By Jamie Barrie M any people enjoy watching the growing list of do-it- yourself reality TV series on home building. In Canada two men are equally popular when it comes to building homes. The first is Mike Holmes and the second is Bryan Baeumler. These two men dominate the DIY channels, tool sponsorships, and product endorsements. Have you ever asked yourself which one would you hire to build your house? While many of their traits are similar each has some unique differences, which might influence your choice. Mike Holmes is that “do it right guy.” After years in the con- struction trades Mike has seen just about as many ways to make it right as he does it wrong. Outside of a TV special where he built homes in Louisiana after hurricane Katrina, TV fans seen very few houses built by Holmes. His passion and persona have been centered on fixing the mistakes of others that it makes homeowners lose sleep. His process is to tear it apart, find the mistakes, and build it right. Bryan Baeumler does not have as many years experience as Mike Holmes, but he does have the same respect and rep- utation for quality and perfection in the industry. Baeumler has used his TV shows to build two monster houses for his growing family as well as a cottage that many would
consider palatial. Likewise, Bryan’s TV shows involve ren- ovations, additions, and remodeling spaces in people’s homes that they cannot do themselves. His process is to identify the need, ensure proper return on investment, and integrate style and design. Using the four main categories of quality and innovation, completion time, designing and planning, and budget- ary management we can compare the two professionals to better understand which person is right for you. While these two are both excellent builders, they differ greatly in some key areas. When looking at quality and innovation it is important to investigate the overall finished product for superiority of workmanship. Mike Holmes is a fanatic about never leaving potential problems behind him. His years of work within the industry have been based on trusting the quality of his work and those working for him. He often tears apart bad craft- manship by others to start with a clean palette. “Big Mike” has no problems introducing innovative products like foam insulation, pink lumber and helical piles.
Bryan Baeumler takes the same hard nose quality first
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JULY 2017
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