Home Upgrades That Are A Waste Of Money, According To HGTV's Mike Holmes

GON

GON

$150 Site Donor 2025
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
10,504
Location
White Sands, NM
Interesting article. A lot of information, may be of benefit to some on BITOG.

The discussion on accessibility is a big deal IMHO, as American's continuing to live long. 36" interior doors, no lip showers, etc. I also found interesting Mike Holmes' comment on not self-installing tiles, and the same with a basement bathroom. I find spot on Mike's comment on countertops. I will extend his comment that natural stone should be avoided in a home whenever possible. Way to much sealing and other maintenance requirements in most natural stones over a quartz or porcelain.

https://www.housedigest.com/1818007/home-upgrades-not-worth-money-hgtv-mike-holmes/?
 
I can't understand this hate on Granite countertops. I seal my granite once a year-takes literally twenty minutes-and the island countertop is huge. You can sit hot pans on it-you can throw just about anything on it with no issues.
Sit a hot pan of macaroni on quartz-get back to me with the results.....
 
CKN said:
I can't understand this hate on Granite countertops. I seal my granite once a year-takes literally twenty minutes-and the island countertop is huge. You can sit hot pans on it-you can throw just about anything on it with no issues.
Sit a hot pan of macaroni on quartz-get back to me with the results.....
Click to expand...

On flooring-just about any type of flooring is so good these days-as long as it's spec'ed as waterproof-you can use just about anything-vinyl, engineered laminate, etc.

I saw it on the Internet by a guy who once had a TV show....it must be true..................
 
2025 countertop battle! Part two!!

Some of that is complete poop other parts are logical. I mean if you do a terrible tile job yeah well…

Most people nowadays can’t do much improvement on their own anyway so again a butcher hack job is just that
 
CKN said:
I can't understand this hate on Granite countertops. I seal my granite once a year-takes literally twenty minutes-and the island countertop is huge. You can sit hot pans on it-you can throw just about anything on it with no issues.
Sit a hot pan of macaroni on quartz-get back to me with the results.....
Click to expand...
I would not put it on either …
 
4WD said:
I would not put in on either …
Click to expand...

I do it on granite all the time-no issue. Granite sits in the sun you know....and the darker the granite the hotter it gets. I literally don't have to think about temperature when I cook (which I make most meals) and lay a pan on the counter top. Baked cookies a couple of weeks ago-I'm laying cookie sheets right out of the oven which was 350 degrees.
 
Pablo said:
2025 countertop battle! Part two!!

Some of that is complete poop other parts are logical. I mean if you do a terrible tile job yeah well…

Most people nowadays can’t do much improvement on their own anyway so again a butcher hack job is just that
Click to expand...

You know you are right. Kitchen counter tops on here are the "thick vs. thin" rehash.

And I fell for it............
 
SC Maintenance said:
Maybe for the population in general, but just about everything I have DIY has turned out better than the "pro's" who's only goal is to get done as quickly as possible. Some people shouldn't even try, so I get that.

And I like our granite also - no issues - 11 years and counting.
Click to expand...
20 years on silestone - looks like day one - it’s very close to one still offered - not dated at all …
 
4WD said:
20 years on silestone - looks like day one - it’s very close to one still offered - not dated at all …
Click to expand...
Home Renovation: What is more heat resistant: granite or silestone?
Quote-

Silestone is a great product and I installed it in some custom homes at the request of the owners. As for heat resistance, quartz is more heat resistant than silestone. Silestone is resin impregnated quartz and when exposed to extreme localized heat, the resin will react and you could get a scorch or burn. You wouldn’t want to set a 500 degree pre-heated cast iron skillet down on it for instance.

Granite is basically impossible to scorch with anything used in the kitchen, The down side to granite is that it is porous and needs to be thoroughly sealed, and periodically resealed, or it stains. Silestone which is non-porous does not need this maintenance.
 
CKN said:
Home Renovation: What is more heat resistant: granite or silestone?
Quote-

Silestone is a great product and I installed it in some custom homes at the request of the owners. As for heat resistance, quartz is more heat resistant than silestone. Silestone is resin impregnated quartz and when exposed to extreme localized heat, the resin will react and you could get a scorch or burn. You wouldn’t want to set a 500 degree pre-heated cast iron skillet down on it for instance.

Granite is basically impossible to scorch with anything used in the kitchen, The down side to granite is that it is porous and needs to be thoroughly sealed, and periodically resealed, or it stains. Silestone which is non-porous does not need this maintenance.
Click to expand...
we knew all that and have friends/family with both
there is zero damage nor “natural flaws” with our countertops
(The dense impregs are quartz)
 
4WD said:
we knew all that and have friends/family with both
there is zero damage nor “natural flaws” with our countertops
(The dense impregs are quartz)
Click to expand...
There are no flaws-because yes it's an "engineered product"-just like quartz.
 
Most of the article is schilling for trades people...as mentioned, licensed, bonded ,etc ...

Hanging kitchen cabinets is not an art form, nor is it particularly difficult. Most on this forum could do an entire kitchen with a 3' level, a Ryobi driver, a box of cabinet screws,$20 stud finder, a helper and a YouTube video or two.
I paid a " professional" to do the crown molding after I hung our cabinets with my son. After he spent an hour setting up his Festool saw in my garage at $500/day he got less than half the kitchen done in 7 hours. I told him not to come back and finished it myself with my Rigid $129 open box 12" chop saw. Came out perfect.

Laying tile can require some experience, depending on the products used and where it's being laid. But tiling a kitchen backsplash doesn't require a so-called professional but you do need a Harbor Freight tile wet saw.

Good quality vinyl LVP in kitchens is a practical and smart choice. Not everyone wants a cold kitchen floor nor is ceramic very forgiving if you drop something.

Some energy efficient appliances are worthwhile. Some are more complicated, more prone to failure, more expensive to repair and long term cost of ownership far exceeds any energy savings. Washers, refrigerators and water heaters are examples. Energy efficient dishwashers are nothing but problems.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom