i watch the diy shows and on TOH they sometimes refer disparengly to other diy shows, they never name them, the inference being that you can get hurt by watching those shows. which are the good/bad ones??
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Replies
Any of the Bob Vila shows are probably lumped in the "bad" category by TOH.
...that's not a mistake, it's rustic
I agree that Bob is a condescending, know-it-all (kind of like John Sterling , the Yankee's radio announcer...your from NJ and may know what I mean).But, many of his projects are quite good and certainly more realistic than some of the recent TOH projects. The one where he redid his own house in Cambridge was quite good. There was also one somewhere down south (N.Carolina?) where the trim carp trimming out the windows was incredible, it was like he was building furniture (glue, clamps, trimhead screws) and did a great job explaining exactly what he was doing) I recently saw one where affordable housing was being made out of old steel ship cargo containers...that was a little weird, although interesting.
Some of his shows were good, becsuse they really got back to the hands-on (well Reilly's hands) and inexpensive solutions. I just meant that anything he does is going to get lumped into the bad by the TOH producers for all time....that's not a mistake, it's rustic
All you need is the Pif&Andy Show seen regularly here on BT.
by the way- As a first time poster Welcome to Breaktime;o)
If it is asserted that civilization is a real advance in the condition of man — and I think that it is, though only the wise improve their advantages — it must be shown that it has produced better dwellings without making them more costly; and the cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.
Parolee # 53804
I like the trading space ones, That little red head, she keeps bending over. see her belly button from the top over thirty times. I think they do it on purpose knowing I am watching. " oK give Johnnie a money shot, he has remote in hand"
"money shot", Boy, you ain't right ! ! Chuckle !
Greg
I was tempted to go about a mile down the road and snap some pics for you concrete guys.
There is an roadway underpass being built for two sets of tracks several hundred yards apart.
For the past month there is the continual ringing while they're driving pylons.
be like all day longall the live long day
If it is asserted that civilization is a real advance in the condition of man — and I think that it is, though only the wise improve their advantages — it must be shown that it has produced better dwellings without making them more costly; and the cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run. Parolee # 53804
Do you have some examples? I've been watching TOH since the beginning and I don't recall them ever saying anything at all about the other home improvement shows.
I think what they are referring to are the shows that show how simple and easy a very complex problem is. They tear out walls, build shelves under stairs, and add doors, all w/o regard for the potential danger and damage they could be causing to the home. They just do the work and run a disclaimer and think that that's all there is. If I hear "but it only took one weekend on the blah blah show" one more time I don't know what I will do. Watch all the DIY shows you want, buy be realistic when it comes time to do your project. And most of all, trust the professional that you researched and is standing in front of you saying that what you propose is impossible to do in that short amount of time.
"May the forces of evil be confused on the way to your house." -George Carlin
I saw one the other day where the show folks were helping a couple spruce up a house to sell it. Budget: $2,000. One portion of the project was to remove a section of kitchen cabs, relocate it elsewhere in the kitchen, and knock down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room. Easy! Had the wife pick up a sledge and start whacking at the wall. As the scene developsand the wall opens up, there's about 10 circuits worth of romex and, IIRC, at least one vent/drain pipe. Nobody on the show seems to notice this! By the end of the show, the wall's gone, with no mention of possible structural issues or what happened to the mechanicals.
Miraculously, they claimed not to have exceeded the budget, which was mostly spent on paint, a section of countertop and misc. ticky-tack. Musta been old, unused plumbing and wiring that they just cut and abandoned. And "We don' need no stinkin' header!" Yeah, that's it, . . .
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
What someone needs to do is produce a show about the horrors some homeowners get into thinking 'all we gotta do is this...'.
.An average house in this neighborhood costs perhaps eight hundred dollars, and to lay up this sum will take from ten to fifteen years of the laborer's life, even if he is not encumbered with a family — estimating the pecuniary value of every man's labor at one dollar a day, for if some receive more, others receive less; — so that he must have spent more than half his life commonly before his wigwam will be earned. Parolee # 53804
"What someone needs to do is produce a show about the horrors some homeowners get into thinking 'all we gotta do is this..."
Rez, you're exactly right. My wife and I are in the middle of our second major remodel. We did our first remodel on the house we live in now. That was many years ago. We're currently remodeling another house, which we plan to move into when we're done with it.
Even though we've already experienced many of the major suprises that a DIY'er may encounter, we still find ourselves facing dilemmas that we completely failed to anticipate -- especially budget miscalculations, code issues, and every kind of delay imaginable.
When it comes to DIY, reality shows are anything but reality. New knowledge is priceless.
Used knowledge is even more valuable.
The shows will be running out of steam before long and a truthful look at reality might be a good theme to be pumping new blood back in.
They could call it ' Flip This but...'
