Mike Holmes

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For the American and Canadian football player of the same name see Mike Holmes (football player).

Mike Holmes (b. 1963) is a Canadian professional contractor best known for his television show Holmes on Homes where he rescues homeowners from renovations gone wrong.

Background

Mike Holmes learned his craft from his father, and started to learn construction work (e.g.: electrical, plumbing) when he was 6. By the time he was 19, Holmes had started running his first contracting company with a crew of 13 employees. At 21, Holmes founded his own renovation company. Holmes has run two companies during his 20-year contracting career.

In 2006 Holmes started The Holmes Foundation. Holmes started the foundation after encountering a renovation that was so poorly done that he felt it was easier for him to tear the house down and start again rather than try to repair the damage. The purpose of The Holmes Foundation is to encourage young people into the building trades and to assist those who have been impoverished by poor renovations. Also in late 2006, Holmes published a book Make It Right containing his advice on renovations, finding contractors, permits, and inspections.

Holmes on Homes

Broadcast on HGTV Canada, Holmes on Homes first started in 2003. Holmes on Homes was first conceived when Holmes approached the producers of the Just ask Jon Eakes home improvement show on HGTV with the idea for a new kind of home improvement show. Although submissions to the show were initially few, the number of submissions quickly ballooned by the show's fourth season. In one fourth season episode of Holmes on Homes, Holmes states that he received hundreds of e-mails a week of people asking him for his help.

In Canada, Holmes on Homes airs on HGTV Canada and BBC Canada. It airs in the US on Discovery Home, in New Zealand on The Living Channel, in Australia on The How To Channel, and in the United Kingdom on Discovery Real Time.

Other media appearances

• Holmes was a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on October 4, 2006, during which host Ellen DeGeneres made a mock marriage proposal Holmes returned on the October 6, 2006 episode to introduce a young couple whose home renovation project had gone poorly. He appeared for a third time on the December 7, 2006 episode and delivered an update, complete with photos, on progress with the renovation. Holmes later stated that he paid for over $300,000 of the cost, because the homeowners were nearly bankrupt and could not afford to fix their home.
• Holmes appeared as a guest expert on CBC Television's Marketplace January 10, 2007 episode called "How Not to Get Nailed" in which the television show used hidden cameras to show unethical and illegal practices by home renovators.
• Holmes made a cameo appearance in episode 4-06 "Jail House" of Corner Gas.
• Holmes was a judge on the HGTV reality show "Handyman Superstar Challenge".
• Holmes is also the TV spokesperson and supporter of SOS Children's Villages. He was part of a TV commercial that encourages Canadians to sponsor a child.
• Holmes appeared on ABC's 20/20 September 28, 2007 episode discussing how to find a good contractor and how to deal with renovation problems.
• He appeared on "The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos" February 27, 2008, and did a 2 minute, Q&A session.
• Holmes also appeared as a co-host on "Entertainment Tonight Canada" February 27, 2008.
• Holmes also appeared on "Canada AM" February 28, 2008.

Awards and Accolades

On February 21, 2008 Holmes was awarded with an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

External links

• Mike Holmes at the Internet Movie Database
• Holmes on Homes
• Holmes on Homes at HGTV Canada
• Toronto Sun interview with Mike Holmes
• Calgary Sun interview with Mike Holmes
• HarperCollins Canada, publishers of Make it Right

References

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Sunday March 09, 2008 at 14:07:09 PDT (GMT -0700)
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