This Old House

[beamie]

I have always loved this show and many like it. However in years past back to the days when Vila was still there up until say 5-7 years ago seemed they were working off a budget that was realistic for the mid to upper middle income crowd. Say 100-200k jobs.

Now adays seems most jobs these guys are on have no budget. Sky's the limit.

Caught a show last night where in the basement were panel after panel after panel of electrical and electronic systems with a hundred mile of wire pulled.

Just kind of makes it seem to me like unrealistic overages for the middle income family wanting to fix something up. Feel it has taken a bit of reality out of the show

Any thoughts?

[spence]

Sure, technology is advancing so fast (along with the drive to entice consumers) that they're simply trying to stay ahead of the curve. Sooner or later a lot of what they show will become more common to the average new construction in many cases, especially with rising energy costs.

-spence

[ProfessorM]

I completely agree, it is a show to show off high end stuff. Not a how to show like in the old days. The average person couldn't afford 3/4 of the stuff they install in the houses they revamp. The owners of the houses probably couldn't afford the stuff either. Good thing most of the products are donated to them in exchange for some air time. OOO and ahhh show now.

[nightfighter]

With the addition of Ask this Old House, I think they improved their format. The best shows were the earliy years of Steve Thomas as host. Then they became bombarded by manufacturers offering up sweet deals on the latest, greatest high end innovations. Morash just followed the money. When does that happen in public television? Their payroll has ballooned too. A lot more people on the production side. (Just watch the credits now compared to earlier years) And the magazine hasn't hurt their bottomline, either.
Tom, Roger, and Rich are all real good guys, but they are on TV, and get bombarded with goodies to use and install from the manufacturers too. And you have to keep those magazine advertisers happy...Steve has gone off to do a series of shows for Discovery Channel and History Channel. (Two sides to the story on his departure...) Like I said, real good guys, but different now after years of exposure. Hard not to be, I guess.... Roger is a striper freak too.
Bottom line, yeah, their projects are not priced in the reality of 98% of their audience. Given the economy, and the plethora of really crappy home improvement in a day TV shows, they would do themselves a service to refocus on the middle upper end that launched their careers.

Never cared for Vila... but not something for a public forum

[BigFish]

The Steve Thomas years were the best! (Anyone know why he left? Where he went?) I catch it occasionally now and I just laugh like..."Yeah, right! Everyone has stuff like that in their house!"

[nightfighter]

You mean you don't have a $10,000 custom block cutting board island top???????

Wondering if TDF will weigh in on this.....

[BigFish]

Oh! I do have one of those.

[spence]

I think you guys are too harsh...the show would be boring if it was about how BigFish Larry used a wad of duct tape and dab of epoxy to fix his plumbing problem.

The audience for the program is upper wage earners who will spend some money to rehab, and that's where they pull their advertising dollars from.

-spence

[Raider Ronnie]

Bob Villa might still be the host maybe even now,
Had he pulled a permit once in a while !!!

Tom Silva is the talent of that show now !!!

[Saltheart]

Norm Abrams is my hero. that guy does good work. i love to watch new Yankee workshop but seldom watch This Old House anymore and yes , i think its because they are now into total renovations at top dollar and not into small repairs or upgrades anymore.

[kevin d]

I have to wonder how much of this is sponsor driven. Most of the car shows I USED to watch fell into that trap. Once you get a sponsor they want you to highlight their stuff. It quickly goes from everyman to every rich man.

[CaptMike]

norm is amazing anyone who can frame their house by themselves deserves a medal

[FishermanTim]

My brother and I built this from the foundation up.

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

Norm Abrams is my hero. that guy does good work. i love to watch new Yankee workshop but seldom watch This Old House anymore and yes , i think its because they are now into total renovations at top dollar and not into small repairs or upgrades anymore.

Norm Abrams in his shop is an awesome treat. I know most of the stuff/jigs are made ahead of time, but watching him put everything together and explain about how he makes everything is the balls.

[MrHunters]

Originally Posted by kevin d

I have to wonder how much of this is sponsor driven. Most of the car shows I USED to watch fell into that trap. Once you get a sponsor they want you to highlight their stuff. It quickly goes from everyman to every rich man.

3 words off topic.

SHIP SHAPE TV

[BillM]

Guys , dont forget there was that scene in "Hot Shots" where Bob Villa was putting fiberglass insulation on a tropical hut. "That extra R value will pay for istself " C'mon he's an average Joe.

[zimmy]

I have read that there is a some sort of trend of people expecting alot more house than they can afford because of the way these shows and the shows on hgtv often focus on high end homes and renovations. I guess its kinda like body image and if everything you see is a $million house, you start to think of it as the norm...

[lurch]

anyone remember the term "sweat equity"?

The "This old house" show stinks and has been taken over by the "Ask this old house" show.

Last time I watched (few years ago) DIY network is very good.

[justplugit]

Originally Posted by BigFish

The Steve Thomas years were the best! (Anyone know why he left?

Heard it was cause the local Starbucks was outa latte.

[Squid kids Dad]

I still like the show

[Nebe]

I think the reason the show caters to the higher end jobs is that the middle class target group that the show used to cater to is so small these days that now the very rich crowd is the target group.. Also, if you didnt notice when Vila started the show it was geared to the middle class home owner who loved to bang on nails and tear down walls.. Not any more.. now its all sub contractors and as you said... big budgets.

I used to love the show. now I watch Lost.

[Raven]

it was about how they did things in the old days

and how to improve it with more modern materials

or real innovative changes that were Brilliant without

necessarily spending a small fortune....

now a days its...... keeping up with the Jone's ez

and looking for who can have the most gadgets

and high tech expenditures while staying green

[teaser]

Bob Villa can't even read a tape measure, I know I had the mispleasure of working on a house in Marion for that idiot, he got some measurements wrong it and it screwed the whole day up for the carpenters. He was taping a portion of a show on this house and it all went on film but that part never got aired, I wonder why?

[Raven]

hearing that story just capped off my day with a big grin

perhaps he never heard of the measure thrice cut once rule

ahh ha ha ha