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A young couple have purchased their first house and have asked a contractor to help with renovations. However, the contractor has left them with an unfinished house and very little money. With only eight weeks left until Christmas, and the family living in the basement, Mike Holmes and his crew race to complete the repairs and give the family a home for the holidays.
In this two-hour special episode, Mike deals with a couple who had a "friend" do an addition. Although the work was originally estimated to cost just over $200,000, the "friend" later put a lien on the house for more than $500,000 and took the owners of the house to court. Mike and the crew take the house down brick by brick and stud by stud to save the family from shoddy work done under the previous contract. This episode is notable for employing over 100 companies and 30 months of construction work (the construction having started sometime in season 5) - to date the most extensive work on the show, in terms of materials, manpower, and time.
Dave and Melanie spent over $30,000 on a kitchen addition and back deck. Shortly after the job fails to pass the city inspection, the shoddy stucco finish begins to crumble and the contractor won't return calls. Mike Holmes steps in and gives the addition and back deck a face-lift to make it right for these homeowners.
The roof at a sorority house is leaking. Many contractors have tried, but have failed to fix it. Mike Holmes and his team install a new flat roof and build a proper roof-top deck while learning a little bit about sorority life.
Geoff and Lorraine hired a contractor to lower their basement. When the basement begins to leak after just two weeks and with the contractor nowhere to be found, they turn to Mike Holmes to save the day. Mike and his team install an interior weeping tile system and fix a dangerous electrical mess.
In this two-part episode, One year after buying a brand-new home, Donna discovers she has no insulation in her attic, resulting in ice dams on her roof and water damage inside. Mike Holmes investigates the situation, with the help of a renovation expert, and discovers some surprising new home-building practices. And, in a different story, Paul and Donna hired a roofer friend to install 13 new windows in their home. After a quick job, they are left with sloppy capping and drafts in the house. Mike Holmes pulls off the capping, insulates the windows and makes it right!
It has been a year since Angela has had an upstairs addition job completed, but the contractor failed to properly insulate between the addition and the house, resulting in a cold, unlivable bedroom last winter. With a court case pending, Mike Holmes steps in to help make it right for Angela. He and his team open up the ceiling, insulate it properly and fix other problems that they find along the way.
Jim and Helen had a beautiful kitchen addition built onto their house by a contractor "famous" for his finishes. It was during their first party that the kitchen hardwood started to buckle. After a quick fix by the contractor fails to solve the problem, Mike Holmes is called in to make it right. Mike and his crew secure the floor's joists, adds braces and reminds us that structure is just as important as design.
Wayne and Gilda paid a contractor close to $20,000 to renovate their kitchen. After gutting the kitchen, the contractor stalls for six months with numerous poor excuses. Mike Holmes and his crew step in to mediate and gives the homeowners a brand new kitchen- in just one week.
Over the past several years Rasema and her mother have had four contractors in to fix three leaky windows, all to no avail. Mike Holmes steps in, restructures the roof, and properly installs new windows and an eaves trough, putting an end to their water problems for good.
Matilda and Stephen paid $40,000 to have their kitchen and two bathrooms renovated. When the tiles begin to crack and fall apart just one year later, Mike Holmes is called in to make it right. Mike and his crew have to start from scratch and in the process find a very dangerous surprise.
Bill and Anne bought a recycled wood-product tile for their kitchen. But after just one week, the tiles begin to bow and the grout starts to crack. After numerous arguments with the installer, they call Mike Holmes who installs a proper porcelain tile floor.
When Mike Holmes arrives to investigate a mysterious leak, he discovers Sandy's two-story addition is sitting on a dirt foundation and is in serious danger of collapsing. Mike and his crew quickly secure the structure and pour a proper concrete foundation, saving the house.
Alex and Gwen were excited about moving into their dream home. But with the house only two-thirds done and running four months behind schedule, the contractor flees with almost $200,000 of their money. After selling their old home, the family of five is forced to live in a motor home in their front driveway. Mike Holmes is called in to make it right and get the family back into their finished home.
Dave and Ana hired a contractor to put an addition on their kitchen and renovate their house. After a year-and-a-half and over $100,000 paid out, the house is in ruins and the contractor has disappeared. Mike Holmes takes on the disaster and with many talented tradespeople renovates their entire property and moves them back into their home.
Lisa and Ron recently bought a new house and since the first rainfall, the terrace off their master bedroom leaked down into the garage below. The leaks became worse causing major damage. After fighting with the builder for two years without any avail, they called Mike Holmes. Mike arrives on site, demolishes the existing terrace and rebuilds it with a water-tight membrane and new decking.
Stephen and Trevor were having problems with their new townhouse. They had a 40% loss of airflow to their top floor, resulting in no heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer. Mike Holmes arrives and finds a massive leakage in the ducting throughout the house. Mike and his team re-seal all the exposed joints, increase the size of the main duct line, and give the homeowners the air circulation they have been waiting for
Edith and Christopher hired a contractor to build a wheelchair accessible ramp at the front of their house, but he built a dangerous ramp that was not to code. Mike Holmes arrives and makes it right by building the ramp the way it should have been done the first time.
