@@JeffDeWitt Agreed. This is a possible negligent homicide in the making. While we're at it, home inspectors that sign off on this sort of stuff should lose their licenses and do jail time.
The person that sold this house committed fraud and should be held accountable. We purchased a house in Florida that had similar termite damage that the previous owners were aware of and hid the fact that they knew. The law suit is on going. Luckily the state of Florida has owner disclosure laws that require the seller to disclose all problems that can materially effect the value of the property.
It's part of the home inspector's job. There were far too many obvious problems to reasonbly claim he didn't know. Can anybody say kickbacks from home sales. Further, the previous owner took specific actions to camouflage many of the key problems. This should be any easy lawsuit against several parties who were directly and intentionally involved in defraud these people. At the very least, they should make these people infamous! They wouldn't dare sue because they would lose BADLY. That "inspector" needs to lose his credentials. And the fraudsters who flipped this house be run out of the business. This case was truly egregious.
Shouldn’t a buyer have the house inspected long before they close on it? It is mind boggling that anyone would make a major purchase such as this before having it checked out.
I consciously and deliberately avoided flipped homes while house hunting for this very reason. All the flipper's money goes into cosmetic appeal, not the hidden structure.
Exactly... Id rather hire a pro to do the work correctly and buy an ugly home that is structurally sound. Renos are like butt and bra padding. Sure it looks appealing... but eventually, you're gonna have to admit to someone you stuff your clothing.
Yup. I am no expert here, but "Recently Renovated" seems like such a huge red flag to me. And personally, I rather like the character that comes with a more dated look.
Pro tip: Look at the sales history of any home you are purchasing (most major sites like Zillow, Redfin, etc. will have recent recorded sales) If the house was sold a year ago for $15K, you can be assured it had major issues. This is when you need to be extra cautious because it was likely fixed to be flipped, not held- and you should ask what company did the work, ask the seller to produce work permits and inspection records. And ALWAYS have a specialist inspect for insects. And critters.
Never, never, never buy a house that was last purchased less than two years ago by an LLC. I have inspected dozens of houses that were flips and almost exclusively, they are all covering up a disaster. I just finished a deposition on a case involving a flipped house. It is unlivable, it is unsafe, it must be torn down. The home inspector caught NOTHING!!
I've flipped homes and currently fix homes to be rentals. I probably over spend on my houses so I don't usually profit a ton, but I rather sleep well at night knowing I did what was right and correct for the next person. I've had contractors say things like "it's a flip" or "it's just a rental" while working for me and I get burned up. I set them straight and make sure they do it right. I will inspect their work and make sure it's all to code. I never call them again for another remodel I'm working on if hear them once say that. I hate that mentality of cover up or cut corners.
thank you for working this way. i do as well. safety first then esthetics. i do not want to hear from the new owners (in a bad way ) about a product i have touched.
One of the teachers at our local high school bought a renovated house. It looked absolutely adorable but soon turned into a nightmare for him. The worst of it was the roof completely collapsed on one side of the house. I feel so bad for him. He’s a brand new teacher and is now couch surfing and still has mortgage payments!! There should be legal recourse for this type of thing!
I was always weary of flipped homes but this just confiirms my suspicions. It's better to just buy a fixer upper on your own so you know what's going on with it. Too much stuff is covered up when you buy a flipped home.
A certain political view from one side is that businesses and business transactions will self regulate without government regulations. Talk about delusional fantasy! So when you hear politicians talk about all the regulations and government red tape their policies have eliminated, this is the result.
It won't be because the class of people who buy these houses would like to have the types of jobs as those who're selling the house to them. When crime is mentioned, home inspectors and house flippers are not what quickly springs to mind. When we quickly go through ghettoes home inspectors and slumlords aren't what comes to mind. As long as people continue to think that way, the real estate industry will continue as it is.
I remember seeing this when it was first aired and felt so sorry for the homeowners who seemed such a lovely couple. It must have been devastating to have been given such bad news. It’s great that there are people in the world to help couples like the homeowners.
I watched all these back on HGTV back in the day when they aired. I am so glad there was someone like Mike to help them. I wish we had more professionals, more standards (minimum code sucks!), and more protections for homeowners against these things.
The issue is that either the renter or the owner must in some way pay insurance and property taxes if they want a "permanent roof" with utilities like electricity, gas and water. Because of this, many people-at least in California, where I currently reside-are living in tents. No taxes, rent, mortgages, or insurance. The number of people who tell me they live in their car that I meet amazes me. Its crazy out here!
Winter in Canada used to shield us from large number of people living in cars. Consequence: home prices have exploded in the past few decades, one of the most unaffordable countries out there. People have no choice, we are seeing tent cities everywhere
I’ve been in the trades for 25 years. One thing I’ve learnt is sometimes you should knock buildings down. Heritage is nice but everything has a lifespan. I’ve seen some crazy stuff in old buildings. Drywall is an amazing product to hide everything.
Just depends if the budget is there or not. If someone has the budget to do a major overhaul on the problems, then I think keeping old buildings is quite nice. But it’s absolutely no good for anyone to do patchwork on a property that’s just falling apart.
Drywall is not a product you should use to build a house. Nothing better than using stone and mortar. The house I live in in Germany is over 300 years old..... The inner walls are over 50cm (20in) thick and the outer walls are over 100cm (40in). In North America most homes are not build to last more than 20years and most are only made of wood and drywall. It's rare to see stone or bricks and when it is only the outer walls.
These types of episodes prove that all contractors and builders need to be financially responsible for their work. If they build below code risk the safety of others and scam them out of people's money should be punished.
Can anyone tell me what liability is there on a city inspector that inspects and signs off on any job? I am certain that it is common fir even permitted jobs are crap but get passed by the inspectors.
Or if doing the bare minimum compromises the buyers and their safety, the laws need to be tightened. Require a B- or C+ level of certification performance.
@@Gypsygirl9 At least in the US, in most states Home Inspectors have to be licensed, you can find that info online fairly easy to check your local area.
Here in the USA Laws vary from state to state but all require a seller to reveal to the buyer any known issues with the property. This could include repairs, renovations, past or current problems, even neighborhood issues like noise or proximity to nearby construction. The seller needs to be in court and held accountable.
