# Holmes on Homes



## 2ndGen

I love to watch the show, but I hate the "holier than thou" attitude of Mike. 

You can't be in the trades for more than a month and "not" have made a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes. I know I have in 25+ years. 

Sure, it's ok to trash a lousy job, but to break your hand patting yourself on the back is not attractive at all.

Usually, the biggest "judgers" are guilty of the same things their "judging". 

I made my mistakes so I recognize mistakes right away. 

I'm in no way excusing poor or shoddy work, but he needs to tone back the arrogance factor a bit before someone goes back and reviews a house "he" might have "ripped the homeonwer off" on years ago. 

Over the past few years, I've learned to be more charitable with my comments when I've come up on shoddy work. I've learned to not trash the previous guy's work. Besides it being possibly the homeowner's own attempts to save a few bucks or it being a friend or family members bad work, I take into account that the homeowner is already feeling bad enough. 

I focus on how showing them why the work is wrong & we're going to fix their problems. 

Trust me, those lowlife ripoff artists who do terrible work drive me up a wall too, but it's easy to shine in their rubble. The question is, do you shine because you are a blaring fire or a beacon of light?


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## wizendwizard

What i dislike about Mikey is simple. He tends to refer to EVERYONE as contractors. I mean the pro's he uses, himself, and the hacks and ripoffs whose work he is fixing. If the hack didn't have a license, pull permits, or just took the money and ran, They are not contractors, they are hacks. 

Since he calls them contractors, people aren't going to differentiate professionals from hacks. HO's that watch that show are going to think everyone with a hammer, saw, or wrench is going to rip them off. We all know what Mikey's opinion of any other contractor but himself is. So in essence Mikey gets to build or remodel every house in 2 countries and we all get to starve because HO's dont want anyone but him to do their work.

They are also going to believe that his way to do things is the only way.
If a HO watches his show and sees something they want done, YOU now have to do it just like he does it of it isn't "the correct way".


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## wizendwizard

WOW 2ndgen was in my brain this morning! We both said basically the same thing at the same time.


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## FRAMERBEN

the last show I saw, Mike had to rip off a 2nd story addition. He went out of town and told his guys to get the walls up and when he got back they would frame the roof. Well his, so called foreman, decided to go ahead with the roof and impress mike. Mike came back and his guy framed the roof on a 1.5 pitch instead of a 4 like the plan dictated. They ripped the whole roof off. 

What I actually wanted to point out is that when mike was cutting the new rafters, he had the rafter up on the wall and was using a level to figure out his birdsmouth. That tells me that he dosent know how to truely figure rafters. So in point, he might know how to interpret the code book and know "structure loads" some what, but his knowledge of how to actually frame is limited. Also when I see someone use as many screws as he does, it tells me he dosent know how to use a hammer. My thoughts. Ben


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## skymaster

Framerben: Since you mentioned that show I have a question on it that has been bugging me; Setting in place and using a level well I do that cause I dont frame everyday ok. At that point you have the rafter in it proper plane or pitch, now you cut the birdsmouth and the rafter now drops 1 1/2 at the plate and he did not make any changes at the peak. Didnt that make the pitch wrong? Also never saw rafters go OVER the ridge beam. Just a question.
Also saw one of his shows where it was a very old house and he constantly talked about how it was framed in a way he never saw before where there was a 1 x 8 let into the studs and second floor joists were laid ontop of them.The 2 x 4's went all the way up; DUH anybody ever hear of "balloon framing?" :}:} Not picking on Mike just things I noticed


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## A.T.H.I.

I like his show and own the dvds and bought his book. He has some great ideas and a true passion for the trades. What I don't like is that he supports Home Depot and acts like he's the only one in the world that can do the job right. His book has a great information but again it's over indulgent, I really like the part where he mentions that homeowners should contract hundreds of trades people and spend at least a year planning :sad:. It's important to plan but calling everyone and taking a year come on.

