What the fuck is wrong with the construction business around here?

Same scenarios here in Calgary (arguably the most booming city in Canada, if not North America). Things are the same all over.

I third the recommendation to watch Holmes on Holmes if you get a chance. We went to see him live at a Home and Garden Show, and it was great. If he doesn’t care deeply about the home renovation business, he’s putting on an incredible front. Not only is he fixing what he can, but he goes to court for home-owners, he seems to be trying to reform some of the laws regarding home renos, he is educating the people.

You make a good point, Ford - everyone needs to be responsible for who they hire, and doing all the homework and background checks that are required (another thing Mike Holmes stresses).

I ain’t flyin’ off the handle. This particular instance makes it about the 100th time I’ve seen that same inane inaccuracy introduced here.

You have all kinds of alternatives from which to choose for your telephone service, not the least of 'em about a dozen cellular providers. And the franchise to operate a CATV system in any particular area is granted by your local elected officials; they can’t operate without that approval. If it’s a “monopoly,” it’s because your politicians want it that way. And there’s a couple of dish networks.

What’s more, there are just as many budding technologies currently being deployed as there are existing operational technologies. Video DSL, FTTx solutions providing voice, video and data access, IP telephony through your CATV network . . .

I am impressed featherlou that you were able to parse my comment, I tried reading the last sentence again and I am not sure that I understand what I was saying :slight_smile: :smack:

I fourth the recommendation to watch Holmes on Holmes. I am in the third year of a complete house renovation (new windows throughout the main and second storeys and reinsulating 2/3rds of the main floor’s exterior walls is slated for this next month) and I watch HoH. Sometimes with nervous anticipation, sometimes with a gloating, “Yes, we did that dear.” and very seldom with a, “Ah… Damn it! Why didn’t I think of that?”

Sometimes he goes a little overboard, especially with, “use screws instead of nails” routine. But all in all he knows his stuff.

Jim and I just watched an episode where he basically rebuilt a couple’s house, and Jim noticed that he often used mineral wool instead of fibreglass pink. We were wondering about this, and Jim figures that he uses the mineral wool because it is fireproof, and that’s just the kind of renovator Mike Holmes is. There may be some judgement calls, but he always errs on the side of doing it better rather than worse, and I would be comfortable with that in my house. Hmm, can you tell that he’s my hero?

(Mike Holmes for Prime Minister! “I thought this Bill was okay, but when I looked beneath the surface, it was total crap.”)