I wonder if Canada's laws are different. I imagine this happens all over, but I've seen so many illegally done work on shows from Canada, Property Brothers early on had so many problems with shoddy work and not divulged issues with the house. Crazy!
@@jenn976They just shift the LLC or Corp another legal idenity or have one for each property. You have nothing to go after. Contractors are subbed. It's not easy to exact justice when loopholes are the system.
This was common in old houses (late 1800s- early 1900s). But man, seeing a done basement with carpet would really concern me in a old house. No way that’s gonna stay dry
criminal & civiI LIABILITY FOR FRAUD No Statute for a real estate crime like this - tell us how that goes all the parties are known ; Seller realtors inspectors (Prvt and city) etc and whoever did coverup work had NO permits OR Bogus INSPECTION Big eye opener for buyers and getting an insurance binder held in escrow for warranty 3 mos minimum after. To get all the facts. Have a right to see the other bidders / offers validation of price -who all may have been many fake to jack up sale price.
In some states, you can’t sue the inspector at all. If they miss anything, you can only get back the money you paid for the inspection. If, they missed something…which they usually do, state law says you can get a refund of the $299.00 you paid for the inspection. And you’re stuck with the repairs, problems with your insurance company for compliance issues, that the bank, realtor, and insurance companies are sometimes in on. 🤦🏾♀️ You are stuck with the mortgage payments, and high interest rates.
They really need to go back all these years later and check up on the homes. That would make a wholesome episode because there would probably be nothing wrong.
My electrician buddy said "you should give a plumber, and electrician and a general contractor $100 or whatever each to come look at a house. I had a home inspection and he missed a TON that my electrician buddy saw - that didn't have anything to do with electrical. It only takes an online class in MN to become an "inspector". You can go from baking cakes to "inspecting" homes in a month here... Ridiculous!!
@@annasolovyeva1013 for sure not houses in MN... It is just an online class. Not sure about other states but MN is a blue state so I'd assume it's a "more strict" state about stuff like this.
I recently had to have my roof repaired. The inspector came and inspected it when it was halfway done and then when it was done. It had literally leaked the day before he checked it out. He cleared it anyway. Said it was up to code. It leaks, but it's up to code. I'm so pissed off I can't even think straight right now.
How did they not notice that the doors had been cut off? I'm always astonished by how little people know about examining a house before they buy it. Thanks, Dad, for the passive education I just absorbed over years of working with you renovating houses. All the danger signs he always talked about and his insistence on ripping everything out if necessary and replacing everything from foundation to roof if needed and doing a job that would last 100 years was annoying when I had to give up summer holidays and after-school time to help him. But boy, was it an education that has no doubt saved my siblings and me hundreds of thousands of dollars in NOT buying a pig in a prom dress.
Dumb comment. Pigs are one of the cleanest animals in the world. Look it up. They're also adorable, intelligent, and loyal. It would be much more fitting to say "a human in a prom dress."
It's too bad you missed the love bonding with your dad in your earlier years. But now you see the gifts he gave you. Don't forget to do the same with your kids, or nieces and nephews. You know they'll be thankful in the future. Just as I am.
@AdelineCowgirl dumb comment. Nobody said anything about cleanliness. The phrase refers to making something ugly, look pretty by dressing it up. And before you rattle off that pigs are adorable, that's subjective. Way to open your mouth and show your lack of comprehension skills. 😂
Man, my dad didn’t know much about houses and didn’t teach me anything about them. I later taught myself which was a painful process. You’re very lucky! I was always jealous of my friends who seemed to know a lot about construction that they picked up from dad or uncles. I plan on teaching my kids as much as possible. But I still have a lot to learn.
What a nightmare! Maybe I lack imagination but seeing all that rot and damage I kept thinking there’s no way this house can be saved.. demo it and start over Glad Mike was able to help this couple out, they seem like genuinely good people
Love you Mike Holmes my dad was a builder and construction guy for 45 years he built houses, motels and schools in our county that are over 35+ years and other than basic maintenance they are fine he was like you let's take our time do it right the first time thanks to your crew and contractors for what you do.. Steve from West Virginia...
Home inspectors must perform a visual inspection…. No intrusive tests. Sure some of the stuff he missed but he might be new. There’s a lot that goes into an inspection, also most inspectors carry both e and I and gl insurance
Another very good episode, thank you! It is so disgusting how people can deceive one another for money, foregoing all the devasting side effects to others.
I was devastated for this young couple. Fantastic to see her so excited about a tiny bathroom. The basement shower def belongs to my boy here. What a rollercoaster. I started angry and sad and ended up smiling and fistpumping. Love seeing these apprentices and young crew learning and practicing proper building.
I bought a flipped house. I could tell as I looked at it and as my realtor told me a little about it's history. Subsequently, I learned more later from my neighbors. I later learned that there was a sewer problem impacting thousands of folks in this state who's houses were built in the '70s. Did the research and discovered there was a winning class action suit about the neighborhoods' sewers. I got an attorney. It took me 3 years, but I got enough money to pay for a new sewer line from my house to the county pipes. The rest of the house was okay. I lived there almost 10 years.
I've lost a couple jobs for refusing to cover stuff up or do half a$$ work, and will continue to. This stuff makes me sick! Though the contractor does it he does so at the behest of the homeowners trying to "save,save,save"
WOW I'm only half way through this video and Mike and crew have to re build this entire house! What would this young couple have done without you? Thank you Mike Holmes and all who helped. Unbelievable!
I wondered the same thing. Wouldn't, by law, they have to divulge all those problems? Its obvious they covered it all up. This was not only structurally harmful, but infectious disease harmful, and psychologically so. With Asbestos, termites, and raw sewage, this house was a disaster waiting to happen. Mike took many pics, and with this video, I really hope they sued them, knowing this is an older video.
Those CAD animations are *really, really* helpful in illustrating what you're talking about in these videos. Thanks so much for all the effort you put in to sharing your expertise with your viewers.
I just bought my first house. The wifes husband passed away and she wanted to downsize. They were original owners of home, with records going back on everything they did from 2004 until 2023. They also had a termite warranty and other such stuff. They made sure it got transfered to my name. They were awesome.
Wonderful team and good work. Mike knows his stuff and what to do. Unfortunately it is shocking how new owners can be scammed like this. Shame on them and the inspectors not taking there work seriously.