Don't get me wrong I don't mind Home Depot as a store (compared to what we have around here it's one of the better places to shop). What I don't like about Home Depot and other suppliers, is they are too greedy. They are no longer satisfied with making a profit selling materials they want the whole ball of wax and want to sell the service. It a huge disadvantage to Tradespeople because we can't get our supplies at anywhere near the cost of what the big box stores pay. 

It also seams to me (maybe I'm wrong) but all you need is a few bogus references and insurance and you are an installer for these places. 

They should stay out of the service business.

I think people go to places like that because they can make payments on a project and figure that a huge company means a better job done. They really should be looking at this as a craft, not some mass market commodity.

What I really would like from Mike is to point out what the customer requested and why they got exactly what they paid for. He never mentions the customer that only looks at price, or the one that want's things done today, or the ones that argue with real contractors when we mention you need permits and to do things right you can't cut back on material or installation techniques.


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## FRAMERBEN

sure it will because the rise has just changed by 1 1/2". Does it really matter, no. It will effect the plum cut at the top of the rafter a littlebut it dosent really matter other than astetics(sp). because he butted the ridge under the rafters. The reason for this was the room was vaulted and he wanted to allow maximum ridge ventelation andnot have a ridge in the way. Not a bad idea. He didnt need to worry about the tail of the rafter being plumb because he cut the tail AFTER the rafters were set.


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## skymaster

framer; OK thanks


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## Custom Builder

I saw one of his shows where they set tile directly on the OSB with no underlayment.


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## tnmtn

i'm suprised no one has commented on the music during the show. it's a little over the top on the drama effect. always makes me laugh.


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## Electricmanscot

I love the show and especially the music. I always watch it and tell my wife I am going to have the theme song play in the background whenever I show up to a job. :thumbsup:

Seriously as far as HI shows go this is one of the best.

The guy may be over the top but, it is a TV show I'd think you would want to be in order to stand out from the rest, and more importantly, anybody that is constantly preaching "Do it right" is ok with me and beneficial to the industry in general.


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## mahlere

Electricmanscot said:


> I love the show and especially the music. I always watch it and tell my wife I am going to have the theme song play in the background whenever I show up to a job. :thumbsup:
> 
> Seriously as far as HI shows go this is one of the best.
> 
> The guy may be over the top but, it is a TV show I'd think you would want to be in order to stand out from the rest, and more importantly, anybody that is constantly preaching "Do it right" is ok with me and beneficial to the industry in general.


just leave this horse alone...ok?:laughing:


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## Nail banger

FRAMERBEN said:


> the last show I saw, Mike had to rip off a 2nd story addition. He went out of town and told his guys to get the walls up and when he got back they would frame the roof. Well his, so called foreman, decided to go ahead with the roof and impress mike. Mike came back and his guy framed the roof on a 1.5 pitch instead of a 4 like the plan dictated. They ripped the whole roof off.


 
Maybe all of us here should chip in and buy him a construction master and send it to him with a note that says "real pro's use one of these"


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## Magnettica

Electricmanscot said:


> I love the show and especially the music. I always watch it and tell my wife I am going to have the theme song play in the background whenever I show up to a job. :thumbsup:
> 
> Seriously as far as HI shows go this is one of the best.
> 
> The guy may be over the top but, it is a TV show I'd think you would want to be in order to stand out from the rest, and more importantly, anybody that is constantly preaching "Do it right" is ok with me and beneficial to the industry in general.



Not better than This Old House, you think?


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## Electricmanscot

Magnettica said:


> Not better than This Old House, you think?


Not in my view. That's what I meant by "One of the best" :thumbsup:

TOH will always be #1 for me. Been watching it since it came on in 1980 when I was 10. Probably why I am in the construction industry.

Now me and my boys watch every week.


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## A W Smith

Electricmanscot said:


> Not in my view. That's what I meant by "One of the best" :thumbsup:
> 
> TOH will always be #1 for me. Been watching it since it came on in 1980 when I was 10. Probably why I am in the construction industry.
> 
> Now me and my boys watch every week.


 
Do you remember the very first episode with the orange Formica counter top? and the site watchman who lived in the attic? There was a companion book, This was before the Silva brothers when Norm was the working lead carpenter and GC and Bob Vila or"Vee LAH" as he would say was the host.


another favorite, 
The Wickwire farmhouse. 

Mr Wickwire is standing on a pair of floor joists in the bathroom with no subflloor no sheathing looking out through a web of framing in what used to be his home and says to Bob

"Baab, We originally didn't what a gut jaab"


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## Electricmanscot

A W Smith said:


> Do you remember the very first episode with the orange Formica counter top? and the site watchman who lived in the attic? There was a companion book, This was before the Silva brothers when Norm was the working lead carpenter and GC and Bob Vila or"Vee LAH" as he would say was the host.
> "


I sure do. In fact my Dad took me to the house one weekend and the watchman let us in to check it out.
We also went there on the night of the final episode which was broadcast live I think, maybe they were just filiming for air at a later date but either way as a 10 year old it was very cool.

I also have the book you mention. :thumbsup:


Umm, am I a TOH groupie?


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## PARA1

*JUST ANOTHER GOOD REASON NOT TO WATCH TV:thumbsup:*


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## llurkin

My father used to say that it takes a jackass just hours to kick down a structure that took a master carpenter weeks to erect.

As everyone seems to have noted.. Mike does make some mistakes. But do you have the press and good will that Mike has??

Just wondering.


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## AtlanticWBConst

He spends the entire show whining, moping, and crying. It's pathetic. 

Any other show would be: 
1.) Look at what some moron did.
2.) These are the things they did wrong.
3.) Lesson = Don't hire Hacks.
4.) This is how we will fix it all.
The End

Instead.....it's 60 minutes (I think) of whining, moping, complaining, and crying....with condesending dissertations in between...

UGH!!


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## send_it_all

That Micah Morren dude looks like the missing link. How about that 1/4" gap in the miter of the crown in that pic with the goofy dude standing on the stairs. ("about us" section)


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## AtlanticWBConst

Hobroom said:


> Check it out, Holmes's ex-guy, Shawn has a website:
> 
> http://www.shawnmorren.com/


In the "About Us" Section, there is a picture of them standing in front of a large window arrangement. 
I don't know about you guys, but we do not "tape" or membrane OVER the bottom Nailing-Fin of new construction windows, because if there is a leak, the water is forced back into the house (over-taped), rather than down and to the outside (no "over"-tape/membrane)....


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## wallmaxx

I just saw the Pasadena, CA show where he worked for that Dora the fish voice chick. Just some observations.

1. He complained loudly and unprofessionally about having to look through 10 pages of the prints to figure out where a particular wall height was. :blink: uh....maybe he doesn't use plans much...but that's pretty common. Architects and engineers don't draw things to make the framer's happy. Deal with it.

2. He climbed up onto a roof using an extension ladder that was leaning up against the wall, about 8 inches below the top edge of the roof...AND NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. It actually pulled away from the wall a bit when the helper climbed up there. 

I was taught that the OSHA/L&I guys say it has to extend 36" beyond the surface you are going to be stepping on to and secured to it. Not too smart to film and show such a violation.

3. When building a 17' tall wall, his helper was showing how the nails from the nail gun wouldn't shoot into the timberstrand studs and plate. But he was pulling the gun back every time he shot. Mike, made fun of Cali's incredible seismic codes but that nails were substandard because they could just pull out...something he had learned as a little boy. He actually said that "they" (CA code writers i guess) tested nails for shear but they never tested screws so that's why you can't use screws. :confused1: Just watch them swing a hammer or try to pull the nails...no joy. They ended up leaving them and cutting them off with a cordless DeWalt sawzall.:thumbup:

I tivo'd it for future more detailed examination. It's a hoot. 

New construction is WAY DIFFERENT than "reno" as the CDNs call it.


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## AtlanticWBConst

wallmaxx said:


> ...New construction is WAY DIFFERENT than "reno" as the CDNs call it.


I've got to check that episode out. 