Michelle and Jason have had a leaky basement since they moved into their new house five years ago. After numerous inside patches from the builder, Mike Holmes steps in and attacks the problem from the outside. Mike and his crew excavate around the property and install a new rubber membrane on the outside of the foundation, where it should have been done the first time.
Jill wanted to turn her garage into a comfy studio where she could paint. When a contractor took almost $20,000 of her money and left her with an ugly, flimsy garage with no foundation, she called in Mike Holmes. Mike and his team arrive on site after new architectural plans are drawn up and build a brand new studio garage from the foundation up.
Mike comes to the rescue of Julia who hired a contractor to renovate her basement and lay a new laminate floor. Just six months after the floor was laid, the floor has lifted in several spots and mold has formed in the bathroom. Mike and his crew lay brand new slate tile and carpeting over in-floor heating and use two different subflooring techniques, with a few surprises along the way.
Sandra and Daniel hired a roofing contractor to fix their flat roof, but immediately after they were finished, the roof leaked. Water pools on the roof creating a marshy swamp land for mosquitoes. The contractor admits he did a poor job, but refuses to correct the roof. Mike Holmes steps in and demolishes the existing flat roof, and with the help of his team, refinishes it with a brand new water-tight membrane.
Kerry and her family loved everything about their home except the out-dated vinyl flooring in the front foyer and powder room. When the time came to renovate, Kerry had heard of a new product: a smooth, concrete flooring mixture that could be installed over the existing floor. Kerry was quite excited about this flooring possibility, as it promised a unique look and a rock hard finish. Unfortunately, the contractor installed the product incorrectly and left Kerry with a rough, sloppy looking floor. Mike Holmes arrives and he has to demolish the faulty floor and install a brand new granite tile floor.
Pauline hired a contractor to renovate the bathroom in her basement, but it seemed the wiring was incorrect and the Jacuzzi would not work properly. Mike Holmes and his crew open up the bathroom and quickly discover the entire basement is a dangerous rat's nest of shoddy electrical work. Mike decides to gut the entire basement to make sure the job is done right as it should have been the first time.
Sian hired a contractor to pour a new foundation around the perimeter of her house, but the wall was too small for the size of the house. So, the upper part of the house now overhangs over the foundation. Mike Holmes steps in to shore up Sian's house and give her a safe, warm basement.
Jenny and Allan hired a contractor to build a wheelchair accessible addition for their six-year-old son Justin who has cerebral palsy. The addition is riddled with errors including an incorrect foundation, un-square and unfinished walls, and sloppy and incomplete eaves trough and siding. Mike Holmes and crew revamp the 260 square-foot addition from top to bottom and make it right for this family.
Rita and her family recently moved into a brand new house, but the tiles on the main floor quickly loosened and the grout started to lift. After other contractors tried and failed to fix the problem, Mike Holmes steps in and creates a new polished concrete floor.
Rosy and her family hired a contractor to finish their kitchen and bathroom, but he under quoted them and kept demanding more and more money in order to finish the job. After running out of cash and patience, they stopped the job and were left with an unusable, barren kitchen for five months. Mike Holmes and his crew undo the small amount of work that the contractor had done, and build Rosy and her family the beautiful, functional kitchen they had waited so long for.
Jo Jo and Heather hired a contractor to update their newly purchased home with a new basement bathroom. As the work progressed, they began questioning some of the contractor's decisions until eventually, the contractor left the job unfinished. Mike Holmes is called to the scene and finds many problems above and below the surface. Mike and his crew gut the entire bathroom and start from scratch, leaving Jo Jo and Heather with a beautifully stylish bathroom that is safe, watertight and completely up to code.
Yetti and Andrew hired a custom kitchen contractor to build their dream kitchen. A late start, poor workmanship, and terrible communication between the contractor and their subs left Yetti and Andrew with a normal looking, but non-functional kitchen. To make matters much worse, as the job neared its end, Yetti and Andrew's son, Caleb, mistakenly drank some Varsol that was foolishly stored in a water bottle in the kitchen. Although Caleb recovered from the accident, the couple took the kitchen company to court to get their unusable kitchen paid for with Mike Holmes as an expert witness. After winning, due in part to Mike's testimony, Mike helped them build the dream kitchen they should have had in the first place.
Henry and Mandy purchased a new home and submitted several complaints to the builder about various inefficiencies, most of which were not addressed. After two years the warranty expired, and they were left with several unaddressed issues. The most alarming of which being the bedroom above the garage that Mandy's mother-in-law was using. It was cold and uncomfortable for her to stay in for any amount of time. Mike and his crew are called in to investigate the situation and create a comfortable bedroom for all seasons.
Lynda and Joe hired a stone mason "friend-of-the-family" to construct a concrete basement walkout to their backyard. All was fine until the first winter. The wall beside the stairs started to bow out, threatening to crumble into the basement wall. The contractor returned to put in rebar supports that he neglected to do in the beginning and pour more concrete into the existing wall. The wall continued to curve and crack and Lynda finally contacted Mike Holmes to make it right.