Same, I'd also be horrified knowing at any moment, the house could collapse because of so much termite damage! Especially with a child living in the home😞
I'm so glad this lovely couple got the help they needed. My daughter just bought a house in Louisiana that had extensions but it did not have the right air conditioning unit for that large of a house so right after buying the house they had to redo all of the AC
Thanks for the education throughout the years Mike! Now I am confident in the "armor" I have going into the "war zone" of real estate and crookedness of agents, sellars, and, inspectors...bless their hearts when they encounter me and my "Holmes" hardware! 😅😅😅
I love it when prior homeowners neglect the roof and let it leak and allow water to come in and ruin the insulation in the ceiling and walls and FINALLY fix the roof and instead of properly fixing the insulation they just cover it up with new drywall and deceitfully sell the home as if everything is still properly insulated. I would NEVER do that to someone, but people do it all the time.
House inspectors are useless. Trust me. I am an engineering expert who has been involved in numerous lawsuits involving home inspections. Roofing and stucco inspectors are no better. Inspectors have no real understanding of how and why houses are built the way they are, and have only cursory experience in construction. I wish I had good advice, but other than hiring a very expensive engineer, like me, there is no good advice I can give.
Absolutely. They drive their $100k plus trucks around with maybe a ladder flashlight and not much else they earn Way too much for what they do with no one to check their inspection
When they delivered the house, I was expecting to see the homeowners to have grey hair. But when he said 7 weeks and $150K… that was a surprise. That’s very good for the quality of work and the turnaround time.
Only part of the way in and I feel awful for those sweet people. I just watched the shot of Holmes walking into the short door on his knees and I LOLed. Thank you guys for the great work that you do.
There should be laws that any basement renovations below grade, require permits and need to be inspected for termites. This means that failure to do so, and the house is sold and the buyer discovers termite or drainage issues after sale, the buyer can sue the seller and the contractor for repairs within 10 years after purchase of home.
I've seen so many video's that show these "scammer repairs" the worst is where they glue tile onto sheet rock in both bathrooms and kitchens and claim it is a water proof surface. the damage to the sheet rock and to the supporting 2x4's is terrible. Seen it go through the kit walls and ruin the outside paneling as well.... seen bondo used to repair termite damage... House flippers are notorious for doing this kind of stuff.
It seems to me the only thing structural left in that house was the drywall. I can't imagine how devastating it is for new owners when they get screwed that way.
This happens ALL THE TIME. From flippers who see the home as an investment to homeowners wanting to spruce up before dumping the home. This is why new Construction is SO popular for new home buyers. Sadly in my state their are laws preventing a new home buyer from sueing the seller over even obvious cover ups and lemon houses so it encourages them to do the same to the next person.
Does the Holmes crew ever help provide documentation and witness/expert testimony to support the homeowners in law suits against the sellers? I know this is Canada and not USA, but I would imagine there has to be a responsibility on the seller to disclose known issues; and knowingly hiding them is pretty solid evidence they did so.
There ought to be a company that provides home inspections and if their inspector signs off on the house the company provides a warranty on the house. If they were doing it right people selling homes could pay for that service and use it as another selling point for the house.
I am in Texas, I had a home inspection done, he missed so much, but I later found out that the home inspector could not be held liable for anything he missed. That is so stupid to me. If I am required to have a home inspection, which I was, they could at least be held responsible for not doing their job.
It should be easy to get to get criminal charges going. But diesn't seem to be the case. I guess if a home has had many owners ( owner occupied), it can be hard to know at what point, which occupant was in the know and guilty if teying to hide and cover up.
The perpetrators of what is no more than an obvious con job, should at the very least be liable for all the expenses incurred in rebuilding the house. They should also do a little time for what they did to these poor people. We do love this show for many reasons. Good, caring professionals helping right some of the many wrongs in this world. Thank your for what you all do and thank you for one of our favorite shows. God bless you all.
You should’ve disclosed the names of the previous contractors, owner and inspector! They deserve to be shamed and investigated! I hope there will be lawsuits! Amazing work!
The last few months while I have been recuperating, I have watched a lot of videos. I have watched I guess all of your videos. I love them. How you love people and help them, and how you are so diligent to the perfection of what needs to be done. This house was the most appalling and crawling. I could not see that it could be repaired. But you and your crews did it!! wow! I have enjoyed watching and being encouraged that there really are true, honest, skilled craftsmen still working today. Great videos. Great renovations. Thank you for sharing.
Termite inspections typically costs extra on top of the home inspection and have to be requested by the buyer. So if they didn't request that, it's not really the inspector's fault, neither is all the crap hidden behind the "renovated" walls. I had the same issue on my first house. Ripped out a piece of drywall (actually they put up beadboard and just painted it to look like the drywall) and found crumbling 2x4s. I ended up replacing almost the entire front wall of the house.
Buying a house is super exciting but stressful! Some buyers were waiving the inspection fees just to buy the house i ended up buying. My realtor said absolutely not! Always get an inspection. Its worth every penny.
Proof that no one should feel pressured to buy. Renting gets snuffed at by homeowners but it’s still better until you can THOROUGHLY inspect and properly buy a home without hot buyer’s market pressures.
Amazing I have never seen a house this bad and I have been watching Holmes on homes for a long time. Does he ever go after or sue the previous people that flip the house? Those poor people this would have to be $100,000 or more right to fix all this.
It's crazy looking at these episodes and seeing Mike Jr and Sherry as like apprentices to where they've grown into today. Also I wonder what happened to Damen and all the others that used to be in the shows back in the old days. I figure they're probably still working with Mike but don't appear on the shows anymore and just work other sites.
Never buy a flip!!! I hate paying twice to do things right. That’s why I do things right the first time. If you buy a flip, you just paid once, be prepared to pay again!!!! We finally purchased a home that was untouched!!
And thats why you dont get caught up in this crazy over bidding and waving inspections. I was out bid a bunch of times on these houses that were really rough. One of them is sitting abandoned half renovated for almost 2 years now.
There are two types of home inspectors buyer inspectors and seller inspectors. Realtors tend to use inspectors that pass most houses because they want it to sell. Hire your own inspector that looks out for your best interest not the seller's interest. And it is always great if you can be there when they do the inspection on the home.