I had a lead worker up till last year, that had a framing background. Young, round-ish, married kid (23). Started banging nails at 13. We used to have some nice laughs when going in to do work on "some" homes, that previous "renovators" had done work on. (No knowledge of framing, exterior construction, roofing, new-const window installation, siding, etc.)

(Sorry to have lost that worker, a Really good kid. Very talented and humble. He tried to go out on his own with another worker last June. I got a call from a temp. placement agency doing a check on his paperwork.)


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## Fence & Deck

wallmaxx said:


> I just saw the Pasadena, CA show where he worked for that Dora the fish voice chick. Just some observations.
> 
> 1. He complained loudly and unprofessionally about having to look through 10 pages of the prints to figure out where a particular wall height was. :blink: uh....maybe he doesn't use plans much...but that's pretty common. Architects and engineers don't draw things to make the framer's happy. Deal with it.
> 
> 2. He climbed up onto a roof using an extension ladder that was leaning up against the wall, about 8 inches below the top edge of the roof...AND NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. It actually pulled away from the wall a bit when the helper climbed up there.
> 
> I was taught that the OSHA/L&I guys say it has to extend 36" beyond the surface you are going to be stepping on to and secured to it. Not to smart to film and show such a violation.
> 
> 3. When building a 17' tall wall, his helper was showing how the nails from the nail gun wouldn't shoot into the timberstrand studs and plate. But he was pulling the gun back every time he shot. Mike, made fun of Cali's incredible seismic codes but that nails were substandard because they could just pull out...something he had learned as a little boy. He actually said that "they" (CA code writers i guess) tested nails for shear but they never tested screws so that's why you can't use screws. :confused1: Just watch them swing a hammer or try to pull the nails...no joy. They ended up leaving them and cutting them off with a cordless DeWalt sawzall.:thumbup:
> 
> I tivo'd it for future more detailed examination. It's a hoot.
> 
> New construction is WAY DIFFERENT than "reno" as the CDNs call it.


As we've all said before: The show is oriented specifically towards the homeowner, and as such the directors, producers, and "actors" take a lot of "poetic" licence with what they are doing. They are not preaching to the choir (us), so they don't worry as much if something is exactly correct. It has to look good. 
I'm sure the California inspectors made certain the work was done properly, even if they did take some "liberties".
As much as we love to bash the guy, he is doing us a huge service by highlighting the "bad guys" out there, and hopefully maing it a little easier for us to compete with the cheapies.


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## honest1

I am sure Mike is a good guy..... Unfortunately I do not think that he has much more than common sense, and would like to see what happens when something like a bastard roof system is sent his way if he needs to hold up a rafter to figure it out. I also wondered if he ever thought about the shear strenght of a screw opposed to the appropriate nail? Just my 2 cents.


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## valerko

Actually,I like the fact he points out "he's gonna bring the right people"
I don't know why ,but I like that line.Shows he's not trying to say he knows it all and it also shows GC is not supposed to do it all.Just needs the right people.
I also like the way he started to ask people how much money they payed to contractor.Would be nice if he they also say how much money he's spending on the project.
God it has to be nice working without the budged,with HO out of the way and virtually no blueprints.:clap:


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## JumboJack

I have said before I like Mike.I think he honestly wants to make things right for the HO.But a few things rub me wrong...

1.Like others have pointed out we never hear how much what HE has done would have cost."Rip this out,rip that out,rebuild it all".It would give other HO's an idea of what to expect to pay for a "real" contractor to do the job and not some cheap hack...

2.I find it hard to feel sorry for A LOT of the HO's.Some of them look like they have plenty of money to pay to have it done right but are to cheap to pay for it."No we did not get permits".:blink:And it sounds like they allways go with the cheapest estimate.

3.And the screws drive me crazy!On the show from California he was complaing about the holding power of nails.The he showed us he could not pull one out of an lvl.:laughing:....


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## pfloyd

Its all a complete farce. All this show will do is make HO's want a beyond premium "Holmes" job. ....Until they see the estimate.


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## JumboJack

pfloyd said:


> Its all a complete farce. All this show will do is make HO's want a beyond premium "Holmes" job. ....Until they see the estimate.