Two couples, Stacy and Peter, and Donna and Bill, each own one half of a 100-year-old Victorian home. These two semis share the same leaking porch that's rotting and falling apart for the second time in five years, even though the porch had been entirely rebuilt and the eaves trough had been replaced three times. The issue with the two families has always been that the water comes from one house and ruins the other. Solving the issue means sharing in the costs, something the homeowners with the least of the rot issues have been reluctant to agree to. Mike steps in and mediates the issue, pointing out the benefits of having this done right for both families. After getting the green light from both parties, he and his crew attack the problem at the source, the roof, and work their way down to include new eavestroughs, downspouts and restore the brickwork to its former glory.
Pat bought a two-story house, and two weeks after moving into the house, a city inspector stopped by to inform her that there was an outstanding work permit on her home. Among several other problems that needed to be brought up to code, the existing back deck was incredibly unsafe and had to be replaced. After nine years of litigation against the home inspector and the lawyer, Pat won a small settlement and wanted to move forward with bringing her home up to code.
Debbie and Ross hired a contractor to build a new open concept staircase. They ended up with an unwieldy staircase made of particleboard and cheap spindles. Mike is called in to demolish the eyesore and install a beautiful new safe and sound staircase.
When Nancy purchased her home there was an existing retaining wall holding up the raised backyard from the sidewalk. She hired a contractor "friend-of-a-friend" in the neighborhood to rebuild the wall. The contractor laid weeping tile on the bottom but no above ground drainage. After the first winter, the retaining wall bowed dramatically and the contractor did not respond to any of her requests to return. She feared the retaining wall would fall over onto the sidewalk and hurt one of the many children who walk by each day. Mike Holmes and his crew are called in to make it right.
Barb wanted to surprise her son with a new basement bathroom and exercise room when he came home from college. She hired a friend's son who worked as a contractor to do the job, but soon after the work began, so did the delays, shoddy work and countless excuses. She threw them out and called in a professional. Mike was appalled at the very sloppy work and complete lack of planning or craftsmanship. He was also quite skeptical that the plumbing was done correctly. After deciding to relocate the bathroom to accommodate the very low ducting that the previous guy located the shower under, Mike found countless plumbing disasters and had to re-route everything right back to the main drain. A few weeks later, and a full year after the work originally began, Barb and her son were finally treated to a deluxe bathroom and exercise room complete with a built-in sound system, mirrored walls, slate tiles and halogen lighting throughout.
Tanya and Alexander bought a 40-year-old home without an inspection. They hired a contractor to renovate the second-floor addition and gave the contractor a sizeable deposit to start. After a few weeks of work, the contractor walked off the job and declared bankruptcy. After a lengthy and frustrating legal battle turned up nothing, a second contractor was hired to complete the work. All seemed fine until they used the laundry. Mike and his crew arrive to discover the plumbing was connected to the weeping tile and not the main sewer line, draining soapy water onto their property and the street. Mike decides to gut the laundry room after finding faulty venting, electrical and insulation- all of which added to the plumbing problems.
Carl and Amelia hired a general contractor to oversee the building of an addition to their home for their new baby daughter. After weeks of stalling and extra payments right off the bat, work began on the addition - by a subcontractor. After the first rainfall, water poured through the addition, and the homeowners called the contractor who was nowhere to be found. The subcontractor refused to send workers over as he said that he had not been paid. Feeling as if there was no other choice, Carl and Amelia signed a deal with the subcontractor to complete the work. After several months, the subcontractor took the work permit and left the job incomplete. After 6 months and a large sum of money, Mike and his crew arrived to find a rats nest of problems including condensation in the attic that lead to mold in the drywall, ducting stolen off other rooms with no return vents, dangerous electrical work- all adding up to a world of headaches for Mike Holmes.
Alessandra and Max were shopping for a home together in hopes of having their wedding in the backyard. After a home inspector gave his approval, they made an offer and got the house. They held off on the wedding plans when, after living there for only a few weeks, they discovered a crack in the kitchen bulkhead. The homeowners were concerned that their house was structurally unsound, so they asked for Mike Holmes' help. Mike discovers an electrical and plumbing mess in the ceiling and a huge leaky mess from the shower stall above. After consulting with the homeowners and getting an inspection of the structural integrity, it's time for Mike and his crew to get to work.
Vicki and Dave bought a house that they were truly happy with. In order to make it the home of their dreams, they wanted to do a few minor cosmetic changes. They hired a contractor who came recommended to them, who ended up starting all the jobs they wanted, but bailed before any of them were complete. The biggest job left undone was a fireplace in their family room. After being left with a functionless fireplace and little repairs half done all over their house, they called in Mike Holmes. Mike and the crew will fix the fireplace and turn this nightmare into the dream home it should have been.
Janice and Craig, a young couple with big dreams, bought a small bungalow on a large lot with visions of transforming it into the house of their dreams for their four young children to grow up in. After grossly underestimating the quote and the job, the contractor abandoned them, leaving the family living for over seven months in the dank, dirty basement of this dangerous and poorly supported skeleton of their former home. With Christmas just around the corner, and with all their money and hope drained, they ask Mike Holmes to take on the monumental task of giving this horror story a happy ending. Mike and his team of dedicated pros take on the biggest challenge of their lives. In just eight weeks they transform 4,000 square feet of cold rafters and dust into a finished awe-inspiring dream home, just in time for the holidays.