I was in a hurry to buy a house in an area unknown by me and made the mistake of hiring an inspector recommended by the realtor. He would not even remove the cover from the electrical panel to inspect it because he stated he might be responsible if the paint got chipped.
their original inspector said it was a "sound house"...a "bidding war". omg this is a nightmare. worst i've seen. those poor people. i hope they were able to sue the previous seller and that the inspector had some consequences
I purchased a home that i found had a slow leak in the plumbing, specifically the drain pipe for the kitchen sink. Instead of the 100 dollar repair (thats all it cost to get it repaired) they first covered it up with drywall, then a second layer of drywall, then a layer of sheetrock, then a layer of plywood and more drywall. By the time we found it the water had soaked into the wood and completely rotted out that section of the exterior wall. Thank god the support beam was JUST out of the range of the damage and same with the joists for the flooring. We got to it just before it could become a real nightmare requiring the wall to basically be rebuilt, instead it just needed some extra support added. Like these peoples house there was asbestos on our pipes, common from when the house was built. Asbestos is one of those things that if you have it you just dont touch it and its not dangerous. Its when you need to change those pipes that there is a problem. They also lied about how old the water heater was so we did not replace it and it burst thankfully there was nothing in particular downstairs for it to damage. I always wonder what else they might have hidden behind fixes. The amount of money that it would cost to fix this mess.. well its not surprising when you find substandard fixes.
I would be super wary of a finished basement in an old house. Most likely the basement is not waterproofed so moisture will get in behind the carpet and drywall and cause a lot of rot/mold issues.
I've watched this episode at least 3 times i can't believe there is not any recourse these first time home buyer's can't take to make the seller liable. Glad Mike is making it right.
WOW. just wow. first, I hope the old owner and their crew(s) meet with the appropriate karma. im a realtor and i have had my fair share of very disappointed buyers and broken seller contracts, because i will NOT allow a buyer to purchase something with this much "hidden" stuff. that inspector missed and/or did not delve into some very very obvious questionable things that could be seen by the eye. im way over here and this is just heart breaking to see and knowing that this is this couple's first home..... i do hope they can enjoy many many years in thier new home, now. safety is always first. thanks for the great vid.
My first house, the home inspector found nothing, spent years fixing it correctly. The inspector when I sold the house found everything(and complimented me on the state of the home after). My current house , is the opposite. every time I look at something closely or need to repair I find the previous work and materials to be of top quality. It's made the maintenance heating and comfort of the house inexpensive and repairs rare. it's an 1850's brick house with good overhangs and a solid dry basement good windows etc. It was dated on the inside but solid, I had some termite damage in the addition the inspector found. I'm remodeling it into the new kitchen and this just allows me to demo and build what I want anyway. In the end I saved a lot of money, and know my house is solidly built and livable.
This is a beautiful couple building a beautiful family. ❤ I hate it when stuff like this happens to good folks. well-spoken and an A-class in a mannerism.
The crooks who cover this stuff up when selling homes need to be held accountable for their fraud
Yes they do. This was probably a house flip.
Unfortunately too expensive to sue then.
@@Cheepchipsable There ought to be criminal charges filed against them and thy should spend a long time in prison.
@@JeffDeWitt Agreed. This is a possible negligent homicide in the making. While we're at it, home inspectors that sign off on this sort of stuff should lose their licenses and do jail time.
Or if it was legal or not hire someone to go after them and get legal involved or whatever works thank God Mike and his crew where there to fix it all
The person that sold this house committed fraud and should be held accountable. We purchased a house in Florida that had similar termite damage that the previous owners were aware of and hid the fact that they knew. The law suit is on going. Luckily the state of Florida has owner disclosure laws that require the seller to disclose all problems that can materially effect the value of the property.
Totally agree. Major costs associated; a fat pig with lip stick.
It can go against the L&O or something like that on their insurance. The realtor, broker or real estate company. It's something and omissions
Unfortunately... the hardest part is proving their knowledge
It's part of the home inspector's job. There were far too many obvious problems to reasonbly claim he didn't know. Can anybody say kickbacks from home sales. Further, the previous owner took specific actions to camouflage many of the key problems. This should be any easy lawsuit against several parties who were directly and intentionally involved in defraud these people. At the very least, they should make these people infamous! They wouldn't dare sue because they would lose BADLY. That "inspector" needs to lose his credentials. And the fraudsters who flipped this house be run out of the business. This case was truly egregious.
Shouldn’t a buyer have the house inspected long before they close on it? It is mind boggling that anyone would make a major purchase such as this before having it checked out.
This is one of those episodes you can see the entire crew would like to "have a word" with previous contractors
hahaha
$150,000. Who paid for all that?
Right
Advertisers. The new owners were very lucky to be selected for this show.
@@breadfan9that’s cheap. Today it would have cost at least double
I consciously and deliberately avoided flipped homes while house hunting for this very reason.
All the flipper's money goes into cosmetic appeal, not the hidden structure.
and when the home-owners are looking for stainless steel appliances they are easily duped
Exactly... Id rather hire a pro to do the work correctly and buy an ugly home that is structurally sound. Renos are like butt and bra padding. Sure it looks appealing... but eventually, you're gonna have to admit to someone you stuff your clothing.
Yup. I am no expert here, but "Recently Renovated" seems like such a huge red flag to me. And personally, I rather like the character that comes with a more dated look.
True
@@happy_bubble7you have to be real careful with old homes. Esp if you look at the neighborhood you can see that they were not all well maintained.
Pro tip: Look at the sales history of any home you are purchasing (most major sites like Zillow, Redfin, etc. will have recent recorded sales) If the house was sold a year ago for $15K, you can be assured it had major issues. This is when you need to be extra cautious because it was likely fixed to be flipped, not held- and you should ask what company did the work, ask the seller to produce work permits and inspection records. And ALWAYS have a specialist inspect for insects. And critters.
I agree, you have to do your due diligence...
Man, that's solid advice!!
Cracks me up whenever i see corded power tools on a job site
Never, never, never buy a house that was last purchased less than two years ago by an LLC. I have inspected dozens of houses that were flips and almost exclusively, they are all covering up a disaster. I just finished a deposition on a case involving a flipped house. It is unlivable, it is unsafe, it must be torn down. The home inspector caught NOTHING!!
@@daviduliana4447 you usually weon't find anything under 3 years since most mortgage companies require the house to be held three years.
