Mike Holmes says it breaks his heart to read e-mails about reno disasters
Jeani Read
Province
You know that post is up to spec, or Mike Holmes wouldn’t be leaning on it.
Mike Holmes is still stunned by the extent of the home-renovation disasters he hears about.
“You should see the stories on our e-mails,” he says. “It’s just heartbreaking. It’s just terrible. It would be impossible for me to solve all the problems out there.”
The superhero of HGTV’s weekly Holmes on Homes show, who has opened our eyes to the pitfalls that can accompany home renos, has his own classification system for contractors: the good, the bad and the ugly.
“We know the ugly contractors — we can see them a mile away,” he says. “The good are 20 per cent. The bad are 70 per cent — the ones who don’t know what they’re doing and don’t care. Odds are, you’re going to get the bad.”
His experiences have made him super-cautious about the whole reno process. Here, he gives us his top tips for doing it right.
1) Take your time. “Slow down. This not McDonald’s, you’re not going to get a reno today. When people decide they want a reno, they try to get it done so fast! Don’t hurry.”
2) Educate yourself. “Find out everything you can. Go to bookstores, depot stores, online. Learn how to talk to a contractor. Learn about the products.The more you know, the safer you will be.”
3) Plan far in advance. “It will take you as long, or longer, to find a contractor as it will take to do the job.”
4) Be prepared to call in 20 different contractors and interview them individually. “Think in terms of playing slot machines: What are the chances you will win?”
5) If you have to ask for references you’re dealing with the wrong contractor. “Out of the 20 contractors, you definitely want to see a minimum of 20 references from [the one you’re most interested in]. Three references is not enough. A pro presents himself every day.”
6) You cannot ask enough questions. “Phone each and every one of the references and ask 1,001 questions. “Were they on time? Were they clean? Courteous? Did they charge more at the end of the job than you thought?”
7) And while you’re there, ask more questions. “Make sure you go and see at least five of the 20 references, and I sure hope if you want a kitchen reno you look at a kitchen job, or if you want an addition you look at an addition job.”
8) Request licensing and insurance paperwork. “The contractors who have them on the job, odds are they’re a pro. If they don’t, odds are they’re not.”
9) Make sure you have everything in writing. “How long the job will be, start and finish times, products used — and always pay in milestones, not by the week. If the framing is up, pay 10 per cent. If the electrical is done and approved, another 10 per cent, and so on.”
10) Get a permit. “The permit is the only thing you have out there to protect you. If you are unsure as to whether or not you need a permit, call the officials in your neighbourhood, or the government. If the contractor says you don’t need a permit but the government says you do, it’s the wrong contractor.”
Intimidated yet? It’s Holmes’ job to do it right — and make sure you do, too. To that end he’s publishing a book in November called Make It Right (Harper Collins, $39.95), which he says will be a “Bible” to your house, whatever age, whatever shape. “It’s about understanding your home,” he says — and includes a journey through your house the way a home inspector would do, to tips for maintaining and reno-ing — and much, much more.”
Meantime, he can’t resist giving more tips.
“Trust your instincts,” he says. “Watch out for red flags. If something seems wrong, it is. Do not accept it. If things are going wrong at the beginning, they will only get worse. And be part of your job. Don’t go to Jamaica to avoid the dust. Take before, during and after photos. You don’t have to be a jerk. But be part of the job.”
TELEVISION
HOLMES ON HOMES
When and where: Thursdays at 8 p.m. on HGTV
© The Vancouver Province 2006