After spending many years living in apartments, Tammy and Jason decided to take the plunge and buy a home to raise their son in. It was a new home, and everything seemed in order except for the staircase leading up to the front door; it was very basic and needed and upgrade. Tammy and Jason hired a contractor to build a proper cement staircase, and that's what they thought they had gotten. But as 2 year warranty approached, large chunks of cement were starting to fall off the stairs and it seemed obvious that they had not been done correctly. The previous contractor delayed any repairs until the warranty was up, and Tammy and Jason were left with dangerous, crumbling staircase. Mike Holmes and his crew tore the original stairs apart and started from scratch. Along the way, Mike found that the previous contractor had made many mistakes - the largest of which was that they neglected to install proper footing support under the stairs. The lack of this footing caused the stairs to move when the ground froze in the winter, and crack the concrete finish. As the crew started the new footing, Mike removed a pair of ugly fake dormers that the builder had installed on their roof, and fixed a leak in their front window. After rebuilding the staircase using rebar and concrete reinforced with microfibers, a beautiful Durok coating was applied to the surface. Also, bran new interlocking stone in the driveway was complimented by a fully re-landscaped front garden. Tammy and Jason were thrilled to finally be able to look at their new home with pride. The new front entryway and garden were stunning and definitely the new focal point of the house.
After moving to a new neighborhood, Olivia decided to turn her basement into a comfortable living space for her daughter and grandchildren. She was going to redesign the layout and have larger windows installed to allow more natural light into the room. She hired a contractor who started out well, but it wasn't long before Olivia started feeling uneasy. As the job went on, the contractor started showing up late, or not at all. One day, Olivia came home early from work to find him sleeping on the couch. After spending almost all of her renovation budget and feeling strongly that she was being taken advantage of, Olivia stopped the job and was left with a poorly finished basement and window wells that were filling with water. Upon inspection, Mike found that there were no proper lintels over the new windows to support the weight over them, and that there was no proper drainage system in place. Inside, he found some small telltale signs that suggested that the whole basement renovation was going to have to be demolished and built again. There was questionable plumbing and electrical that not up to code. Outside, a proper lintel was added over the window, along with the foundation protection under the window and a drainage system tied into the existing weeping tile. Inside, Mike and his crew took down all the drywall, and safely reinstalled all the plumbing and electrical. After installing new drywall and painting, Olivia was reintroduced to her beautiful finished and safe basement. She was very happy to finally be able to provide a comfortable living space for her family.
Bill and Marie retired to a bungalow that had originally been a small cottage. Over the years, the bungalow had seen five additions of questionable workmanship, so they decided to completely renovate the home. They hired a contractor who had promised that the job would be completed in three months time, so they moved in with their daughter for the duration of the renovation. As the renovation progressed, issues arose with the historical board, building code standards, and the contractor himself. After many delays and a skyrocketing budget, Bill paid off the contractor and completely severed ties. One full year later, they were left with a half finished job and were still living in their daughter’s home. Having spent a good deal of money, they had no funds to cover hiring a new contractor. Fortunately, Mike Holmes decided to undertake the huge task of finishing this very problematic renovation – and finish it he did. With the help of his hard working crew, Mike battled his way though the age old issues and gave Bill and Marie the beautiful retirement home the should have gotten in the first place.
Don and his dog “Parker” bought a beautiful one hundred and twenty year old Victorian town home and decided to completely renovate the kitchen. The job required not only a new design, but also moving existing plumbing, electrical, vents and ducts. Mid-way into the Reno, things were far behind schedule and Don began noticing that things just didn’t look right. Smartly, he decided to sever ties with the contractor and cut his losses. As it turns out, the contractor was actually a glass installation specialist who just did contacting on the side. His lack of experience was quite apparent to Mike Holmes, who tore away the drywall and floor to find not only the previous contractor’s mistakes, but decades old issues that the previous contractor neglected to address. The entire main floor contained a century of countless hodgepodge renovations. Poor HVAC, questionable plumbing and potentially dangerous electrical wiring had to be removed and/or corrected before Mike could even think about finishing the kitchen. Once the whole main floor was brought up to code, Mike and his crew executed Don’s dream kitchen design flawlessly, giving Don the space that he has waited so long for.
After suffering through some painful personal troubles, Jim and Lisa planned to re-direct their focus on something positive by finishing their basement into a bar and entertainment room. A contractor came highly recommended by a neighbor, and the renovation started off quite smoothly. The contractor seemed to have a good heart, and as the renovation progressed, Jim and Lisa actually formed a friendship with him. But with the budget spent, and the job only partially completed, the contractor seemed to fall off the face of the earth. Even after befriending Jim and Lisa, the contractor abandoned them without any warning, leaving them with a half finished renovation. Upon inspection, Mike Holmes decided that the contractor meant well, but severely under-priced the job and didn’t know how to fess up to the mistake. With the help of iron, brick and bar specialists, Mike completely re-finished the basement with an incredible English Pub theme, giving Jim and Lisa the bar of their dreams.