I've flipped homes and currently fix homes to be rentals. I probably over spend on my houses so I don't usually profit a ton, but I rather sleep well at night knowing I did what was right and correct for the next person. I've had contractors say things like "it's a flip" or "it's just a rental" while working for me and I get burned up. I set them straight and make sure they do it right. I will inspect their work and make sure it's all to code. I never call them again for another remodel I'm working on if hear them once say that. I hate that mentality of cover up or cut corners.
Best mentality. It will be someone’s home and it’s best to be able to face the person it sells to in the future.
thank you for working this way. i do as well. safety first then esthetics. i do not want to hear from the new owners (in a bad way ) about a product i have touched.
You are one of the good guys and nowadays that's one in a million. Thank you and I know God will bless you always 🙏 ❤
One of the teachers at our local high school bought a renovated house. It looked absolutely adorable but soon turned into a nightmare for him. The worst of it was the roof completely collapsed on one side of the house. I feel so bad for him. He’s a brand new teacher and is now couch surfing and still has mortgage payments!! There should be legal recourse for this type of thing!
I think he can sue via the Liens & Omissions part of the insurance
I was always weary of flipped homes but this just confiirms my suspicions. It's better to just buy a fixer upper on your own so you know what's going on with it. Too much stuff is covered up when you buy a flipped home.
A certain political view from one side is that businesses and business transactions will self regulate without government regulations. Talk about delusional fantasy! So when you hear politicians talk about all the regulations and government red tape their policies have eliminated, this is the result.
There is legal recourse. Have him talk to a real estate attorney.
It won't be because the class of people who buy these houses would like to have the types of jobs as those who're selling the house to them. When crime is mentioned, home inspectors and house flippers are not what quickly springs to mind. When we quickly go through ghettoes home inspectors and slumlords aren't what comes to mind. As long as people continue to think that way, the real estate industry will continue as it is.
I remember seeing this when it was first aired and felt so sorry for the homeowners who seemed such a lovely couple.
It must have been devastating to have been given such bad news.
It’s great that there are people in the world to help couples like the homeowners.
I watched all these back on HGTV back in the day when they aired. I am so glad there was someone like Mike to help them. I wish we had more professionals, more standards (minimum code sucks!), and more protections for homeowners against these things.
The issue is that either the renter or the owner must in some way pay insurance and property taxes if they want a "permanent roof" with utilities like electricity, gas and water. Because of this, many people-at least in California, where I currently reside-are living in tents. No taxes, rent, mortgages, or insurance. The number of people who tell me they live in their car that I meet amazes me. Its crazy out here!
Winter in Canada used to shield us from large number of people living in cars. Consequence: home prices have exploded in the past few decades, one of the most unaffordable countries out there. People have no choice, we are seeing tent cities everywhere
I’ve been in the trades for 25 years. One thing I’ve learnt is sometimes you should knock buildings down. Heritage is nice but everything has a lifespan. I’ve seen some crazy stuff in old buildings. Drywall is an amazing product to hide everything.
running around on your knees to be a short guy🤣🤣🤣
Just depends if the budget is there or not. If someone has the budget to do a major overhaul on the problems, then I think keeping old buildings is quite nice. But it’s absolutely no good for anyone to do patchwork on a property that’s just falling apart.
Drywall is not a product you should use to build a house. Nothing better than using stone and mortar. The house I live in in Germany is over 300 years old..... The inner walls are over 50cm (20in) thick and the outer walls are over 100cm (40in). In North America most homes are not build to last more than 20years and most are only made of wood and drywall. It's rare to see stone or bricks and when it is only the outer walls.
I think that was the most disastrous house I've seen yet on this show! What an amazing project and end result!
I said the same thing, on any house. Those termites were the absolute worst!
I think that a lot watching Holmes shows, but eventually, something tops it.
These types of episodes prove that all contractors and builders need to be financially responsible for their work. If they build below code risk the safety of others and scam them out of people's money should be punished.
Can anyone tell me what liability is there on a city inspector that inspects and signs off on any job? I am certain that it is common fir even permitted jobs are crap but get passed by the inspectors.
Or if doing the bare minimum compromises the buyers and their safety, the laws need to be tightened. Require a B- or C+ level of certification performance.
@@Gypsygirl9 At least in the US, in most states Home Inspectors have to be licensed, you can find that info online fairly easy to check your local area.
You would think that's how it works
Here in the USA Laws vary from state to state but all require a seller to reveal to the buyer any known issues with the property. This could include repairs, renovations, past or current problems, even neighborhood issues like noise or proximity to nearby construction. The seller needs to be in court and held accountable.
I wonder if Canada's laws are different. I imagine this happens all over, but I've seen so many illegally done work on shows from Canada, Property Brothers early on had so many problems with shoddy work and not divulged issues with the house. Crazy!
There are flippers in the US too who get away with crap like this and never get taken to court. Don’t kid yourself.
I'm sure the law is there, but you need money to sue them first - then you need to hope they have the ability to repay it.
@@jenn976They just shift the LLC or Corp another legal idenity or have one for each property. You have nothing to go after. Contractors are subbed. It's not easy to exact justice when loopholes are the system.
Those seller disclosures are pretty much pointless.
The former owner needs a hefty lawsuit. One thing I can’t get used to is how close together the houses are
IMMEDIATELY!
This was common in old houses (late 1800s- early 1900s).
But man, seeing a done basement with carpet would really concern me in a old house. No way that’s gonna stay dry
ITS AMAZING THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. THE PEOPLE THAT SOLD THE HOUSE SHOULD BE ARRESTED FOR THIS.
please at least SUED and licenses revoked...all involved
Agreed. @@sherilynl4038
criminal & civiI LIABILITY FOR FRAUD No Statute for a real estate crime like this - tell us how that goes all the parties are known ; Seller realtors inspectors (Prvt and city) etc and whoever did coverup work had NO permits OR Bogus INSPECTION Big eye opener for buyers and getting an insurance binder held in escrow for warranty 3 mos minimum after. To get all the facts. Have a right to see the other bidders / offers validation of price -who all may have been many fake to jack up sale price.
In some states, you can’t sue the inspector at all.
If they miss anything, you can only get back the money you paid for the inspection.
If, they missed something…which they usually do, state law says you can get a refund of the $299.00 you paid for the inspection.