Agreed!


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## bassfisher

Freekin great job!!!


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## AtlanticWBConst

Let's all....just Get along.....


And.......Make it Right!...


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## Hobroom

His job sites seem real, but without all of the information they convniently edit out of the footage you have to wonder how much of it they exaggerate and tune to make it look good. Hell, I could walk into a screwed up reno, and make it look a lot worse in a day, make up all kinds of things that I 'find' as I go along, make up all kinds of comments about the bad contractor that was in before me. In the end, no names mentioned, no evidence, no second side of the story.

At times he comes across as a serious loose cannon, like you have to sit back and wonder about him. Did you see the one where he had a disconnected, abandoned electrical line running through a basement ceiling in the floor joists? So, His way of fixing it was to short and twist the hot and neutral wires TOGETHER with a wire nut just 'in case' someone hooked this line back up to the panel, so it would blow the breaker immediately. :blink:


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## MacRoadie

wallmaxx said:


> I just saw the Pasadena, CA show where he worked for that Dora the fish voice chick. Just some observations.
> 
> 1. He complained loudly and unprofessionally about having to look through 10 pages of the prints to figure out where a particular wall height was. :blink: uh....maybe he doesn't use plans much...but that's pretty common. Architects and engineers don't draw things to make the framer's happy. Deal with it.
> 
> 2. He climbed up onto a roof using an extension ladder that was leaning up against the wall, about 8 inches below the top edge of the roof...AND NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. It actually pulled away from the wall a bit when the helper climbed up there.
> 
> I was taught that the OSHA/L&I guys say it has to extend 36" beyond the surface you are going to be stepping on to and secured to it. Not too smart to film and show such a violation.
> 
> 3. When building a 17' tall wall, his helper was showing how the nails from the nail gun wouldn't shoot into the timberstrand studs and plate. But he was pulling the gun back every time he shot. Mike, made fun of Cali's incredible seismic codes but that nails were substandard because they could just pull out...something he had learned as a little boy. He actually said that "they" (CA code writers i guess) tested nails for shear but they never tested screws so that's why you can't use screws. :confused1: Just watch them swing a hammer or try to pull the nails...no joy. They ended up leaving them and cutting them off with a cordless DeWalt sawzall.:thumbup:
> 
> I tivo'd it for future more detailed examination. It's a hoot.
> 
> New construction is WAY DIFFERENT than "reno" as the CDNs call it.


While we're on the "nails", he held one up and proclaimed that "common" nails just aren't as strong as screws. Unfortunately, Mike doesn't appear to know a whole lot about nails. For a framer, the use of the term "common" is significant, especially when discussing structural applications. 

It sure looked to me like Mike was holding a 16d sinker which is a lot closer to a box shank than a common shank. It's visibly much thinner than a common (.162" for a common versus .135" for a sinker), and the head is thicker and looks proportionally much smaller compared to the shank. You know a common nail when you see one, right away.

I know it's nit-picky, but if you're a framer a box nail and a common nail and a sinker are three very, very different creatures.

One more thing. Those of us here in Cali know that the ICBO (now the ICC) has done extensive testing of screws in appropriate applications (drywall, framing clips, hardware, etc). If they don't allow screws in a particular application it's not because no one tested it, it's because it was tested and found to be inadequate or inappropriate for that use.


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## pfloyd

Good story here...

I saw the Newfoundland episode where the lady had a 17 foot deck collapse and the three of them hit the ground hard. The contractor was a hack and I really felt bad for her, she broke her hip, etc. had to go to court.

So Big Mikey shows up, does the heartstrings rant and is going to make it right.

He rebuilds basically the same 17 foot high little deck with two 6x6 posts down all that height into two Bigfoot concrete footings. Fine and dandy.

He then decides to add a second deck at five feet off the same two posts, NOTCHING 3 inches out of the posts for the lintel. That leaves 3 inches left of post wood left on each post at 5 feet, with a bigger deck up at 17 feet. I gotta problem with this.

