Friday, October 31, 2014

Holmes Inspection on Netflix (US)

Tonight while scrolling through the "Recently Added" category of Netflix (US), I discovered that a whole lot of HGTV shows were now in the line-up. I said out loud that it's too bad that they don't have Holmes on Homes or any of Mike's shows on Netflix. When all of a sudden, I spotted this:


For anyone who wants to watch Mike's show on the go, Netflix (US) is currently featuring 25 episodes of Holmes Inspection in HD. The episodes are from the last season of the show (2011). I'm not sure if Canadian Netflix (which I've heard through the grapevine is rather lacking compared to the US version) has the show or any of Mike's shows.

It's a little surprising to me that this was not announced anywhere on Mike's official website or on any of his social network sites. This is BIG news for Mike's US fans (especially for those who don't get HGTV). 

Mike Holmes' Holmes Inspection is on Netflix in the US. If you subscribe, you can support Mike's ranking in Netflix by watching the show via the service. And don't forget to rate it 5 stars!





Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the Holmes Spot! We all saw what Mike dressed up as for Halloween this year:


If you think that's scary, just look at this throwback pic Mike posted the other day on his social media accounts:


YIKES! It's not a witch, it's not a monster, but it's certainly very scary!!!

To celebrate the Halloween this year, Mike hosted a contest asking people to submit photos of themselves dressed up like Mike. A fun contest, yes, but there were some very specific directions about how to get that famous Mike Holmes stance down pat. Watch very carefully:




Did you get that? Watch one more time:



Sunday, October 26, 2014

Make It Right Halloween Bash

As you might guess, Mike and his office staff love to party hearty around the holidays. Halloween is definitely no exception! Last night, the Make it Right crew, staff, and friends got together for their annual Halloween bash.






So what did Mike dress up as?  Mike dressed up as a Pan Am pilot, complete with golden blond wig. And what would a Pan Am pilot be without his girls? Come fly the friendly skies with these guys...



Joe Frangella and John McLennon as "Frank and Mike," complete with overalls, bling, and epic uni-brow.

 
 
Mike's son Mike Jr. dressed up as the Tom Hanks character from Castaway. Where's Wilson? Oh, there she is...


 

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Mike Holmes: Finally, Someone Gets Zapped For Fraudulent Electrical Work

Suppose you're one of those DIY handyguys or gals, and you decide you're going to do some work on your house. First you install some new sinks and shower fixtures. Next, you rip up the old vinyl and lay down some lovely marble tile. Lastly, you do a little unpermitted electrical work and upgrade your main panel. You look around your house and spot puddles in the bathroom -- you know you did the plumbing wrong. You look down and spot cracked grout and loose tiles -- you know you didn't install the tile correctly. Lastly, you flip a light switch, and the lights come on like magic. At least you did the electrical work right, right? The truth is, when you screw up plumbing, you know right away because there's water on the floor. If you screw up electrical work on the other hand, the lights may still come on when you hit the switch, but who knows what's going on behind the walls? You may not know you have bad electrical work in your home until there's a fire, and by then it's too late. Shoddy electrical work is downright dangerous, and potentially deadly. In Ontario, a man is facing jail time for doing electrical work without a licence, and Mike Holmes thinks this is a great thing. It's the first time an offender has been given this kind of sentence for this kind of offence, and Mike feels it send the right kind of message to would-be crooks out there lying to unsuspecting homeowners. Bottom line: permits are not expensive, and they're an important safeguard to make sure the work is done right. Make sure you hire the right people and that all work done on your home is permitted appropriately.


From the National Post:

Mike Holmes: Finally, someone gets zapped for fraudulent electrical workA man in Ontario is facing 30 days in jail because he was doing electrical work without the proper licence. According to the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), this is the first time in Ontario anyone has been given a jail sentence for an offence like this. What do I think? I think it’s about time.
This guy was also found guilty of using a fake certificate, failing to get inspections and leaving unsafe electrical conditions at four homes. Not to mention, he was a repeat offender. As part of his sentencing, he was placed on two years’ probation.
I wager there are dozens more people out there doing the same thing. The problem is, you fine them, they pay the fine, and because they’re making more money than the fine costs, they move on and do it again.
The media has been abuzz with this story. Is the sentence too severe? Did he deserve this? Some people are saying the problem is the system — permits are too expensive.
Let me tell you something — permits aren’t that expensive.
An electrical permit on a small job is about $30. We recently did a big job on a house that required just over $6,000 in electrical work. The electrical permit was $130. For $6,000 in electrical work, $130 to check that it’s safe and up to code is OK in my books.
Is jail time too severe? Absolutely not, because it sends the message loud and clear: We’re not taking this anymore. This has to stop now.
Wiring is not a hobby. If you screw up the electrical, that’s a fire waiting to happen.
Just because the lights turn on doesn’t mean they’re safe. How many of us have ignored flickering lights, which are red flags for dangerous electrical situations and potential fire?
Too many homeowners think it’s OK to hire someone on the side, pay them cash, not pull any permits or get an inspection, and then seal up the work behind drywall. The thinking is that if there is a problem, insurance will take care of it. But let me fill you in on a little secret: Insurance companies are getting fed up.
They will investigate and bring in as many people as needed to figure out why they should give a homeowner hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair their home. If they find out you didn’t follow the rules and hired the wrong person just to save a few bucks, you won’t see a cent.
Always hire licensed professionals. Unfortunately in this case, the homeowners thought they did.
Every province has its own regulations for contractors and trades — and some are controlled at the municipal level. But the bottom line is that whoever is in charge — province or city — has to take a clear stand on what can and can’t be done, and if it means sending people to jail, they should do it. Unsafe work that puts families at risk is unacceptable.
It’s time we see more authorities take these kinds of measures to stop these crooks, because that’s what they are. They’re not contractors. These are people that go out there with one purpose: To screw over anyone they can in order to make money. To me, that’s criminal.
It’s a serious problem, and I’m happy to see people finally smartening up and not letting them get away with it.
Watch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right on HGTV. For more information visit makeitright.ca.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Mike Holmes: Pathway Events 2014 in Tempe, Arizona