Ron and Jill hired contractors to undertake a huge renovation that essentially involved adding a second floor to a portion of their home. Sadly, most of the work was done poorly, if at all, and Ron and Jill were left with an unlivable home and some serious money problems. Feeling strongly that they had been scammed, they decided to sue the contractors for fraud. But unfortunately because of some legal loopholes, the case got thrown out of court, and Ron and Jill were left with no choice but to sell their cottage and recoup some of their losses. Upon inspection, Mike finds several problems with structure, plumbing and much, much more. To help Ron and Jill get back into their beloved home, Mike and his crew work incredibly hard to finish a huge job that was incomplete and poorly done. One by one, they correct all the problems, brought everything up to proper code, and finish the enormous addition beautifully.
After three different contractors try and fail in fixing a moisture problem in a homeowner’s kitchen, Mike Holmes is called in and discovers that a series of small problems were creating one large one. Mike and his crew fix he moisture problem once and for all.
After a homeowner mistakenly hires an inexperienced contractor to renovate a sunroom, a leak left in the roof results in her grandson slipping and getting hurt badly. Enraged at the accident and how poorly the job was going, she fires the contractor and calls in Mike Holmes to make things right.
When a major mold problem leaves a family with chronic respiratory problems and allergic reactions, Mike Holmes brings in a crew of mold abatement experts to eliminate the mold at the source. The result is a healthier, allergen free home for the family.
After a large bathroom company turns a simple bathroom renovation into a nasty experience for a homeowner, Mike Holmes and his crew hit the scene and provide the beautiful bathroom that should have been built in the first place.
A couple decides to be their own general contractor on a large second story addition to their home. Everything goes extremely well until the last sub-contractor botches all the finishing work. Mike Holmes and his crew are called in to inspect the sloppy work and Make it Right.
After re-mortgaging their home to add a wheelchair accessible addition for their disabled son, a couple is confronted with improper work and a crumbling foundation. In part one of this two-part season finale, Mike Holmes comes to the aid of a family in dire straits and begins one of the toughest and biggest jobs of his contracting career.
In part two of the is two-part season finale, Mike Holmes and his crew finish a wheelchair accessible bathroom for the homeowners’ disabled son, repair a leaking foundation and roof and provide a much deserving family with a safe and proper addition.
When a fencing contractor rips off a new housing development by taking a deposit from 52 families and working just long enough to cash the cheques before disappearing, Mike and the crew take on the challenge of not just helping one homeowner, but the entire neighborhood! Ultimately, Mike builds more than a fence; he also brings this new community together with a common purpose- and makes things right.
Living in a construction zone is an unpleasant reality for homeowners undertaking a renovation. The hope is that the mess and discomfort will be as short-lived as possible. For Alex and Marie and their two children, a planned three-month renovation dragged out to a year and a half with no end in sight. Living out of one bedroom with only partial water service, this family was trapped in a never-ending renovation nightmare. They were beginning to feel like prisoners in their own home- until Mike and the team arrive on the scene.
A photographer wants to build a photo studio in his backyard. He does everything by the book - has blueprints drawn up and approved and takes out construction permits and deals with puzzling stop work orders from various city officials. Only after the Mayor intervenes, is the work finally completed. Or so he thinks… Three years later, the studio's flat roof is plagued by constant leaks. Mike Holmes immediately identifies the problem - the waterproof roof membrane was never actually finished. The Holmes On Homes™ team discovers that the water damage to the flat roof is so extensive, they have no choice but to pull it all down!
This story highlights the work of a modern day "Snake Oil Salesman"- a contractor that doesn't fit the stereotypical con-artist profile. His slick computer assisted sales pitch and impressive portfolio eventually gave way to sloppy workmanship and incompetent engineering. The basement façade put up by this contractor finally came crashing down when the newly installed ceiling collapsed, prompting the homeowners to place a distress call to Mike Holmes.
Rebecca and Thomas had several contractors bid on their basement renovation project—and when all of them came in with quotes were lower than what they had initially expected, they thought they'd found a deal. Pipes burst in the ceiling of the basement, flooding down the walls and leaking through the new pot lights. Then they discovered electrical outlets in other parts of the home were sparking while others were not working. In this episode, Mike explores the true cost of a basement renovation, and the pitfalls of competitive "underbidding" by contractors.
This is story about hope for the future in the face of heartbreaking tragedy, when "Making It Right" takes on a new meaning- completing an unresolved renovation and making it possible for a family to finally begin the healing process after the loss of a loved one. The connection between the emotional health of a family and condition of their home is a strong one. Mike and the team heal a house left in limbo, and make it a home once more.
A string of bad luck leads Mike to the front door of a homeowner named Franca. Her home sustained major damage from an electrical fire. Immediately afterward, Franca suffered a series of personal tragedies with the unexpected passing of her mother, and then her husband. The contractor repairing the fire damage took full advantage of Franca's fragile situation. Upon inspecting the reno-in-progress, Mike intervenes to avoid yet another disaster in the making.
With Mike and the team in full swing repairing the shoddy fire damage remediation work left behind by the last contractor, Mike discovers an old oil storage tank buried in the backyard. To make matters worse, the container had leaked over the years, making it necessary for Mike to clean up the hazardous mess. It's an episode filled with renovation thrills and toxic spills!
Mary Jo and Ron moved into a brand new subdivision two years ago. In that time, each of their two bathtubs has been replaced four times. That's eight tubs in two years! The problem? Tubs that warped and buckled and mould growth. The builder maintained the tubs were installed correctly and that there was no manufacturing or design defect with the tubs. So, each time the tubs were replaced with the same model tub and installed the same way. Yet the problem persisted. Eight tubs later, the homeowners got fed up and called Mike Holmes to get to the bottom of their bathtub problem.
Janet and her elderly mother, Audrey, upgraded their vinyl kitchen floor to ceramic tile. Shortly after the work was completed, they noticed hairline cracks through the centre of the tiles. The flooring contractor explained it wasn't his fault, and that the weak structure of their home was shifting and causing the floor to crack. But the cracks were forming through the ceramic tile, and not along the grout lines- the weakest part of a tile floor. Mike and the team put on their investigative hard hats and get to the bottom of this tile flooring issue.
A tile supply company had been given a rubber cheque by a contractor for ceramic floor tiles. An effort to locate the contractor brought them to the doorstep of the homeowner, who was having the tile installed in their home. The tile supplier was told that the contractor had abandoned the job weeks earlier and disappeared, also leaving them with a half completed kitchen and badly installed tiles. Disgusted by the poor workmanship and saddened by the emotional state of the homeowners, the tile supplier offered that he would try and figure out a way to help them. They called Mike Holmes and offered to donate all new materials if Holmes On Homes would do the installation. Inspired by this act of generosity, Mike and the team roll up their sleeves to make it all come together- and complete the unfinished kitchen as well.
This is a story about proximity. Many newly built homes such as semi-detached, town homes and condo units feature designs that share common walls. In the case of our homeowners, Sylvie and Guy, who had just moved into a brand new semi-detached home, they were in for a shock when they realized that they could clearly hear their next door neighbor through the walls! The sound issue was so disruptive that the homeowners were certain moving away was their only option, until Mike and the team found the solution.
Chris and Ihor had recently moved back to Canada after living in Texas for the last 20 years. After looking at 6 homes, they decided on one that was in a good neighborhood and hired a Home Inspector to insure that the home that was in good condition. They received a 25-page report from the home inspector, which concluded that there were only minor items that required addressing - the report also stated that the inspector will only report on surface conditions - for all major home systems such as plumbing and electrical, they defer to hiring "a qualified contractor to conduct the inspection".
On moving day, some of the deficiencies in Chris and Ihor's house became obvious as soon as they tried using the shower and fixtures in the basement. The pungent smell of sewage wafted through the home. It was the first in a series of creepy crawly, smelly and dangerous discoveries. For Chris and Ihor, and for the thousands of Canadians who have been caught in the same trap, it will take the frankness of Mike Holmes to uncover the myth that is "the Home inspection", and help this family get what they thought they had already paid for.
When a homeowner discovers that his newly built house has a crumbling foundation with 1/3 of the minimum strength required by code, he calls host Mike Holmes for help. Mike and his team build a new custom foundation within walls of the existing foundation and devise a plan to protect the weakened exterior from further damage.
Jane and Dan had a tiny quarter sized water stain on the bedroom ceiling of their six-year-old townhouse. They had a roofing contractor come and repair the balcony above the leak. The contractor ended up having to rip up the existing balcony membrane only to discover the engineered joists below were completely rotted through. The homeowners could not find a contractor willing to take on fixing this structural mess and asked Mike if he was up for the challenge.
Kristine and Terry needed more living space for their expanding family. They decided to add a second story addition over the garage in order to add a bedroom and bathroom. When the contractor demanded full payment before the job was completed, the homeowners refused to pay. The contractor placed a Lien on their home stating that the renovation was 99 percent complete. Mike and the team finish the job and demonstrate just how incomplete the job really was.
Lisa and Joe decided to have an existing wooden retaining wall in their backyard rebuilt using concrete blocks. As the new block wall went up, Joe and Lisa began to question some glaring items - the lack of gravel base and the Geo-grid reinforcement material lay unused even though most of the wall was up. The project dragged on and the wall simply wasn't getting finished. Finally, the contractor stopped coming altogether and would not answer his cell phone. Lisa actually phoned the local hospitals to check if he had been admitted. They couldn't believe he would just disappear without finishing the job and leaving behind his tools. The homeowners had paid the contractor for all the materials, and when they received a bill in the mail a month later from the material supplier for the remaining 50% balance, they realized they had been taken for a ride. Mike and his team of landscape professions tear down the wall and build a retaining wall that is rock solid.
Julie and Joe needed another bedroom in anticipation of adopting a second child. The high-pitched roof on their new suburban home seemed to have a large enough attic space to accommodate an extra room. Their contractor advised them that it was an easy retrofit because exterior walls and roof are not touched. The reality is quite different. In order to utilize the volume inside the attic, the contractor removed the crucial structure that supported the roof, and created a dangerous mess. Mike and the team have no choice but to tear the roof completely off and build the attic space properly.
