Square Eye
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2006
- Messages
- 1,273
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Question,
Is DIY TV really intended to help the average homeowner, or is it just good advertising for the sponsors?
My opinion.
While watching This Old House, I was struck with the notion that this is NOT a DIY show. There was a $1,000,000.00 drilling rig there looking for water. Then in another episode, a cocrete pumper. Yet another episode, a company specializing in lifting houses and other structures. This is not the type of project that falls under DIY categories.
Legalities make plumbing/electrical/HVAC on shows like Hometime a professional venture. Dean doesn't replace water heaters when he gets off of work for his ex-wife. At least not on camera. He can't. License requirements make it legally incriminating to do work like this for others.
Ask This Old House, trimming trees looked like a good subject for the DIY. Then they went to a home where there was a tree that was separating in a fork. Suddenly the show went from homeowners looking at a problem to a bunch of professionals climbing the tree and setting tie bolts to save the tree.
Once again, Not a DIY project.
The New Yankee Workshop, Norm has more tools than ANYBODY. Big specialty machines. I have a fair cabinet oriented shop, but not a Timesaver panel sander in sight. That is a $14,000.00 dollar machine!
___________
I suppose the point of these segments of these shows is to let folks know that some things are better left to the pros. I kind of wish that they would focus more on the things that homeowners can actually do with their old houses and their new ones too. Maybe that's why I like Ron Hazelton's House Calls. Short, quick home repair and remodeling. If brother Ron was younger, he would probably do bigger projects though. His sponsors would demand it.
Tom in KY, Flush Bob Villa! He gets his hair done and reads from a script. Given enough $$ we could all do that.
Is DIY TV really intended to help the average homeowner, or is it just good advertising for the sponsors?
My opinion.
While watching This Old House, I was struck with the notion that this is NOT a DIY show. There was a $1,000,000.00 drilling rig there looking for water. Then in another episode, a cocrete pumper. Yet another episode, a company specializing in lifting houses and other structures. This is not the type of project that falls under DIY categories.
Legalities make plumbing/electrical/HVAC on shows like Hometime a professional venture. Dean doesn't replace water heaters when he gets off of work for his ex-wife. At least not on camera. He can't. License requirements make it legally incriminating to do work like this for others.
Ask This Old House, trimming trees looked like a good subject for the DIY. Then they went to a home where there was a tree that was separating in a fork. Suddenly the show went from homeowners looking at a problem to a bunch of professionals climbing the tree and setting tie bolts to save the tree.
Once again, Not a DIY project.
The New Yankee Workshop, Norm has more tools than ANYBODY. Big specialty machines. I have a fair cabinet oriented shop, but not a Timesaver panel sander in sight. That is a $14,000.00 dollar machine!
___________
I suppose the point of these segments of these shows is to let folks know that some things are better left to the pros. I kind of wish that they would focus more on the things that homeowners can actually do with their old houses and their new ones too. Maybe that's why I like Ron Hazelton's House Calls. Short, quick home repair and remodeling. If brother Ron was younger, he would probably do bigger projects though. His sponsors would demand it.
Tom in KY, Flush Bob Villa! He gets his hair done and reads from a script. Given enough $$ we could all do that.