KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS
HGTV powerhouse Bryan Baeumler writes his first book to help homeowners avoid DIY disasters and avoid jobs too big for them
Bryan Baeumler is hard-pressed to pick the top three blunders doit-yourselfers make that drive him crazy.
“They all bug me equally,” quips the brawny host of HGTV’s hit shows Leave it to Bryan, Disaster DIY and House of Bryan, who last month released his first book, Measure Twice: Tips and tricks from the pros to help you avoid the most common DIY disasters.
“Most of the mistakes people make happen before they even lift a tool,” says Baeumler, who pinpoints a whopping 191 DIY no-nos in his new book, but admits that number could have been higher. “There’s always more information you can add, but at some point, you have to stop.”
With his hectic TV schedule — he also owns a construction company in Burlington, Ont., is the pitchman for Lowe’s, makes regular appearances at home/renovation trade shows, runs the Baeumler Family Foundation with his wife, Sarah, and is father to four children under 10 — it’s taken the Oakville native two years to write the hefty guide (Harper Collins, $29.99).
“I didn’t have time any earlier,” he confesses during a recent phone interview from his trusty pickup parked along the side of the road.
In Measure Twice, the consummate teacher and experienced builder aims to help homeowners “anticipate common problems and to use that knowledge to determine which jobs you can tackle on your own and which ones require a professional.”
Divided into 12 chapters, each project — from simple painting to drywalling, tiling, building decks and installing flooring — is rated out of 10 (with 10 being the most difficult) and includes a list of materials to tackle the job and tips for doing it right.
The lowest rating in the book is a four, given to installing insulation; the only 10 out of 10 goes to HVAC (heat, ventilation and air conditioning) basics. You won’t find any how-to instructions in the book, however, for doing plumbing and electrical work or underpinning a basement or cutting rafters.
“I don’t think any homeowner who is not properly trained and very experienced should be doing that kind of work,” Baeumler writes, adding, “You have to know your limits.”
That’s a lesson Baeumler learned years ago. After graduating from the University of Western Ontario with degrees in political science and business, he considered going to law school, but quickly realized he’d rather strap on a tool belt than tote a briefcase to go to work every day.
“I would have been a miserable office dweller,” says the 40-yearold, who credits his dad, an aircraft engineer, for teaching him how to work with tools and develop a love for building.
“I was lucky to grow up in that environment,” adds the straighttalking HGTV powerhouse, who is as friendly and funny on the phone as he is on TV. “Construction/renovation is fun. It’s not a job to me. When you work at something that you love, it’s not work.”
Rescuing homeowners from their shoddy handiwork was the inspiration for his first show, Disaster DIY, which debuted in 2007. Five seasons later, Leave it to Bryan followed. On this show, homeowners must trust Baeumler to remodel one of three areas of their house. They hand over the cash and he makes all of the renovation decisions.
And then came House of Bryan, which has turned out to be one of HGTV’s highest-rated series. Why? Fans got to watch Baeumler and his crew build his family a 3,700-square-foot dream home in season one, then a stunning family cottage on Georgian Bay in season two.
In each episode, viewers follow the construction process from the ground up and get a glimpse of Baeumler as the soft-hearted dad, patient husband (he and wife Sarah often butt heads on design decisions) and all-around goofy guy.
Season three will soon be wrapping up on the renovation of the family’s new country estate — Baeumler calls it their “forever home” — set on 20 acres outside Oakville. With its many glitzy chandeliers and white furnishings, the name House of Bryan: In the Sticks does not do it justice.
“The first thing I tell people is we don’t do a renovation in a half an hour,” says Baeumler, who accepts part of the blame for DIYers thinking they can tackle projects that are beyond their skill set. “When you watch shows like mine, it’s easy to get the impression you can quickly turn any rundown home into a showpiece.
“The truth is those episodes are filmed over several weeks, and many hours of footage are edited down to the 22 minutes you see on TV ... I promise you it’s harder and more time-consuming than it looks.”
But he firmly believes most people have the capacity to learn if they make the time and are willing to put in the effort.
“We’ve all made mistakes on jobs around the house. But I hope after your read this book, your mistakes will be smaller and less frequent.”