As her retirement investment, Lisa rented out a second house to a young couple eager to rent a home in a quiet, upscale neighborhood. They seemed to be perfect tenants, until the police contacted Lisa months later and informed her that the house had just been busted as a Marijuana Grow Op. The damage was extensive--every part of the house had been affected and her retirement investment was essentially destroyed. Faced with a massive repair that will cost as much as the house was currently worth, Mike makes this right, and discovers just how extensive the damage can be from an illegal Grow-Operation.
Jennifer and Abraham, expecting their first child, decided to remodel their bungalow to make room for their growing family. The contractor they hired seemed to have everything in hand, but 4 months later Jennifer and Abraham found they had paid 90% of the contract but only about 30% of the work was complete. Left with a contractor on the run, a huge new mortgage, construction bills piling up, and a worthless empty shell of a house, the sun seemed to have set on their dream home, let alone home ownership of any kind. They needed a miracle… …And they got one when Mike appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and Ellen introduced him to Jennifer and Abraham, asking if he could help. Determined to do just that, Mike and a legion of contractors team up to answer the call…Pasadena 911.
Jennifer and Abraham, expecting their first child, decided to remodel their bungalow to make room for their growing family. The contractor they hired seemed to have everything in hand, but 4 months later Jennifer and Abraham found they had paid 90% of the contract but only about 30% of the work was complete. Left with a contractor on the run, a huge new mortgage, construction bills piling up, and a worthless empty shell of a house, the sun seemed to have set on their dream home, let alone home ownership of any kind. They needed a miracle… …And they got one when Mike appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and Ellen introduced him to Jennifer and Abraham, asking if he could help. Determined to do just that, Mike and a legion of contractors team up to answer the call…Pasadena 911.
Kathleen, an elderly lady who lives alone in a high rise building needed to renovate her bathroom to make it handicap accessible. A degenerative illness had necessitated the use of a wheelchair. After a year of renovations and two different companies, Mike arrives to find that the bathroom is nothing but a concrete shell- the last contractor tore out all their work before leaving. Mike makes it right, and then transforms the rest of the apartment into a wheelchair friendly space.
Nancie and Woody moved into a 25-year-old townhouse that required some updating- particularly the floors and the “tiny” kitchen space. As renovations got underway, Woody was unexpectedly hospitalized. The contractors were left virtually unsupervised while Nancie tried to manage her job, visit Woody and take care of their daughter. All of the contractors were very sympathetic to her stating, “don’t worry about the renovations- you are in good hands.” What they left behind was simply one big mistake- one that Mike and the team will correct, with the help of a Country singing guest star.
Living in a century home, Kjirsten and John had their bathroom remodeled with a custom slate tile shower, featuring built-in bench seating. Soon afterwards, they notice a strange substance leaching out of the tile grout and that the shower doesn’t drain properly. When the bathroom ceiling starts to peel away, they realize something is wrong below the surface. Mike confirms their beautiful looking, new slate shower, is only skin deep- and much more lurks beneath the surface.
Jane, a single mom, lives in a typical new home development with her two kids. Since the day they moved into the brand new home, they have been plagued with repeated plumbing and heating issues. During a recent winter cold spell, the porch ceiling caved in, exposing questionable minimum building code practices and building materials- luckily, Mike and his team have the right answers
Lisa and Simon were preparing to have their first baby and needed to build a nursery and a bathroom. They found a reputable contractor at a home show with impressive credentials and long list of references. A contract was drafted, a substantial down payment was paid, and the 6-week job would be starting almost immediately. Over the next four months, every excuse was given why they could not start the job. With the baby due in less than three months and the realization that they may not have a properly functioning full bathroom with a new born- Lisa and Simon fired their contractor- and called Mike Holmes. Time is ticking, with a baby on the way, and the bathroom and nursery that will need to be built again. Mike and the team race to beat the Stork!
Mike travels to Saint John, New Brunswick, to meet Marlene after her second story deck falls, seriously injuring herself and three friends. He discovers that this tragic accident was caused by incompetent workmanship. A year later, the ladies are still traumatized, both physically and emotionally. But they get a boost on their road to recovery as Mike rebuilds a rock solid deck and gives the historic home a fresh look.
In the shadow the Rocky Mountains is the home of Yvonne and Tadashi. They had an addition added that included a covered front porch and entranceway. During construction, they began to get worried when the renovation in progress didn’t exactly match the building plans. When the contractor began asking for the substantial completion payment before the job was finished, they refused and offered to have a lawyer hold the payment in trust until the work was done. The contractor walked off the job, and they called Mike Holmes to come to Canmore Alberta, and ‘Make it Right™’.
Holmes On Homes heads to the back woods to fix a cottage on an island! Mike and the team find the water obstacle a challenge as they renovate a bathroom and repair deck railings for the retired cottage owner, Anne. She had difficulty trying to finding contractors that would venture to her cottage, and the one that finally did had spent more time fishing than working, or so it seemed. Mike and the team encounter renovation challenges unique to three-season cottages and working in remote locations.
Christine and her husband bought a brand new townhome in an upscale suburb. Their dream home had virtually everything a homeowner could ever wish for - except enough heat. After six years and countless band-aid repairs by the builder, they called Mike Holmes and his team to get to the bottom of things. Preliminary evidence suggested that the improper installation of the flexible ductwork inside the walls and ceilings might be the culprit. Mike discovers the only way to make this situation right is to painstakingly remove the existing drywall, design and build new bulkheads, create new ducts and vents, and install an entire HVAC system that performs correctly.
