Reality Renovations
With his self-deprecating wit and inviting smile, HGTV handyman Eric Stromer gives a guided tour of how to whip your home into shape and not take yourself too seriously
Image courtesy HGTV
I think most of us have a tendency to start home improvement projects, get all excited about them and then get overwhelmed by other demands," says Eric Stromer, star of "Over Your Head," a popular reality show on HGTV.
"It sort of becomes the ultimate family drama."
On the show, Stromer, a 40-ish surfer-dude type who once made People Magazine's annual "Sexiest Men Alive" list, specializes in rescuing hapless do-it-your-selfers - and their families - from failed projects.
"The guests are willing to expose the most delicate parts of their relationships for our entertainment pleasure, and I think we all learn something along the way," he says. "It's educational but it's also funny."
Stromer's advice is grounded in real-world experience. He began as a builder in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, where he renovated homes for the likes of celebrities such as Dylan McDermott and Elijah Wood.
Over the years, he has starred or guest-starred on a number of shows, written a book called "Do It Yourself Family" (Bantam, 2006) about his efforts to involve his wife and kids in various home improvement projects and served as the spokesman for Sears' Craftsman line of tools. Through it all, Stromer retains a lively, self-deprecating wit.
"The sense of humor I bring to what I do comes from years of placating customers who weren't necessarily thrilled that I was going to be around for another two weeks because the dry wall order didn't show up," he says.
Homestyle: What's harder - playing a contractor or being a contractor?
Eric STROMER: Being one, unquestionably. People have a lot of misconceptions about contractors and that leads to misunderstandings. They think contractors have a lot more power than they do. It's a crazy business because it relies on so many random people and elements coming together in ways that are often uncontrollable.
HS: What's an example of that?
ES: Say your client falls in love with an Italian faucet. So you order the faucet and the company tells you it will arrive in six to eight weeks. Then, a week later, the postal system in Italy goes on strike and nothing gets shipped but nobody bothers to tell you that and everything gets pushed back a few weeks. Meanwhile, the kitchen or the bathroom is on hold waiting for the faucet. Things like that happen all the time, particularly when you're dealing with high end or custom elements.
HS: Is there any way to avoid this?
ES: The way to get around it is to order all the different elements - the fixtures, the flooring, the cabinets and counter tops and everything else you're going to need - ahead of time and don't start the job until they all arrive. This, of course, requires a lot of advance planning, something human beings traditionally aren't good at.
HS: I hear so many nightmare stories about home-improvement projects. They all seem to take twice as long and cost twice as much as people think they will.
ES: I know. And there are lots of reasons for that. One of the main ones - and I've observed this a lot over the years - is changing your mind in the middle of a job.
People start off wanting one thing but - as time goes on and they learn more about what's available - they start adding and changing stuff. Sometimes that's not a problem. But sometimes it is. Sometimes you almost have to start over.
HS: How do you control costs?
ES: You have to get the fee structure straight from the beginning. Contracting is a business of extras and upcharges. That's how contractors make money. Clients need to know that going in.
HS: Are there certain kinds of home improvement projects average people really should not attempt on their own?
ES: I think anything relating to foundation work, electricity or plumbing is a little dicey for non-professionals. You can do a lot of expensive damage very quickly in those areas if you mess up. And in the case of electricity, you can fry yourself. On the other hand, projects that involve painting, dry walling, plastering and tile work are usually good to go for most people. They don't require a lot of technical knowledge and any mistakes you make are generally relatively easy to fix.
HS: How do you know if you've gotten in over your head?
ES: We had a guy on our show recently who wound up showering on his a lawn for two years with a garden hose because he ripped out his bathroom shower and then couldn't figure out how to put the new one in. That's a pretty good indication.
HS: Did you grow up in a contracting family?
ES: No. My father was an art dealer and a dance instructor. We lived in an apartment in Evanston, Ill., which is the first suburb north of Chicago. My parents were serial room reorganizers. Every five or six months, they'd move everything around or introduce a new decorating scheme. Between the ages of six and 18, I probably painted my room about 153 times. I also learned to wallpaper at a very early age.
HS: Where do you live now?
ES: A big Cape Cod-looking house in LA.
HS: Have you done some home improvement projects?
ES: Yes. In fact, my family has spent most of their lives covered in a thin layer of drywall dust. So far, I've remodeled the kitchen, added an office and a recording studio, and replaced the landscaping.
HS: Which room was the hardest?
ES: The kitchen. I pulled down a couple of walls, put in an island. Kitchens are tough because there's so many different components. Also, they are rooms that get used a lot. If you make a mistake, everyone sees it instantly.
HS: Did you use a contractor?
ES: I tried to. I hired my older brother, who also does contracting work. I have to say it was sort of a nightmare. For one thing, I'm a micro-manager. I know that, but I can't help it. It reached a point where I would be on the phone with my mother saying things like "Mom, Curtis won't do the drywall!" I felt like I was eight years old again. It was not one of my highest moments. After that, I went back to being my own contractor.
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