The BEST episodes of Holmes on Homes season 4
Every episode of Holmes on Homes season 4, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Holmes on Homes season 4!
Construction and renovation expert Mike Holmes visits unlucky families who have been swindled or abandoned during their home improvement projects. Mike uncovers shoddy construction methods, improper techniques and down right rip-offs. You'll see Mike correct the problems, as well as explain how the homeowners could have safeguarded themselves from unscrupulous builders and dishonest contractors.
#1 - Two Steps Back
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/20/2005
After spending many years living in apartments, Tammy and Jason decided to take the plunge and buy a home to raise their son in. It was a new home, and everything seemed in order except for the staircase leading up to the front door; it was very basic and needed and upgrade. Tammy and Jason hired a contractor to build a proper cement staircase, and that's what they thought they had gotten. But as 2 year warranty approached, large chunks of cement were starting to fall off the stairs and it seemed obvious that they had not been done correctly. The previous contractor delayed any repairs until the warranty was up, and Tammy and Jason were left with dangerous, crumbling staircase. Mike Holmes and his crew tore the original stairs apart and started from scratch. Along the way, Mike found that the previous contractor had made many mistakes - the largest of which was that they neglected to install proper footing support under the stairs. The lack of this footing caused the stairs to move when the ground froze in the winter, and crack the concrete finish. As the crew started the new footing, Mike removed a pair of ugly fake dormers that the builder had installed on their roof, and fixed a leak in their front window. After rebuilding the staircase using rebar and concrete reinforced with microfibers, a beautiful Durok coating was applied to the surface. Also, bran new interlocking stone in the driveway was complimented by a fully re-landscaped front garden. Tammy and Jason were thrilled to finally be able to look at their new home with pride. The new front entryway and garden were stunning and definitely the new focal point of the house.
#2 - A River Ran Through It
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/10/2005
Ron and Jill hired contractors to undertake a huge renovation that essentially involved adding a second floor to a portion of their home. Sadly, most of the work was done poorly, if at all, and Ron and Jill were left with an unlivable home and some serious money problems. Feeling strongly that they had been scammed, they decided to sue the contractors for fraud. But unfortunately because of some legal loopholes, the case got thrown out of court, and Ron and Jill were left with no choice but to sell their cottage and recoup some of their losses. Upon inspection, Mike finds several problems with structure, plumbing and much, much more. To help Ron and Jill get back into their beloved home, Mike and his crew work incredibly hard to finish a huge job that was incomplete and poorly done. One by one, they correct all the problems, brought everything up to proper code, and finish the enormous addition beautifully.
#3 - Bar None
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/13/2005
After suffering through some painful personal troubles, Jim and Lisa planned to re-direct their focus on something positive by finishing their basement into a bar and entertainment room. A contractor came highly recommended by a neighbor, and the renovation started off quite smoothly. The contractor seemed to have a good heart, and as the renovation progressed, Jim and Lisa actually formed a friendship with him. But with the budget spent, and the job only partially completed, the contractor seemed to fall off the face of the earth. Even after befriending Jim and Lisa, the contractor abandoned them without any warning, leaving them with a half finished renovation. Upon inspection, Mike Holmes decided that the contractor meant well, but severely under-priced the job and didn’t know how to fess up to the mistake. With the help of iron, brick and bar specialists, Mike completely re-finished the basement with an incredible English Pub theme, giving Jim and Lisa the bar of their dreams.
#4 - Window Well to Hell
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/27/2005
After moving to a new neighborhood, Olivia decided to turn her basement into a comfortable living space for her daughter and grandchildren. She was going to redesign the layout and have larger windows installed to allow more natural light into the room. She hired a contractor who started out well, but it wasn't long before Olivia started feeling uneasy. As the job went on, the contractor started showing up late, or not at all. One day, Olivia came home early from work to find him sleeping on the couch. After spending almost all of her renovation budget and feeling strongly that she was being taken advantage of, Olivia stopped the job and was left with a poorly finished basement and window wells that were filling with water. Upon inspection, Mike found that there were no proper lintels over the new windows to support the weight over them, and that there was no proper drainage system in place. Inside, he found some small telltale signs that suggested that the whole basement renovation was going to have to be demolished and built again. There was questionable plumbing and electrical that not up to code. Outside, a proper lintel was added over the window, along with the foundation protection under the window and a drainage system tied into the existing weeping tile. Inside, Mike and his crew took down all the drywall, and safely reinstalled all the plumbing and electrical. After installing new drywall and painting, Olivia was reintroduced to her beautiful finished and safe basement. She was very happy to finally be able to provide a comfortable living space for her family.