When Mike arrives at the home of Val and Dave, he thought it was an exterior renovation repair only- until he went inside. Originally, the scope of the project involved repairing a home that suffered from defective brick- the face of the brick was falling off, causing it to quickly erode. This weakened masonry was causing the chimney to lean dangerously and the bottom rows of brick were so compromised that replacement was needed to prevent the brick walls from collapsing. When Mike went inside the home, he discovered that the homeowners were literally drowning in their own possessions. There were mounds of stuff piled to the ceiling in almost every room in the house. There was so much junk crammed in the basement that it wasn’t even possible for Mike and the team to do a basic electrical and HVAC inspection. Mike decides that a clean-up intervention is needed, to save the homeowners from themselves.
Al and Jennifer attended a charity auction to raise money for their church. One of the prizes being offered was $15,000 value towards a bathroom renovation. Al and Jennifer won the prize - it seemed like a win-win situation. And because the contractor was affiliated with their church, they simply trusted that everything would go well. It didn't. After spending a total of $30,000, all they had to show for it was a roughed in the bathroom- and a big hole in their family room ceiling, where the contractor put his foot through. They had finally had enough with this unholy terror. Mike and his team arrive to make things right- and restore a little faith in contractors.
In this special episode, the Holmes crew (both construction and production) reveal the behind the scenes work during the filming from the seventh season, including the process from viewer submission to filming, how three or four episodes are produced at the same time, and the logistical issues with having a camera crew and a construction crew trying to work over each other. The episode includes behind-the-scenes footage from Additional Grief, Country Kitchen, Paradise Island, Lien on Me, and an upcoming episode titled Blind Faith, as well as a Maxwell House commercial and Mike's interview on 20/20. It also explores the origins of the series and how the Holmes Foundation was founded, as well as providing some insight into the Holmes family (all three of Mike's children work on the show in some capacity).
The story itself was all too familiar- a botched kitchen renovation. The big difference here was the person who wrote the letter - former heavyweight boxing champion, George ''Boom Boom'' Chuvalo. The three-week kitchen renovation had gone into its third month. George and his wife Joanne had lost their patience, and the contractor finally made a hasty departure, leaving behind a badly laid out kitchen - featuring dangling pot lights, no working electrical, and no countertops. During George's boxing career, he went the distance with Muhammad Ali, twice. Ali stated that ''George was the toughest guy he had ever fought.'' And now, ''Boom Boom'' Chuvalo's kitchen disaster goes toe-to-toe with the heavyweight contractor, Mike ''Make It Right'' Holmes!
Jon and Candice seemed to be having problems with their window installation contractor. Proof that things were going badly came to the homeowners in the form of a DVD. A neighbor across the street documented the entire contracting mess from a home security camera. For the first time ever Mike Holmes and his team get to witness a bad renovation as it happens. If a picture speaks a thousands words, this footage says, ''It's all coming down!''
Jeremy had a total kitchen renovation- or so he thought. There were new cabinets, new counters, new appliances, new paint and a new tile floor- all the cosmetic items were brand new. Unfortunately, his renovation company only dealt with the finishing items. Everything below the surface was still the same old kitchen. Mike and the crew have to completely gut this kitchen to deal with all the problems that are bubbling under the brand-new, finished surface.
Lee and Bailey bought a brand new townhouse two years ago. It came with many modern conveniences like a fridge that made ice cubes. One item they didn't ask for was an attic that made snow cones- enough snow that they had to shovel it into plastic bags to prevent it from melting into their house. After the builder showed up to do several band-aid fixes, they called in Mike Holmes to get to the bottom of things, on the top of their house.
Walter and Adele spent a year planning their dream house- a custom home. Unfortunately, what they ended up getting was a custom headache! At the top of their list was a cultured stone skirt around the base of the house, and one year after the install, the skirt was falling down. In this episode, we look at the pitfalls of building a custom home, and what can happen when no one will take responsibility for the work they do.
Gwyn and Andrew, self-confessed ''Holmes On Homes Junkies'', had seen every episode and read Mike's book. They took all of Mike's advice and thought they did everything to make sure their bathroom renovation went smoothly, yet things turned out very wrong. Mike uses this example to show how far we have come in preventing renovation disasters and to also show how far we still need to go to avoid being ripped off by unscrupulous contractors.
In this two-hour special episode, Mike deals with a couple who had a "friend" do an addition. Although the work was originally estimated to cost just over $200,000, the "friend" later put a lien on the house for more than $500,000 and took the owners of the house to court. Mike and the crew take the house down brick by brick and stud by stud to save the family from shoddy work done under the previous contract, then design an eco-friendly home and construct it on the site. This episode is notable for employing over 100 companies and 30 months of construction work (demolition having started sometime in Season 5, and construction during Season 6) - to date the most extensive work on the show, in terms of materials, manpower, and time. The Lien on Me episodes are the ones that are shown the least on TV and are very hard to find anywhere. Almost any other Holmes on Homes Episode is aired on a regular basis