And you’re stuck with the repairs, problems with your insurance company for compliance issues, that the bank, realtor, and insurance companies are sometimes in on.
🤦🏾♀️
You are stuck with the mortgage payments, and high interest rates.
They really need to go back all these years later and check up on the homes. That would make a wholesome episode because there would probably be nothing wrong.
My electrician buddy said "you should give a plumber, and electrician and a general contractor $100 or whatever each to come look at a house. I had a home inspection and he missed a TON that my electrician buddy saw - that didn't have anything to do with electrical.
It only takes an online class in MN to become an "inspector". You can go from baking cakes to "inspecting" homes in a month here... Ridiculous!!
It would cost alot more in this economy but I like the idea of trade professionals inspecting their specialty
Inspecting bulidings actually is a higher education. Civil engineering.
@@annasolovyeva1013 for sure not houses in MN... It is just an online class. Not sure about other states but MN is a blue state so I'd assume it's a "more strict" state about stuff like this.
@@Helloreality101 not in MN.
In other world out of the US - e.g. Russia. It's civil engineering, at least a bachelor.
That is a good suggestion.
Thank goodness Mike and his team were able to help, that house seems like it was redone like makeup surface fix and sold it for top price.
I recently had to have my roof repaired. The inspector came and inspected it when it was halfway done and then when it was done. It had literally leaked the day before he checked it out. He cleared it anyway. Said it was up to code. It leaks, but it's up to code. I'm so pissed off I can't even think straight right now.
The producers must have had a heart attack when they realize how much this was going to cost them 😂
When they saw that termite damage they showed they knew it was at least a $100K.
I was wondering about who paid for this?
With these shows, I wouldn't be surprised if the homeowners still pay for inspections and repairs. No different than those other rennovation shows.
I think it's insurance partially. Thats why hes a inspector now lol
@@DJReneebig difference between termite damage and there being litteraly no foundation
How did they not notice that the doors had been cut off? I'm always astonished by how little people know about examining a house before they buy it. Thanks, Dad, for the passive education I just absorbed over years of working with you renovating houses. All the danger signs he always talked about and his insistence on ripping everything out if necessary and replacing everything from foundation to roof if needed and doing a job that would last 100 years was annoying when I had to give up summer holidays and after-school time to help him. But boy, was it an education that has no doubt saved my siblings and me hundreds of thousands of dollars in NOT buying a pig in a prom dress.
I can't wait for the opportunity to use the phrase "a pig in a prom dress".😂
Dumb comment. Pigs are one of the cleanest animals in the world. Look it up. They're also adorable, intelligent, and loyal. It would be much more fitting to say "a human in a prom dress."
It's too bad you missed the love bonding with your dad in your earlier years. But now you see the gifts he gave you. Don't forget to do the same with your kids, or nieces and nephews. You know they'll be thankful in the future. Just as I am.
@AdelineCowgirl dumb comment. Nobody said anything about cleanliness. The phrase refers to making something ugly, look pretty by dressing it up. And before you rattle off that pigs are adorable, that's subjective. Way to open your mouth and show your lack of comprehension skills. 😂
Man, my dad didn’t know much about houses and didn’t teach me anything about them. I later taught myself which was a painful process. You’re very lucky! I was always jealous of my friends who seemed to know a lot about construction that they picked up from dad or uncles.
I plan on teaching my kids as much as possible. But I still have a lot to learn.
What a nightmare!
Maybe I lack imagination but seeing all that rot and damage I kept thinking there’s no way this house can be saved.. demo it and start over
Glad Mike was able to help this couple out, they seem like genuinely good people
Love you Mike Holmes my dad was a builder and construction guy for 45 years he built houses, motels and schools in our county that are over 35+ years and other than basic maintenance they are fine he was like you let's take our time do it right the first time thanks to your crew and contractors for what you do.. Steve from West Virginia...
The inspector is accountable, the builder is accountable, the previous owner is accountable. I hope they all get sued.
Home inspectors must perform a visual inspection…. No intrusive tests. Sure some of the stuff he missed but he might be new. There’s a lot that goes into an inspection, also most inspectors carry both e and I and gl insurance
Another very good episode, thank you! It is so disgusting how people can deceive one another for money, foregoing all the devasting side effects to others.
"10 families bid on the house?" THAT MEANS THEY OVERPAID FOR THE HOUSE! 😪
I was devastated for this young couple. Fantastic to see her so excited about a tiny bathroom. The basement shower def belongs to my boy here.
What a rollercoaster. I started angry and sad and ended up smiling and fistpumping.
Love seeing these apprentices and young crew learning and practicing proper building.
I love the full episodes. Brings me back to the time id watch these on the tv while home sick from school.
Facts
One word, "Flippers", beware of them, you younger generations. Avoid flipper homes at all costs!
I bought a flipped house. I could tell as I looked at it and as my realtor told me a little about it's history. Subsequently, I learned more later from my neighbors. I later learned that there was a sewer problem impacting thousands of folks in this state who's houses were built in the '70s. Did the research and discovered there was a winning class action suit about the neighborhoods' sewers. I got an attorney. It took me 3 years, but I got enough money to pay for a new sewer line from my house to the county pipes. The rest of the house was okay. I lived there almost 10 years.
I've lost a couple jobs for refusing to cover stuff up or do half a$$ work, and will continue to. This stuff makes me sick! Though the contractor does it he does so at the behest of the homeowners trying to "save,save,save"
I really didn’t think this house could be salvaged! I felt so very sorry for this nice young couple, but you were able to help them. Well done.
WOW I'm only half way through this video and Mike and crew have to re build this entire house! What would this young couple have done without you? Thank you Mike Holmes and all who helped. Unbelievable!
I think the couple should sue the other home owner, its disgusting, but mike came in and fixed . Well done mike and crew 😊
I wondered the same thing. Wouldn't, by law, they have to divulge all those problems? Its obvious they covered it all up. This was not only structurally harmful, but infectious disease harmful, and psychologically so. With Asbestos, termites, and raw sewage, this house was a disaster waiting to happen. Mike took many pics, and with this video, I really hope they sued them, knowing this is an older video.
Those CAD animations are *really, really* helpful in illustrating what you're talking about in these videos. Thanks so much for all the effort you put in to sharing your expertise with your viewers.
Sir, you're a nation treasure. I wish there were more contractors like you around.
I just bought my first house. The wifes husband passed away and she wanted to downsize. They were original owners of home, with records going back on everything they did from 2004 until 2023. They also had a termite warranty and other such stuff. They made sure it got transfered to my name. They were awesome.
Wonderful team and good work. Mike knows his stuff and what to do. Unfortunately it is shocking how new owners can be scammed like this. Shame on them and the inspectors not taking there work seriously.
If I bought this house I would be on the floor bawling my eyes out, It's insane to cover up something like this, so sad, glad they had help
Same, I'd also be horrified knowing at any moment, the house could collapse because of so much termite damage! Especially with a child living in the home😞
I pray they were able to sue the sellers into gitmo
@@williamtarpley4025they could create an entire new spinoff show where a real estate lawyer sues shady contractors.
Thank you for uploading these old school episodes, Holmes is the best.
One of the greatest modern Canadian icons
So basically you need to have the inspector, inspected before they're hired to inspect your home.
RE:lovingme1st973. Correct. I think in most states, inspectors do not have to be licensed.
Trust but verify
All the hard work these people did! Be kind to each other. Stay Safe. Love to all
I'm so glad this lovely couple got the help they needed. My daughter just bought a house in Louisiana that had extensions but it did not have the right air conditioning unit for that large of a house so right after buying the house they had to redo all of the AC
Thanks for the education throughout the years Mike! Now I am confident in the "armor" I have going into the "war zone" of real estate and crookedness of agents, sellars, and, inspectors...bless their hearts when they encounter me and my "Holmes" hardware! 😅😅😅
Your customers will appreciate you for it.
I love it when prior homeowners neglect the roof and let it leak and allow water to come in and ruin the insulation in the ceiling and walls and FINALLY fix the roof and instead of properly fixing the insulation they just cover it up with new drywall and deceitfully sell the home as if everything is still properly insulated. I would NEVER do that to someone, but people do it all the time.
House inspectors are useless. Trust me. I am an engineering expert who has been involved in numerous lawsuits involving home inspections. Roofing and stucco inspectors are no better. Inspectors have no real understanding of how and why houses are built the way they are, and have only cursory experience in construction. I wish I had good advice, but other than hiring a very expensive engineer, like me, there is no good advice I can give.
Absolutely. They drive their $100k plus trucks around with maybe a ladder flashlight and not much else they earn Way too much for what they do with no one to check their inspection
Stupid question but who paid for all this ? Was it the home owners insurance or out of pocket ?
Tear jerker for real. I gotta watch more
When they delivered the house, I was expecting to see the homeowners to have grey hair.
But when he said 7 weeks and $150K… that was a surprise. That’s very good for the quality of work and the turnaround time.
I feel so sorry for that couple. They were robbed and taken advantage of.
Ya know Mike? It is so nice to have you back what you do so well! Your commitment to excellence is truly refreshing. Welcome Back!!
Cliff O is My Neighbor. A classic video Brother Thanks for sharing Your passion and adventures from Toronto Ontario Canada 😎👍❤️❤️💯💯
Only part of the way in and I feel awful for those sweet people. I just watched the shot of Holmes walking into the short door on his knees and I LOLed. Thank you guys for the great work that you do.
There should be laws that any basement renovations below grade, require permits and need to be inspected for termites. This means that failure to do so, and the house is sold and the buyer discovers termite or drainage issues after sale, the buyer can sue the seller and the contractor for repairs within 10 years after purchase of home.
Knowing the limitations of home inspectors I also contracted a termite inspection.
I've seen so many video's that show these "scammer repairs" the worst is where they glue tile onto sheet rock in both bathrooms and kitchens and claim it is a water proof surface. the damage to the sheet rock and to the supporting 2x4's is terrible. Seen it go through the kit walls and ruin the outside paneling as well.... seen bondo used to repair termite damage... House flippers are notorious for doing this kind of stuff.
It seems to me the only thing structural left in that house was the drywall. I can't imagine how devastating it is for new owners when they get screwed that way.
This happens ALL THE TIME. From flippers who see the home as an investment to homeowners wanting to spruce up before dumping the home. This is why new Construction is SO popular for new home buyers.
Sadly in my state their are laws preventing a new home buyer from sueing the seller over even obvious cover ups and lemon houses so it encourages them to do the same to the next person.
Amazing people who fixed all this damage!
Does the Holmes crew ever help provide documentation and witness/expert testimony to support the homeowners in law suits against the sellers? I know this is Canada and not USA, but I would imagine there has to be a responsibility on the seller to disclose known issues; and knowingly hiding them is pretty solid evidence they did so.
There's a couple episodes of hoh where Mike is involved with legal disputes
We are all going to need legal updates on the resolution.
Rooming house, bought it, FLIPPED it, sold it to the highest bidder. Absolute ROBBERY/FRAUD.
This breaks my Heart. Watching this brought me to tears.
Love seeing how beautiful and safe the home is now
I would be curious to know how much this house cost to buy in the first place.
There ought to be a company that provides home inspections and if their inspector signs off on the house the company provides a warranty on the house. If they were doing it right people selling homes could pay for that service and use it as another selling point for the house.
I am in Texas, I had a home inspection done, he missed so much, but I later found out that the home inspector could not be held liable for anything he missed. That is so stupid to me. If I am required to have a home inspection, which I was, they could at least be held responsible for not doing their job.
At what point does this become criminal? Seriously. At what point? Enough. This is a crime.
It should be easy to get to get criminal charges going. But diesn't seem to be the case. I guess if a home has had many owners ( owner occupied), it can be hard to know at what point, which occupant was in the know and guilty if teying to hide and cover up.
The perpetrators of what is no more than an obvious con job, should at the very least be liable for all the expenses incurred in rebuilding the house. They should also do a little time for what they did to these poor people.
We do love this show for many reasons. Good, caring professionals helping right some of the many wrongs in this world. Thank your for what you all do and thank you for one of our favorite shows. God bless you all.
You should’ve disclosed the names of the previous contractors, owner and inspector! They deserve to be shamed and investigated! I hope there will be lawsuits! Amazing work!
Feel free to pull the public record on the property.
