This blog post is sponsored by Swiffer.
With a major home reno (we’re talking kitchen, living room and three baths) planned for the spring, a chance to chat with celeb contractor Mike Holmes Jr. was one we just couldn’t pass up. Below, Mike’s top tips on surviving your next home project—and, perhaps most importantly, his best advice when it comes to post-reno cleanup! —Noa Nichol
Hi Mike! Tell us a bit about yourself, your dad and your following in his famous footsteps.
I started working for my dad at 14 years old. I never intended on getting into the trades, but when I started working for him I ended up falling in love with them. Since then I’ve completed my carpentry apprenticeship at George Brown College, and have gotten my contractor’s licence as well. Currently, we’re filming like crazy, and having some fun making new shows for everyone!
In your experience, at what time of year do home renos generally ramp up, and why?
Home renos tend to be the busiest during the spring months. I think that’s for a few reasons: during the winter months your home can take a lot of abuse. If your home isn’t ready for all of that water after the big thaw in the spring, you can see a lot of damage. But also because, it’s spring-it’s the time where people want to see change. It’s also easier to work on your home outside of the winter months, and people want to be able to enjoy their home in the summer and have renovations wrapped up before their holidays.
You’ve undoubtedly done hundreds (thousands?!) of home renovations—which has been the most memorable, and why?
I think the most memorable renovations that I have done are on the homes of people who have needed our help the most. But my most memorable build would have to be Toronto’s High Park. We worked insanely long days in crazy high temperatures in the summer for almost 14 days straight to get the park ready for the kids. When we were done, we were not only proud of the build and how beautiful it turned out, but being able to see all of the kids rush the playground and enjoy what we just created was priceless.
We’re thinking that the common denominator across home renovations in the cleanup—what are your top pro tips in this vein?
Absolutely! If you can, budget to stay somewhere else during your renovation. I highly recommend it to avoid all of that "divorce dust". A renovation is stressful enough for families and couples. To live through it really magnifies those stress levels. If you’re going to live at home through the reno, make sure you contain the area that’s being worked on—plastic it off, and make sure your contractor never leaves a mess when they leave. Also, clean as you go. Little things like dusting your walls after they’ve been taped and sanded. I use my Swiffer 360 Duster to wipe down the walls and collect all of the dust before I paint, because I want the paint to stick to the walls, not the dust! And lastly, when you’re ready to reveal the reno, make sure it’s spotless. Get your ducts cleaned to make sure you’re not blowing dust around your home, and your family isn’t breathing in all of that dust! Then wipe down every surface. I always use my Swiffer Sweeper first, and then my Swiffer WetJet to make sure nothing’s left behind. Then it’s time to celebrate your space, and enjoy the renovation you just completed!
Speaking of pro advice, what are your top tips on surviving our next home reno?
First and foremost is prioritize your renovation. Work from the outside in. Don’t renovate your kitchen if you know you have poor insulation in your walls because you’ll have to go back and address those issues further down that road—and that’ll mean ripping out your beautiful renovation that you just worked so hard on and spent so much money to complete! My next piece of advice would be to do your homework: do the research to find a good contractor. Make sure they’re licensed and that they pull permits. And check their references to make sure that they’re the right person for the job. Oh, and don’t do cash jobs—cash isn’t traceable. Lastly, don’t be afraid of the price tag. I know, I know—this is a loaded statement, but the problem I’m seeing with new builds and renovations these days is that we’re using cheap products that are failing or aren’t performing to the standard that we need. Make sure that you’re getting a proper return on your investment, and spend the extra money on things that are protecting your home—like your roof, insulation and uncoupling membrane underneath your tile. By spending the extra money on products and materials that protect your home, you’ll have a healthy, longer lasting and sustainable home. We have the ability to build homes that can last our lifetime and the next, but we don’t always want to spend the money. I say, don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution and build responsibly!
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