I joined the Mike Holmes Fan Forum and brought this up, in a very respectful manner (I admitted I liked the show). My post was pulled within 5 minutes. When I asked a mod what that was about, BANNED!:laughing:

Mikey has some real good friends on a short leash running his site. Pretty ironic that I got banned from there when his motto has always been "Dont ask how ask_ why_"

What a hypocrite. ...I'll still watch , though. The music is killer.:laughing:

Hope the old lady doesnt use the deck after 5 or 6 winters and summers. An expanding and contracting lintel (grain horizontal) is going to put some stress on those two pieces of 3"x 6" thick post (vertical grain). 

He's the man. No questions allowed.


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## Buckknekkid

When your only purpose is to sell advertising and make money, use a DEWALT product and tell everyone its better than sliced bread. The whole program is an infommercial.


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## AtlanticWBConst

pfloyd said:


> ....I joined the Mike Holmes Fan Forum and brought this up, in a very respectful manner (I admitted I liked the show). My post was pulled within 5 minutes. When I asked a mod what that was about, BANNED!:laughing:.


 SACRILEGE!!!! How dare you!:furious:

:laughing::jester:




pfloyd said:


> He's the man. No questions allowed.


And don't you forget it!


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## mrhmm

are there any contractors that don't get consumer complaints? i used to go out to jobs where the homeowner loved me to death, praised my work day in and day out, then found they didn't like me so much when the bill came...sound familiar?

it's been a long time since i was in the trades, and even then i was quite young, but it seems to me that holmes must be pretty good considering HD had the confidence in him to put him on the discovery channel.


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## Fence & Deck

pfloyd said:


> Good story here...
> 
> I saw the Newfoundland episode where the lady had a 17 foot deck collapse and the three of them hit the ground hard. The contractor was a hack and I really felt bad for her, she broke her hip, etc. had to go to court.
> 
> So Big Mikey shows up, does the heartstrings rant and is going to make it right.
> 
> He rebuilds basically the same 17 foot high little deck with two 6x6 posts down all that height into two Bigfoot concrete footings. Fine and dandy.
> 
> He then decides to add a second deck at five feet off the same two posts, NOTCHING 3 inches out of the posts for the lintel. That leaves 3 inches left of post wood left on each post at 5 feet, with a bigger deck up at 17 feet. I gotta problem with this.
> 
> I joined the Mike Holmes Fan Forum and brought this up, in a very respectful manner (I admitted I liked the show). My post was pulled within 5 minutes. When I asked a mod what that was about, BANNED!:laughing:
> 
> Mikey has some real good friends on a short leash running his site. Pretty ironic that I got banned from there when his motto has always been "Dont ask how ask_ why_"
> 
> What a hypocrite. ...I'll still watch , though. The music is killer.:laughing:
> 
> Hope the old lady doesnt use the deck after 5 or 6 winters and summers. An expanding and contracting lintel (grain horizontal) is going to put some stress on those two pieces of 3"x 6" thick post (vertical grain).
> 
> He's the man. No questions allowed.


I've said it before: this guy is no more perfect than the rest of us. I've seen several of his shows in which he's done decks incorrectly;he did a big 25 house group fence job that had numerous mistakes in it, he built a fancy stone retaining wall on a corner lot right up to the edge of the sidewalk even thought the property line was 3' back (they had to tear it out: of course this was never mentioned on the show); and lots of other gaffs.


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## pfloyd

This old lady already almost died once from a collapsed deck. What does he do? Builds the same thing a lot stronger and heavier and then notches the posts at the bottom. After going on and on about contractors jeopardizing lives through laziness, he goes and does the same friggin thing!!

All he had to do was nail or screw the lintel to the inside of the posts and sister the posts with two five foot post under the lintel down to the pad.Twice as strong for both decks, no post material removed. Probably faster to build, too.

I hope they dont get a shaker out there..


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## Magnettica

Good thing Holmes on Homes is still on the air. I enjoy the show. I was worried that it had been cancelled after Discovery Home turned into Planet Green television. Now it's broadcast on TLC so all is well.


