Mike Holmes

Early life and career foundations

Mike Holmes began learning the fundamentals of construction from his father at the age of six, laying the groundwork for his lifelong dedication to the building trades. By the time he was 19, he had started his first contracting company, managing a crew of 13 employees. He founded his own renovation company at age 21 and ran two separate companies over a contracting career that spanned more than two decades before entering television. His early professional experiences with substandard workmanship directly informed his later mission to advocate for higher building standards. Holmes has three children, Amanda, Sherry, and Mike Jr., who have all appeared and worked on his various television series.

In 2006, deeply affected by encountering a renovation so poorly executed it required a complete demolition, Holmes started The Holmes Foundation. The foundation's dual purpose is to encourage young people to enter the building trades and to assist those who have been impoverished by bad renovations. Holmes also partners with SOS Children's Villages as part of his charitable work. That same year, his advocacy was formally recognized in the House of Commons of Canada, where he was acknowledged as an extraordinary craftsperson and an accomplished master builder with a social conscience for his promotion of skilled trades and improved building standards.

Television career and series development

Mike Holmes's television career launched in 2001 with the premiere of Holmes on Homes on HGTV Canada. He conceived the series by approaching the producers of the Just Ask Jon Eakes show with his idea for a new kind of home improvement program. The show evolved to generally focus on bad renovations and the results of bad contractors. It aired internationally on networks including HGTV and DIY Network in the United States, The Living Channel in New Zealand, Lifestyle Home in Australia, Discovery Shed in the United Kingdom, DMAX in Germany, and the Home Channel in South Africa. Following Holmes on Homes, he starred in the one-season series Holmes in New Orleans, which documented the construction of a new home in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans to replace one destroyed during Hurricane Katrina.

In 2009, he began Holmes Inspection, a series profiling problematic home inspections, which debuted on HGTV Canada in the fall and on HGTV in the United States on December 19, 2010. For this series, Holmes conducted the inspections while longtime crew member Damon Bennett served as lead site manager and backup host. The 2012 remix series Best of Holmes on Homes compiled clips from the original show around common themes, with Holmes providing narration. Also in 2012, he launched Holmes Makes It Right, focusing on renovations following natural disasters or severe contractor failures, with Bennett again largely in charge of hosting on site.

The fall 2014 season featured the mini-series Mike's Ultimate Garage, where his children Mike Jr. and Sherry built a garage man-cave for their father, with Holmes Sr. guest starring. The fall 2016 season introduced two new shows: Holmes and Holmes, co-starring his son Mike Jr. and produced by Make It Right Productions, and Holmes: Buy It Right, where he advised new home buyers on the DIY Network in the United States. Holmes: Next Generation premiered in April 2018 on DIY Network, with Holmes assisting Mike Jr. and Sherry on remodelling projects. The spring 2019 season saw Holmes Makes It Right: Retooled debut on DIY Network, where Holmes revisited and examined episodes from the 2012 series.

A significant shift occurred in June 2019 when Bell Media announced a new development deal with Holmes, ending his long-standing relationship with HGTV Canada. His programming library moved to Gusto, later rebranded as CTV Life Channel, and new series were announced. Holmes 911 premiered on September 17, 2019, on CTV Life, featuring Holmes, Mike Jr., and Sherry tackling five different houses over 12 one-hour episodes. Holmes Family Effect debuted in Canada on February 7, 2021, after Super Bowl LV, and in the United States on Fox on March 16, 2021, with the family helping homeowners, schools, and businesses. Holmes Family Rescue premiered in Canada and the United States on December 4, 2021, on HGTV and later CTV Life, focusing on homeowners with improperly done construction work.

• 2001: Holmes on Homes premieres on HGTV Canada.
• 2009: Holmes Inspection begins on HGTV Canada.
• 2012: Holmes Makes It Right and Best of Holmes on Homes launch.
• 2014: Mike's Ultimate Garage mini-series airs.
• 2015: Hosts Home Free on Fox.
• 2016: Holmes and Holmes and Holmes: Buy It Right premiere.
• 2019: Moves to Bell Media; Holmes 911 debuts on CTV Life.
• 2021: Holmes Family Effect and Holmes Family Rescue premiere.

