Who is Mike Holmes? Meet Canadian contractor on ‘Rock the Block' whose first business card said ‘The F-Up Fixer'
When it comes to home renovations, sometimes, it just about getting your hands dirty and keeping it real. While designers know what it takes to make a place look gorgeous, it all boils down to having a good contractor to deal with all the nitty-gritty. If you're on the prowl for a show that combines the best of both worlds, gear up for a whole new season of 'Rock the Block'.
Season 2 features eight of HGTV's biggest names in home renovation and design, as they pair up in teams of two to completely transform identical three-story suburban properties in just one month. With a budget of $225,000 and just a month to get it all done, these duos have a lot on the line, including major bragging rights and a chance to have a street named after them!
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'Rock The Block' Season 2: Release date, cast, plot and all you need to know about HGTV's ultimate home makeover face-off
With the charming Ty Pennington as the host, each challenge will have a different judge picking the winners. The teams this time around comprise of different home makeover show hosts, as they team up together to get the job done. For Season 2, Alison Victoria of 'Windy City Rehab' teams up with Mike Holmes of 'Holmes On Homes'. So, who is Mike Holmes? Here's what we know about the tell-it-like-it-is contractor.
He's been in the home renovation business since he was 19
Holmes has known his way around the biz right since he was 6 years old, seeing that his father slowly introduced him to construction work at a rather young age. At the age of 19, Holmes started his own contracting company with 13 employees. At the age of 21, he started his renovation company. In 2006 he also started The Holmes Foundation, which focuses on fixing homes that have been badly renovated and aims to encourage young people to enter the skilled trade.
His 'diarrhea of the mouth' led him to his successful TV career
Holmes has been known for his straightforward approach and tell it like it is attitude, which, depending on how you look at it, can be a blessing or a curse. As reported by The Globe and Mail, his first ever business card itself was quite iconic, seeing that he called himself 'The F-up Fixer'. This was fitting since a good chunk of Holmes' work included fixing up amateur botched home renovation jobs.
His famous rants are what led to producer Micheal Quast seeing his potential to make 'Holmes on Holmes' even bigger than it could be, thanks to Holmes' over-the-top personality. As reported by The Globe and Mail, when Quast needed a contractor in 2001 for a show he was working on, he called on Holmes, who left quite an impression. Holmes was painfully candid about all the homes he had to fix thanks to amateurs who were way in over their heads and how the network should be documenting the damage control contractors often have to do. After this, he apologized for his "diarrhea of the mouth," but Quast saw the potential of his idea and passion. It ultimately led to Holmes having his very own show.
Holmes has multiple ventures
Apart from his renovation, construction companies and foundation, Holmes quickly became a TV personality. When Nestle Canada was launching a new brand of instant coffee in 2006, they took a poll asking Canadians who they'd want to see promote the brand — Holmes came out on top. The campaign turned out to be a massive success, with Holmes and the brand renewing the partnership multiple times. In 2009, the Holmes Group launched two more ventures — a home-inspection service and a line of workwear. With products that include canvas work pants to fire-resistant coveralls, Holmes' line is just as successful as ever, and it retailed at Amazon, Costco and more.
Holmes is back on 'Rock the Block' but with a twist
Holmes was a part of Season 1 of 'Rock the Block', where he judged the kitchen renovation segment of the show. He's back for round two, but this time, as a contestant, as he teams up with Alison Victoria of 'Windy City Rehab', who was also a contestant herself on Season 1 of the show! We can't wait to see how their dynamic plays out on screen and seeing that this is their second run, who knows, they might just have the upper hand!
Watch Season 2 of 'Rock The Block' on Mondays at 9 pm ET/PT on HGTV and you can stream the same on Discovery+.