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## Dan_Watson

You got that right, I was very scared that ne wasnt green enough for planet green. But he fits right in next to While you were out, and Design on a dime.


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## Magnettica

You forgot 'Ed The Plumber' and 'Take Home Handyman'.


LMAO


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## Dan_Watson

Ed the plumber is still around? I always miss it I guess. Those shows were awsome when I was about 15, but then I learned how things were really done.


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## mrhmm

Alwaysconfusd11 said:


> Ed the plumber is still around? I always miss it I guess. Those shows were awsome when I was about 15, but then I learned how things were really done.


really, those shows are just designed to improve the home improvement trade. get everyone learning how 'easy' it is to improve their homes, and through it all, just means more business for the contractors.

think about it. how many 'do it yourselfers' hire you after they find out how much work is really involved in a home renovation? and consider the fact that they may not have even taken on the project until they saw these shows!


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## Bill

He is just an actor who gets paid by Home Crepo to use and advertise their products.


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## Buckknekkid

dont forget Dewalt. It's a *SHOW*, designed to sell advertising, and they get a guy who will be known for his goofy overalls and equally shabby clothing line. Notice how he does the unskilled Demo and brings in the Licensed trades now. No more electrical and plumbing, which he and his shows lawyers probably got in a little bit of trouble for. :jester:


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## lkozo

*Idiots*

I signed up for this forum just to write this when I ran across this thread by accident. 
You guys are stupid who think Mike is a hack and only advertising for major companies to make money.
He may not be the best contractor in the world cause I know you guys are but he is definitely in the top percentile and anybody would be lucky to have somebody similar to him to do the work on their house. Also he is clearly not on TV only to make money and sell out as many of you seem to think he is. He uses a lot of his own money to fix other people's problems. How many of you have shelled a nickel out of your own pocket to "make it right"


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## Tinstaafl

lkozo said:


> How many of you have shelled a nickel out of your own pocket to "make it right"


A better question might be, how many of us have *not*?

Very few, I'd wager.


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## bert0168

Tinstaafl said:


> A better question might be, how many of us have *not*?
> 
> Very few, I'd wager.


'Nuf said


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## bconley

lkozo said:


> I signed up for this forum just to write this when I ran across this thread by accident.
> You guys are stupid who think Mike is a hack and only advertising for major companies to make money.
> He may not be the best contractor in the world cause I know you guys are but he is definitely in the top percentile and anybody would be lucky to have somebody similar to him to do the work on their house. Also he is clearly not on TV only to make money and sell out as many of you seem to think he is. He uses a lot of his own money to fix other people's problems. How many of you have shelled a nickel out of your own pocket to "make it right"


Do you really think that he uses his own money!:laughing:


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## lkozo

*ignorant*

clearly ignorance is bliss... I actually know he does and a lot of it.

Also I know he is not the only one that does and also is not the only good contractor but to bash him as an "actor" that just is out to promote products and companies to produce profit is sooooooooo far from the actual truth it is laughable. You hopefully do your homework before a job so why not do the same before expressing "facts" about a person. 
PS I have absolutely no association with him at all and think that jealousy is fairly apparent in a lot of people's comments

It may be hard for some to believe this but Mike is a typical good Canadian (which is way too commonly made fun of but we are proud of it) and knows that money is not everything and uses his money and skills to help others.


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## Cjeff

Ikozo,

Can you tell us how you know he does? 

Yes I have had money out of my pocket many times to correct things that were beyond my bid but needed fixing.

Overall he is a good contractor I think. 

The thing is he has an unrealistic frame to do it in. I know contractors who have found it difficult after his show. They want this or that product that mike has used but do not want to pay for it. 
I would like them to truly talk about the cost of materials and Labor both for 'making it right'


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## bwalley

lkozo said:


> I signed up for this forum just to write this when I ran across this thread by accident.
> You guys are stupid who think Mike is a hack and only advertising for major companies to make money.
> He may not be the best contractor in the world cause I know you guys are but he is definitely in the top percentile and anybody would be lucky to have somebody similar to him to do the work on their house. Also he is clearly not on TV only to make money and sell out as many of you seem to think he is. He uses a lot of his own money to fix other people's problems. How many of you have shelled a nickel out of your own pocket to "make it right"


If he isn't a hack why is he using non treated SPF 2x6's for an exterior door jamb with direct contact to masonry, and he didn't prime any of it until after it was installed?