Television judging, hosting, and guest appearances

Beyond his own series, Mike Holmes has served as a judge and host on several renovation competition shows. He was a judge on all seasons of Handyman Superstar Challenge, on All American Handyman, and on season one of Canada's Handyman Challenge. In late April 2015, Fox announced the eight-episode competition series Home Free, hosted by Holmes, which premiered on July 22, 2015. The show featured nine couples renovating dilapidated homes each week, with the eliminated couple winning the home they worked on that episode. Holmes described the show as exciting, stating a home is way more than brick and mortar.

Holmes has made numerous guest appearances on other programs. He was a guest builder on Home to Win, designing and building a room for a renovated home to be won by a Canadian family. He appeared twice on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in December 2006 during season four. The first appearance led to a two-part Holmes on Homes episode helping the Tiu family in Los Angeles fix a shoddy renovation, and the second showed the completed project. He made a comedic guest appearance on an episode of Corner Gas in October 2006, playing Wanda's ex-boyfriend. In October 2019, Holmes was a guest judge on an episode of HGTV's Rock the Block.

For the second season of Rock the Block in March 2021, he returned as a contestant, teaming up with designer Alison Victoria, whom he had judged in season one. Victoria noted their partnership combined her design skills with his building genius. In July 2021, Holmes was a guest judge alongside Mina Starsiak of Good Bones on HGTV's Battle on the Beach, a renovation competition set in Gulf Shores, Alabama. These appearances across various networks demonstrate his status as a sought-after authority in the home renovation genre.

Business ventures, publishing, and advocacy

Mike Holmes oversees a wide range of business and advocacy activities through The Holmes Group, his conglomerate and holding company. A central pillar of his work is The Holmes Foundation, founded in 2006. In 2021, he launched Mike Holmes Protection, a company offering home services contracts to provide ongoing support for homeowners. Another significant initiative is the Holmes Approved Homes program, developed in partnership with builders and renovators in Canada and the United States with the goal of raising construction standards above minimum industry requirements.

The Holmes Approved Homes program faced controversy in December 2021 when Tarion, an Ontario government-established consumer protection organization, filed a lawsuit related to several homes built with partner companies in Meaford, Ontario, that had numerous defects. Three of the homes were subsequently demolished due to the nature of the defects discovered. Holmes has also been involved in publishing, with magazines like Holmes: The Magazine to Make It Right published by Dauphin Media Group from 2009 to 2011, ending after a dispute. Make it Right magazine, a collaboration with publisher TC Media, was published in 2013. Holmes is an advisor for Ottawa Land Bank, a land banking service managed by Oakwood and John Liptack. In 2025, Holmes removed all webpages, ads, and videos in which he endorsed AGM Renovations after the company came under investigation by Ontario's Electrical Safety Authority.

Mike Holmes is the author of two books published by HarperCollins Canada. The books are Home Renovation with Canada's Most Trusted Contractor and Holmes Inspection: Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy or Sell Your Home. He also wrote a weekly newspaper column. His publications provide practical guidance on home renovation and inspection.

Awards, honours, and public recognition

Mike Holmes's advocacy and television work have been recognized with numerous awards and honours. In 2004, he won the Gemini Awards Viewers' Choice Award. His series Holmes in New Orleans earned a Gemini Award in 2009 for Best Lifestyle/Practical Information Series. On February 21, 2008, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology in recognition of his contributions to the skilled trades. In 2006, he was formally recognized in the House of Commons of Canada for his promotion of skilled trades and advocacy for improved building standards, where he was acknowledged as an extraordinary craftsperson and a master builder with a social conscience.

Further honours include receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal on June 18, 2012. In December 2013, he was appointed as a Patron of The Royal Canadian Regiment. Public trust in his persona is significant. In May 2010, Reader's Digest's second annual survey named Holmes as the second most widely trusted person in Canada, behind only environmentalist David Suzuki. These accolades reflect his standing as a respected figure who has successfully used his platform to highlight the importance of quality craftsmanship and consumer protection in the housing industry.

