have missed one or two), I can tell you the advice has changed dramatically from the first season, to his newer ones. The main reason for this, his knowledge (like many others, including myself) has grown considerably over the years.
One quick example involves fiberglass in the basements – that is now a no-no in his book, while in the first few episodes, it was acceptable. Another example involves the use of vapor barriers, where he has gone from being a big proponent of them to becoming a foam only guy. This in turn brings us to another point, you need to remember that he is building and working up in Canada. While a vapor barrier maybe required up there, installing one down here in the south would lead to some serious problems. While we could probably go on & on, the simple point is – best practices change & methods vary, so make sure you find the right contractor for your project, or if you are doing it yourself – verify the information from a trusted source. (I know, you saw it on the internet so it must be true)
Before leaving you with the list of all the other great bloggers & their thoughts, I thought I would leave you with a little parody staring Mike Holmes himself.
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