He also used SPF instead of SYP for a ceiling joist, and it had direct contact with a masonry wall.


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## bconley

lkozo said:


> clearly ignorance is bliss... I actually know he does and a lot of it.
> 
> Also I know he is not the only one that does and also is not the only good contractor but to bash him as an "actor" that just is out to promote products and companies to produce profit is sooooooooo far from the actual truth it is laughable. You hopefully do your homework before a job so why not do the same before expressing "facts" about a person.
> PS I have absolutely no association with him at all and think that jealousy is fairly apparent in a lot of people's comments
> 
> It may be hard for some to believe this but Mike is a typical good Canadian (which is way too commonly made fun of but we are proud of it) and knows that money is not everything and uses his money and skills to help others.


He does do a lot of good things with his Holmes Foundation but to think that,that is his own money is ignorance, its an ad!
The whole Mike Holmes thing is one big advertisment


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## Tom Struble

we are idiots and ignorant?what exactly makes you so smart?


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## JohnFRWhipple

*Holmes Opinions*

There is always a back and forth - love and hate with Canada's top dog "Mike Holmes"

I love the guy and what he has done for the industry here in Vancouver.

People want to build things right.

People pay more for quality work.

People check references.

People pull permits.

People ask questions.

I have on three occasions complained about Mike Holmes show. Three occasions huge mistakes made.

I don't think Mike is in the editing room and pre screening every show. 

How many times have you not pre primed all your wood before installing? How many times did you skip a step? I know I have. I know some times I can. And I know when I can't.

All small issues aside - who other than Mike Holmes that you can mention has done more for pushing standards and raising the bar? I can't think of anyone???

Take a walk through Home Depot or Rona and listen to the sales staff. I hear more miss information in a 45 minute shop than I do in a full season of Mikes Show.

There is no such thing as free advice. Any one watching a Holmes on Holmes show and thinking they are able to set off and do it all is mistaken.

Information should be gather from multiple sources and cross checked. I think Mike is doing his part to make changes. I think he made it big because of his hard work and the fact that he does care about the people he is helping. I think he has done great for our industry and we have not seen nothing yet.

To put things into my perspective - If I had to talk about one eposiode I would need about 12 hours of tape to cover all the little points - all the %^&&% ups - all the if you do this this can happen points. They try and rassle and dazzle and be done in 60 minutes.


Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Mike is motovating a nation to make change and do it right. 

How can this hurt our industry?


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## Blackcloud

wallmaxx said:


> 3. When building a 17' tall wall, his helper was showing how the nails from the nail gun wouldn't shoot into the timberstrand studs and plate. But he was pulling the gun back every time he shot. Mike, made fun of Cali's incredible seismic codes but that nails were substandard because they could just pull out...something he had learned as a little boy. He actually said that "they" (CA code writers i guess) tested nails for shear but they never tested screws so that's why you can't use screws. :confused1: Just watch them swing a hammer or try to pull the nails...no joy. They ended up leaving them and cutting them off with a cordless DeWalt sawzall.:thumbup:



this is something ive always wondered about watching his show. ive noticed that they use screws for damn near everything. I was told that you should use nails for framing and such due to the fact that they have more sheer strength. and then hell.. im pretty sure using a nail gun would be alot faster then trying to screw walls together as well.


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## boman47k

Actually, the episode with the 17' wall was on today that includes the attempt to pull the nails. Mike asked someone if they had screws. If I remember correctly, he said they were going to put a few screws in.


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## bconley

He has a new magazine out picked one up today.
I heard he paid for it out of his own pocket
http://www.holmesmagazine.com/magazine.html


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