Philanthropy and industry impact

The Holmes Foundation remains a core component of Mike Holmes's philanthropic efforts, directly addressing the issues he encounters through his work. The foundation's mission to support youth entering the trades and to aid victims of bad renovations is a practical extension of his on-screen advocacy. His partnership with SOS Children's Villages further broadens his charitable impact. Holmes's influence on public perception of the skilled trades in Canada is substantial, as evidenced by his House of Commons recognition and his high ranking in trust surveys.

His television series have had a demonstrable impact on homeowner awareness, educating viewers on construction pitfalls, proper inspection techniques, and the value of hiring qualified professionals. The international broadcast of his shows, from Germany to South Africa, has exported his 'Make It Right' philosophy. While the Holmes Approved Homes program encountered legal challenges, its existence points to his ongoing attempt to institutionalize higher building standards beyond the television screen. Holmes's career combines media, business, and philanthropy to pursue his goal of improving the construction industry for both tradespeople and homeowners, and he continues to be a leading voice for change in the sector.

Questions about Mike Holmes

What is Mike Holmes best known for?

Mike Holmes is best known as the host of the television series Holmes on Homes, which debuted in 2001 on HGTV Canada. The show made him a household name by exposing poorly executed home renovations and demonstrating how to fix them properly. He is also recognized for his advocacy for skilled trades, higher building standards, and his subsequent series like Holmes Inspection and Holmes Family Rescue. His personal motto, 'Make It Right,' encapsulates his professional philosophy.

Is Mike Holmes a licensed contractor?

Mike Holmes is a Canadian general contractor. He started learning construction from his father at age six. By age 19, he had started his first contracting company with a crew of 13 employees. At 21, he founded his own renovation company. He has run two companies during his 20-year contracting career.

What happened with Holmes Approved Homes?

The Holmes Approved Homes program was launched to partner with builders and renovators to raise construction standards above minimum requirements. In December 2021, the program faced legal issues when Tarion, an Ontario consumer protection organization established by the government, filed a lawsuit concerning several homes built with partner companies in Meaford, Ontario, that had numerous defects. The nature of the defects led to three of the homes being demolished. The lawsuit highlights the challenges in enforcing higher standards within the building industry.

What TV channels is Mike Holmes on?

Mike Holmes's programming has aired on multiple networks over his career. His early series, like Holmes on Homes, aired on HGTV Canada and internationally on networks such as HGTV and DIY Network in the United States, The Living Channel in New Zealand, and DMAX in Germany. In 2019, he entered a new deal with Bell Media, and his library moved to CTV Life Channel (formerly Gusto). New series like Holmes 911 and Holmes Family Rescue have aired on CTV Life Channel and HGTV. He has also hosted shows on Fox, such as Home Free in 2015.

Does Mike Holmes work with his children?

Yes, Mike Holmes frequently works with his children, Sherry Holmes and Mike Holmes Jr., on his television projects. They have been featured in series like Mike's Ultimate Garage (2014), Holmes and Holmes (2016), Holmes: Next Generation (2018), Holmes 911 (2019), Holmes Family Effect (2021), and Holmes Family Rescue (2021). His daughter Amanda has also appeared on his shows. This family collaboration has become a central theme in his later television work, with his children taking on lead roles in construction and design.

What is The Holmes Foundation?

The Holmes Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded by Mike Holmes in 2006 after he encountered a renovation so poorly done it required a complete tear-down. Its primary purposes are to encourage and support young people entering the building trades and to assist homeowners who have been financially devastated by bad renovations. Holmes also works with SOS Children's Villages through his charitable efforts. The foundation represents his commitment to addressing the root causes and consequences of substandard construction work.

Sources and further reading

• Mike Holmes (Wikipedia)
• Mike Holmes is teaming up with his kids to help local ... (streetsoftoronto.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.