Guess what I did this weekend? I usually don't talk about myself too much, but I'll give you a little hint:


Yup, this weekend I drove up to Tempe, Arizona to show my support for Mike as he made a short presentation for Pathway Events. It was a fun trip, well worth the four hour drive. Here are some more photos:









Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Mike Holmes Discusses Lexis Homes and Holmes Approved Homes

In May of this year, Mike Holmes was in Saskatoon, helping to promote the 2014 Kinsmen Riverview Lottery Home. For more information about the Kinsmen Riverview Lottery Home, see Mike Holmes At The 2014 Kinsmen Riverview Lottery Home and Mike Holmes Touring the Kinsmen Lottery Home in Saskatoon - Video.

On October 10, videos from Mike's tour of the home were released. In the videos, Mike speaks about Lexis Homes, the builder, and the Holmes Approved model for building better homes. Check out the videos (embedding was disabled, so please click on the links to view the videos):


Mike interviews a Lexi Homes client




Mike discusses winning a Holmes Approved Home




Mike discusses Lexis Homes












Mike discusses the trades pride

Monday, October 13, 2014

Thanks Mike!

This past weekend, Canada celebrated Thanksgiving, and the people touched by Mike Holmes' generosity have a lot to be thankful for! So how does Mike Holmes and family celebrate Thanksgiving? HGTV Canada gave readers some insight into Mike's favorite memories of the holiday on their website:



"My favourite Thanksgiving memory…it would be my mom, my dad, my grandmother, my grandfather, and all of the family on the Bell’s side (my mom's side) meeting at grandma and grandpa’s house. And there was so much food. I mean mashed potatoes, turkey, ham—too much food. My favourite? Stuffing. And then the family would play poker afterwards while we (the kids) watched TV." - Mike Holmes from Holmes Makes it Right.
Photo of Mike Holmes at 2-years-old, courtesy of Mike Holmes'
Facebook.


"I guess my favourite Thanksgiving memory would be getting together with my whole family while my mom cooks a Jiggs dinner. It’s an East Coast dinner with salt beef, cabbage, potatoes…and turkey!" - Mike Holmes Jr. from Holmes Makes it Right.


"My favourite Thanksgiving memory...kind of difficult to think of one. But, since my family is from Newfoundland, my favourite thing about it is making a Jiggs dinner with my mom. It’s the best kind of food!" - Sherry Holmes from Holmes Makes it Right.











How did Mike kick off his holiday weekend? With a game of pool! From Mike's Facebook page:


This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada. I stopped by quickly for a game of pool before I spend some time with the family. Have a good weekend everyone!
 
Last but certainly not least, SOS Children's Villages, a charity Mike has been involved with for 10 years, put out this beautiful video and made Mike a photo book thanking Mike Holmes for all of his service to the organization. The video features children benefited by the donations Mike has helped raised saying "Thank you Mike!" in their own languages. For more information about Mike's involvement in SOS Children's Villages, see Mike Holmes for SOS Children's Villages International.
 
I was so humbled by the gift SOS Canada presented me, and I am honoured to be part of this great organization. These kids need our support and I'm proud to help!
To learn more about SOS Children's Villages Canada go to their site:
http://www.soschildrensvillages.ca/
 

 
 
 


Sunday, October 5, 2014

Mike Holmes for Rinaldi Homes - Video

Last week, Mike Holmes was in Niagara meeting and greeting fans of his and fans of Holmes Approved builder Rinaldi Homes at the grand opening of their the Coyle Creek Townhomes. Just a few* fans came out to meet Mike at the event (*few=massive crowds!) which was held on Saturday, September 27, 2014 in Welland, Ontario. For more information about this event, see Mike Holmes in Niagara For Rinaldi Homes and Mike Holmes in Welland Ontario With Rinaldi Homes.

This video documenting the event was published on the official Rinaldi Homes YouTube channel on October 3.

Rinaldi Homes has partnered with Mike Holmes to raise the standard in the home building industry. This video showcases the Grand Opening of the Coyle Creek Townhomes. All Holmes Approved Homes are built with specific building products, installation methods and building practices to ensure enhanced durability, energy-efficiency, fire- moisture- and mould-resistance, sound protection and higher indoor air quality.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Turn, Turn, Turn - Nichole Faucher, Andrew Evans, and Glen Coyle Leaving the Make It Right Crew

It was announced on Tuesday that three more of Mike's crew are moving out from under his wing to undertake new projects. Nichole Faucher, Andrew Evans, and Glen Coyle will be retiring from the Make it Right Crew after season two wraps up. If you're an avid follower of either this blog or Mike's Facebook page, you know that Glen gracefully announced his exit earlier last month in September. From Mike's Facebook page:


Andrew, Nicole and Glen Coyle Page have been dedicated members of my crew. They all helped me make it right for homeowners and communities for many years. Once the second season of Holmes Makes It Right ends they will all be working on new projects. I couldn't have asked for a better team and I wish them all great futures in their new endeavours.


The Holmes Spot wishes Andrew, Nichole, and Glen all the best! Turn, turn, turn!