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Holmes on Homes | “Lien on Me”- A Complete Tear Down

By Mike Holmes

Mike’s Advice / Guest Posts

Saturday, August 16th, 2025 @ 2:17pm
    

Holmes on Homes “Lien on Me” was a job I’ll never forget. This was the first time our Holmes on Homes team faced a renovation so bad that tearing down the entire house was the only real option. Joe and Christina trusted a family friend to handle an addition on their home with a $200,000 budget. But it quickly became clear he was in way over his head and cutting corners at every turn. Worse yet, after demanding more money, he walked off the job — then slapped a lien on their home for $543,000.

 

Christina and Joe’s original bungalow on Holmes on Homes.

 

A Holmes on Homes nightmare

The moment I saw it, I knew this was going to be a big job. I just didn’t realize how big.

After my first inspection, I knew we needed an engineer’s report and to open up the walls. The report confirmed what I suspected — this was one of the worst renovations I’d ever seen. Corners were cut everywhere, and fixing it would take serious time and money. I was shocked that a so-called friend could do this to people who trusted him.

The renovated house, after the contractor walked away from an incomplete and unsafe house.

 

What Was Wrong?

So, what was wrong? Where do I start? There were no proper footings under the new addition. Insulation and vapour barriers were missing. No vents in the attic. Plumbing and electrical were done wrong — you name it. Structurally, it was a nightmare: steel lintels resting on sheathing (or missing entirely), I-beams propped up by 2x4s, exterior stone sitting on cinderblocks with no footings, and stonework not properly tied into the framing. They even used the wrong mortar — the wall crumbled with just a push from a crowbar!

Next came the cost consultation:

  • how much had already been wasted,
  • what it would cost to fix the mess,
  • and what it would take to finish the job properly.

Sadly, it’s usually more expensive to fix bad work than to tear it down and do it right from scratch.

So that’s what we did. If we were starting over, we were going to build something better than before.

Holmes on Homes Team Comes In for Rescue

With my team and dozens of dedicated building pros, we came up with a plan to build a healthy, energy-efficient, LEED Platinum home. That meant fireproof, mould-resistant, with a green roof and top-notch efficiency. We went way beyond minimum code — this was a prototype for what a healthy home should be. It was a huge learning curve for all of us, and it demanded a ton of time, money, materials, and teamwork.

After a year and a half, over a hundred companies pitched in with products, labour, and expertise. More than 200 skilled tradespeople poured concrete, installed new plumbing and HVAC, added an elevator, solar panels, and so much more. In the end, we gave Joe and Christina a brand new, healthy, energy-efficient home — and peace of mind that it was finally done right.

If we were starting over, we were going to build something better than before.

After a year and half and over hundred companies Joe and Christina’s brand-new state of the art home is complete.

 

 

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