Watchdog Nation partners with Mike Holmes

We work with the HGTV Star to “Make it Right!”

Watchdog Nation, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and HGTV star Mike Holmes joined with some caring businesses to fix a heartbreaking problem involving an elderly man who lost $19,000.

Royce Benson gave two ex-convict brothers money for foundation repairs that were never done.

The story, which first appeared in a Dave Lieber column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, led to a series of events that resulted in one the culprits getting sentenced to four years in prison.

After the original story appeared, staff members for Mike Holmes contacted Watchdog Nation and asked if they could help fix the house of 80-year-old Royce Benson for free. [Read about this incident on the Mike Holmes blog here.]

Watchdog Nation Dave Lieber partners with Mike Holmes

Mike Holmes

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The Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Watchdog Nation worked with Holmes to get area companies and suppliers to donate their time and materials. Thanks to Perma-Pier Foundation Repair of Dallas, Roto-Rooter of Fort Worth and Lowe’s for banding together and, in the motto of Mike Holmes, working to “make it right.” (Read the complete account here.)

Watch a video of Royce Benson explaining what he went through here.

Watchdog Nation founder Dave Lieber partners with Mike Holmes

Royce Benson points to a sample of the awful foundation repair job. He paid $19,000 for nothing.

Watchdog Nation founder Dave Lieber partners with Mike Holmes

Watchdog Nation founder Dave Lieber partners with Mike Holmes

Watchdog Nation founder Dave Lieber partners with Mike Holmes

Hubert Burdick runs a small remodeling business. He promised to do foundation work but never did. Photo: Texas Prison System

 

Billey Ray Burdick runs a tree-trimming service. He accepted two of Royce Benson’s checks that were made out to him. Photo: Texas Prison System

Holmes, the star of his Holmes on Homes TV show, also produces Holmes, The Magazine to Make It Right now available in the USA.  In the debut USA issue (January 2011), Watchdog Nation founder Dave Lieber tells the story in a “Holmes Heroes” feature about how Benson’s house is getting a makeover.

Read the Holmes magazine story by Dave Lieber here.

Watchdog Nation founder Dave Lieber partners with Mike Holmes

The debut issue of Holmes’ USA magazine is now for sale. See a list of retailers here. And following a new Federal Trade Commission rule that requires bloggers who promote products to disclose any financial relationship, we disclose: Holmes magazine paid Lieber for the story. Lieber, in turn,  donated the funds to Summer Santa, the all-volunteer children’s charity he co-founded in 1997. (Visit www.SummerSanta.org. You’ll be surprised.)

The folks from Perma-Pier Foundation Repair of Dallas work with Benson to make it right.

Final note: Watchdog Nation is honored to work with Mike Holmes and his wonderful team. His continued efforts to keep contractors honest and do it right the first time is nothing short of heroic.

Watch his show on TV. Read his magazine. Learn how to find the honest contractors and stay out of trouble. A mission we share at Watchdog Nation.

UPDATE: In 2011, Hubert Burdick pleaded guilty to criminal theft and was sentenced to four more years in prison for his role in this incident.

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Dave Lieber book that won two national awards for social change.\

Still here? Visit Dave Lieber’s other fun websites:

Personal: YankeeCowboy.com

Hipster site: DaveLieber.org