#5 - Bungled Bungalow
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/1/2005
Bill and Marie retired to a bungalow that had originally been a small cottage. Over the years, the bungalow had seen five additions of questionable workmanship, so they decided to completely renovate the home. They hired a contractor who had promised that the job would be completed in three months time, so they moved in with their daughter for the duration of the renovation. As the renovation progressed, issues arose with the historical board, building code standards, and the contractor himself. After many delays and a skyrocketing budget, Bill paid off the contractor and completely severed ties. One full year later, they were left with a half finished job and were still living in their daughter’s home. Having spent a good deal of money, they had no funds to cover hiring a new contractor. Fortunately, Mike Holmes decided to undertake the huge task of finishing this very problematic renovation – and finish it he did. With the help of his hard working crew, Mike battled his way though the age old issues and gave Bill and Marie the beautiful retirement home the should have gotten in the first place.
#6 - House to Home - Part 1
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 4/14/2005
After re-mortgaging their home to add a wheelchair accessible addition for their disabled son, a couple is confronted with improper work and a crumbling foundation. In part one of this two-part season finale, Mike Holmes comes to the aid of a family in dire straits and begins one of the toughest and biggest jobs of his contracting career.
#7 - Sunny Side Down
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 3/10/2005
After a homeowner mistakenly hires an inexperienced contractor to renovate a sunroom, a leak left in the roof results in her grandson slipping and getting hurt badly. Enraged at the accident and how poorly the job was going, she fires the contractor and calls in Mike Holmes to make things right.
#8 - House to Home - Part 2
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 4/23/2005
In part two of the is two-part season finale, Mike Holmes and his crew finish a wheelchair accessible bathroom for the homeowners’ disabled son, repair a leaking foundation and roof and provide a much deserving family with a safe and proper addition.
#9 - Unfinished Business
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/21/2005
A couple decides to be their own general contractor on a large second story addition to their home. Everything goes extremely well until the last sub-contractor botches all the finishing work. Mike Holmes and his crew are called in to inspect the sloppy work and Make it Right.
#10 - This Mold House
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/17/2005
When a major mold problem leaves a family with chronic respiratory problems and allergic reactions, Mike Holmes brings in a crew of mold abatement experts to eliminate the mold at the source. The result is a healthier, allergen free home for the family.
#11 - Kitchen Coleslaw
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/6/2005
Don and his dog “Parker” bought a beautiful one hundred and twenty year old Victorian town home and decided to completely renovate the kitchen. The job required not only a new design, but also moving existing plumbing, electrical, vents and ducts. Mid-way into the Reno, things were far behind schedule and Don began noticing that things just didn’t look right. Smartly, he decided to sever ties with the contractor and cut his losses. As it turns out, the contractor was actually a glass installation specialist who just did contacting on the side. His lack of experience was quite apparent to Mike Holmes, who tore away the drywall and floor to find not only the previous contractor’s mistakes, but decades old issues that the previous contractor neglected to address. The entire main floor contained a century of countless hodgepodge renovations. Poor HVAC, questionable plumbing and potentially dangerous electrical wiring had to be removed and/or corrected before Mike could even think about finishing the kitchen. Once the whole main floor was brought up to code, Mike and his crew executed Don’s dream kitchen design flawlessly, giving Don the space that he has waited so long for.
#12 - Best Laid Plans
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/17/2005
After three different contractors try and fail in fixing a moisture problem in a homeowner’s kitchen, Mike Holmes is called in and discovers that a series of small problems were creating one large one. Mike and his crew fix he moisture problem once and for all.
#13 - Hullaba Loo
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/23/2005
After a large bathroom company turns a simple bathroom renovation into a nasty experience for a homeowner, Mike Holmes and his crew hit the scene and provide the beautiful bathroom that should have been built in the first place.