The last few months while I have been recuperating, I have watched a lot of videos. I have watched I guess all of your videos. I love them. How you love people and help them, and how you are so diligent to the perfection of what needs to be done. This house was the most appalling and crawling. I could not see that it could be repaired. But you and your crews did it!! wow!
I have enjoyed watching and being encouraged that there really are true, honest, skilled craftsmen still working today. Great videos. Great renovations. Thank you for sharing.
Termite inspections typically costs extra on top of the home inspection and have to be requested by the buyer. So if they didn't request that, it's not really the inspector's fault, neither is all the crap hidden behind the "renovated" walls. I had the same issue on my first house. Ripped out a piece of drywall (actually they put up beadboard and just painted it to look like the drywall) and found crumbling 2x4s. I ended up replacing almost the entire front wall of the house.
Not true. The inspector should have noticed the damage and recommended a termite inspection. Or the realtor if termites are common in the area.
I have been thinking about how much I loved Holmes on Homes recently. Then this popped up in my feed. Mike you are an Angel 😇
Buying a house is super exciting but stressful! Some buyers were waiving the inspection fees just to buy the house i ended up buying. My realtor said absolutely not! Always get an inspection. Its worth every penny.
Worst problem I have seen.
Best and most amount of correction. Super job.
P.S. I have learned a lot too.
Real Skills doing it right for solid Homes, Thank You ❤❤❤
Proof that no one should feel pressured to buy. Renting gets snuffed at by homeowners but it’s still better until you can THOROUGHLY inspect and properly buy a home without hot buyer’s market pressures.
I can feel the emotions of the crew. It’s kinda rare to see that in tv
Amazing I have never seen a house this bad and I have been watching Holmes on homes for a long time. Does he ever go after or sue the previous people that flip the house? Those poor people this would have to be $100,000 or more right to fix all this.
Interesting! Haven't seen this topic, Inspectors. Such valuable information
Wait... that new tiny toilet and sink is about a yard away from the fridge - so it opens into the kitchen. Appetizing!
It's crazy looking at these episodes and seeing Mike Jr and Sherry as like apprentices to where they've grown into today. Also I wonder what happened to Damen and all the others that used to be in the shows back in the old days. I figure they're probably still working with Mike but don't appear on the shows anymore and just work other sites.
Never buy a flip!!!
I hate paying twice to do things right. That’s why I do things right the first time. If you buy a flip, you just paid once, be prepared to pay again!!!! We finally purchased a home that was untouched!!
And thats why you dont get caught up in this crazy over bidding and waving inspections. I was out bid a bunch of times on these houses that were really rough. One of them is sitting abandoned half renovated for almost 2 years now.
There are two types of home inspectors buyer inspectors and seller inspectors. Realtors tend to use inspectors that pass most houses because they want it to sell. Hire your own inspector that looks out for your best interest not the seller's interest. And it is always great if you can be there when they do the inspection on the home.
exellent watch love the team work
I was in a hurry to buy a house in an area unknown by me and made the mistake of hiring an inspector recommended by the realtor. He would not even remove the cover from the electrical panel to inspect it because he stated he might be responsible if the paint got chipped.
😂 What a charlatan!
Amazing work Mr. Holmes and your crew.
their original inspector said it was a "sound house"...a "bidding war". omg this is a nightmare. worst i've seen. those poor people. i hope they were able to sue the previous seller and that the inspector had some consequences
I purchased a home that i found had a slow leak in the plumbing, specifically the drain pipe for the kitchen sink. Instead of the 100 dollar repair (thats all it cost to get it repaired) they first covered it up with drywall, then a second layer of drywall, then a layer of sheetrock, then a layer of plywood and more drywall. By the time we found it the water had soaked into the wood and completely rotted out that section of the exterior wall. Thank god the support beam was JUST out of the range of the damage and same with the joists for the flooring. We got to it just before it could become a real nightmare requiring the wall to basically be rebuilt, instead it just needed some extra support added.
Like these peoples house there was asbestos on our pipes, common from when the house was built. Asbestos is one of those things that if you have it you just dont touch it and its not dangerous. Its when you need to change those pipes that there is a problem.
They also lied about how old the water heater was so we did not replace it and it burst thankfully there was nothing in particular downstairs for it to damage.
I always wonder what else they might have hidden behind fixes.
The amount of money that it would cost to fix this mess.. well its not surprising when you find substandard fixes.
Whole house automatic water shutoff valves can detect leaks before catastrophic water damage. More and more insurance companies are requiring them.
Gail and Kevin seem like absolutely delightful people who I'd love to have as a neighbor.
Nice work. Although I was looking forward to seeing the finished outdoor staircase.....
I would be super wary of a finished basement in an old house. Most likely the basement is not waterproofed so moisture will get in behind the carpet and drywall and cause a lot of rot/mold issues.
You ARE the man Mike!!!
Omg!!!! I'm a victim of this, but when you think you have it wrong, someone else has it worse. I feel so bad for them
I've watched this episode at least 3 times i can't believe there is not any recourse these first time home buyer's can't take to make the seller liable. Glad Mike is making it right.
WOW. just wow. first, I hope the old owner and their crew(s) meet with the appropriate karma. im a realtor and i have had my fair share of very disappointed buyers and broken seller contracts, because i will NOT allow a buyer to purchase something with this much "hidden" stuff. that inspector missed and/or did not delve into some very very obvious questionable things that could be seen by the eye. im way over here and this is just heart breaking to see and knowing that this is this couple's first home..... i do hope they can enjoy many many years in thier new home, now. safety is always first. thanks for the great vid.
Amazing job as always
My first house, the home inspector found nothing, spent years fixing it correctly. The inspector when I sold the house found everything(and complimented me on the state of the home after). My current house , is the opposite. every time I look at something closely or need to repair I find the previous work and materials to be of top quality. It's made the maintenance heating and comfort of the house inexpensive and repairs rare. it's an 1850's brick house with good overhangs and a solid dry basement good windows etc. It was dated on the inside but solid, I had some termite damage in the addition the inspector found. I'm remodeling it into the new kitchen and this just allows me to demo and build what I want anyway. In the end I saved a lot of money, and know my house is solidly built and livable.
Wow. We are in a similar situation but this is horrific. I really hope this couple is doing okay.
So glad I found this!❤
This is a beautiful couple building a beautiful family. ❤ I hate it when stuff like this happens to good folks. well-spoken and an A-class in a mannerism.