.An average house in this neighborhood costs perhaps eight hundred dollars, and to lay up this sum will take from ten to fifteen years of the laborer's life, even if he is not encumbered with a family — estimating the pecuniary value of every man's labor at one dollar a day, for if some receive more, others receive less; — so that he must have spent more than half his life commonly before his wigwam will be earned. Parolee # 53804
"we still find ourselves facing dilemmas that we completely failed to anticipate -- especially budget miscalculations, code issues, and every kind of delay imaginable."
Exactly the type of problem the pros NEVER have to deal with. ;-)
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
http://www.hgtv.ca/hoh/
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Phill Giles<!----><!---->
The Unionville Woodwright<!----><!---->
"Sorry. This video is not available in your country"
— estimating the pecuniary value of every man's labor at one dollar a day, for if some receive more, others receive less; — so that he must have spent more than half his life commonly before his wigwam will be earned. If we suppose him to pay a rent instead, this is but a doubtful choice of evils. Would the savage have been wise to exchange his wigwam for a palace on these terms? . Parolee # 53804
I heard that.Parolee # 40835
Sorry for the remedial question, but what is IIRC?
"May the forces of evil be confused on the way to your house." -George Carlin
Harry,
I like the tall Blond from Canada that has Sancho as the wire nut.
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
If I Recall/Remember Correctly
You might want to check out the Internet Acronym Dictionary at:http://www.gaarde.org/acronyms/?lookup=LThere are a number of others that are probably equally good
If the show's host is a perky young female thing of about 24, don't expect the show to be of any real value. Except for being able to watch the perky young female thing of about 24.
My take on these shows is that:
There are other shows, you never know where/when you'll pick up a gem among the shlock; besides, I'm as interested in the why as the how.
http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=82201
http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=86270
http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=92752
http://www.hgtv.ca/sarahshouse/
http://http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/
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Phill Giles<!----><!---->
The Unionville Woodwright<!----><!---->
Have you ever watched the flipping shows and looked at the numbers they come up with? not in this lifetime do they compute!!
I only watch them when SWMBO has control of the remote and makes it very clear that she wants to watch the show.
It isn't too difficult to show her that their numbers are absurd, but I sometimes get customers who seem to think that they're "real". It's a character flaw, I'm sure, but I usually blow these folks off if they persist in asking why my estimate is so much higher than what they saw on some show.
I like watching all shows of that type, but I carry a lot of salt with me, have a good one.
"I carry a lot of salt with me,"Is that to throw over your left shoulder to ward off the curse?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
The expression "take it with a grain of salt" indicates skepticism, thats why I carry pounds with me, it also works on the evil one by throwing it over you shoulder. Whatever you do don't run out of salt! Have a good one.
looked at the numbers they come up with? not in this lifetime do they compute!!
Sure they compute, if you know to factor in the "donations" the show sells/garners and the "discounted labor" the show gets to put off against ad revenues.
It's only with those "hidden" costs that any of those come close to not needing a generous leprauchan or djin or some other "x factor" to stick in the spread sheet.
Ever see any of the flipper shows actually cipher the costs of borrowed money? Or, "minor" things like closing costs, 6% RE sales commissions, and the like?
I'm reminded of what my dealership-owning relatives say about car sales--most of their money is made from people who buy maybe 20-30 cars in a lifetime think they can "outdeal" a salesman who sells 20-30 a month.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Thats why I carry salt.
looked at the numbers they come up with? not in this lifetime do they compute!!Hey san, do those piece of sh$% houses in calfornia really cost $300k. on those flipping shows
piece of sh$% houses in calfornia really cost $400k. Rebeccah
I'll actually name a show that's picking a up bad rep in the real-estate field. My wife and I learned of this about 1.5 years ago when we bought our current house. "Trading Spaces Look" is now code for a gawd-awful, gut wrenching 'upgrade' done by some witless idiot that is dragging the value of the house down. And of course, the owner thinks they deserve a premium on their house for the __WONDERFUL__ work they did.
After the third episode of that during our house hunting we immediately scratched those houses off of our list when shopping. Delusional HO + work I have to rip out & re-do == BIG FAT NO!
And you can email me privately and I'll *really* tell you how I feel about some of the shlock we ran across.... ;-)
Just writing this is bringing back bad memories of chile pepper lights, bamboo curtain, and other 'decorative' work that I had blacked out! <sigh>
Glen
Many countries http://www.holmesonhomes.com/broadcast_schedule.php?sid=9 from http://www.holmesonhomes.com/mike_holmes.php
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
I don't watch any of the home-house diy shows since what they do and what I do are pretty much the same.
I like the Cooking shows if that counts as a diy. There is one hostess of a cook show that I'm head over heels for and that is Giada De Laurentiis. Ohhhhh myy goodness. Those eyes and that smile make me absolutely weak. And she can cook....almost as good as me!!
Que facia, que bella!!
Yeppers, she is almost as fine as Sandra Lee...I wish they'd make a Duane sammich anyday.Parolee # 40835