Although the show could be cut from 60 to 30 minutes, Mike Holmes consistently gives good advice throughout the series. Among that advice is how to find a good contractor, how and when to pay them, do your research and know how much you're going to pay for a specific project, and how to inspect the contractor's work. Here's the full list:
(1) Start with an honest assessment of current situation. (2) Recognize that a temporary fix is just that – temporary. (3) Rip away the external and get to the heart of all problem areas. (4) Return to the basics and focus on a good foundation. (5) Do the hard work in the beginning -- and continue with it until each task is completed. (6) Make sure each layer of subsequent work ties in to the work that came before it. (7) Stop making excuses and do the work. (8) The true cost of any decision cannot be measured simply in dollars, but must also take in to account time. (9) There is little value in appearance if it is only camouflaging structural damage. (10) A job well done is its own reward.
Mike has no tolerance for half-done workmanship and though he doesn't name names, he points out exactly where previous contractors fell short. When something has been messed up, however, Holmes is the guy you want fixing it. There's a guy much like him in my hometown; he's not cheap by any means, but he's a perfectionist and the work gets done right... once.