ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Home improvement shows making my blood boil!

I'm with you on "Holmes on Homes". This Old House isn't bad either; at least both shows are insistent upon hiring professionals.

As for taping wire nuts, it's usually because a DIY stripped the wires too long and wants to cover the exposed copper. I don't think that I've ever seen a professional who actually does this.

Lets say you do have a top notch drywaller that will drop what he is doing, come out to the job site and do 4 linier feet of joints and mudding. It will take him or her time to get it perfect. In the real world, you will not get it perfert all the time. If the drywaller is that darn good, they will be be booked and only drop what they are doing if they owe you something. If they do owe you, I would hold the credit for something better.

I agree the best and only way to paint to the whole wall. This all costs way more the just taking the extra time to pop the old box out.

10-4 on Holmes on Homes, don't watch This Old House though.

Ian A.

The story goes.. This old house was with Bob Villa, Some where along the line a job had no permit and was telivised.
He Got fired.

But they do have some great stuff on it. I'll have to look for the "HH" you speak of.

I heard Villa resigned because of or got asked to resign over the Sears ads. I'm sure Sears pays better than WGBH.

Villa is an idiot who talks right over his guests. Norm was THE MAN.

I always try to leave no sign of my remodel work but I do run into blocks in the middle of the bay from time to time.
4" hole saw makes a clean hole you can screw back on when your done.
In my own house I've had good results using 2 coats of joint compound and follow up with ultralight spackle. Palm sander makes a messy but fast job out of it. Sand until a depression it made so the patch doesn't stand proud (a term I learned watching Norm)of the wall.
When all is perfectly smooth use the canned texture. When dry give it a light knock down sanding. Paint.
In my house you have to look real close to see it, but different texture styles might be harder to blend.

On taping wire nuts I know of only one incident where it would of helped. My old partner was gluing a leveling ring into a PVC floor box when the wire slipped from his hand. Ground wire went into the wire nut on the hot wire and sparked. PVC cement dauber caught fire and a very surprised electrician went running out the front door across the brand new carpet and stomped the flaming dauber out on the brand new concrete walkway. I blew beer out my nose when I heard the story.

Is! NYW is now in season 13.
I still follow Norm & NYW on the internet, as it's been a couple of years since I could get Discovery on my satellite contract.
A fine craftsman and teacher and a real Gentleman who unfailingly gives credit to and encourages others.
Who's Bob Vila? There was a young guy called Steve, the Silver[sp?] brothers and the heating guy Richard when I watched the show. He must have been pre 1999?
These 'makeover' shows plagued the BBC a couple of years back; it used to annoy my wife no end to see some arty-farty plank staple fabrics to the walls, where they could never be cleaned.

Vila hosted This Old house the first few years, and later wen on to host his own Syndicated show in the mid 1990s to present
Since Vila left Steve Thomas hosted, replaced by Kevin O'Connor (I understand Steve just wanted to quit). Tom Silva was around with TOH before Vila left, I am sure. Richard Trethewey was there from nearly the start.

I have watch the hole suite of PBS DIY shows when I had cable in the early 1990s, and satellite since 1998.

It all started with Villa hosting,open story why he's gone. Then Thomas, This guy Kevin was actualy a customer, Then guest host. He is from (I Think) newton Ma.) So thats a good story, average gone good.

Norm was "THE MAN"! And if you don't know.... Your just young, thats not a bad thing.
Tom Silva has been there a while and Rich (the plumber) is kinda' new.

Villa is an idiot who talks right over his guests----

Villa is an idiot: Sums it up nice.
AGREEDED! This reminds me. His new partner, Reily. Didn't he chop off a peice of his finger on the first show?

Wow what a start!.