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Orangeville father-daughter duo featured as contestants in home improvement TV show

April 24, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons

Home improvement reality shows have viewers glued to their screens in record numbers.

As people decide to stay put and improve their biggest investment, TV shows help inspire creativity.

An Orangeville father and daughter team are among the “contestants” in the Corus original Renovation Resort Season 2, now airing on the Home Network.

Led by personalities like King Township’s Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler, teams are tackling ambitious projects, transforming a waterfront property into a stunning, four-season vacation retreat.

The duo “scoured” North America to find four talented contractor-designer duos who will go head-to-head in the ultimate real estate renovation competition, battling over eight weeks to create breathtaking, one-of-a-kind vacation homes. Each team must push their creativity and skills to the limit, crafting properties that shine in every season. 

As co-hosts and judges, Scott and Bryan are watching closely, joined by a lineup of special guest judges to critique every bold design choice.

What’s at stake? A game-changing $100,000 prize and the coveted title of Renovation Resort Champions.

Orangeville’s Hollie and Graham Laird have rolled up their sleeves and jumped into the competition.

Hollie grew up visiting her dad on construction sites and running around in the back of the family flooring store. So, when she landed a gig in the big city with a real estate developer after university, she should have felt right at home. But feeling stifled creatively in her position and then seeing her dad juggle all elements of being a self-employed contractor, she had an epiphany over dinner one night: why not join forces?

She’s currently living the dream, partnering with her dad and able to unleash her design passion every single day.

Born in Scotland, Graham moved to Canada when he was a young boy. At 18, his uncle became his mentor, introducing him to the construction world, where Graham thrived. Fueled by a craving for independence, he launched a small flooring business at the young age of 21, which expanded alongside his growing family.

On weekends, he continued taking on small home renovation projects, loving the hands-on work. Eventually, he stepped away from retail and focused solely on renovations. Always passionate about building a family business, it was a no-brainer to partner up with Hollie. For Graham, each renovation isn’t just about solving puzzles or delighting clients – it’s a shared journey with his daughter, making every project even more fulfilling.

Their journey together as a family spans Hollie’s entire life, but as business partners, their bond has flourished. While their shared stubbornness and generational differences lead to some head-butting on-site, these moments are short-lived. Through dad jokes and an unwavering love and respect for one another, they always find common ground. They want this opportunity to face an even more extreme challenge together, to test their abilities, but also to demonstrate that working with family can be fun, and challenging, in the best way.

“Working together with Hollie on Renovation Resort was one of the great joys of my life,” Graham said. “Getting to spend so much time with Hollie and watching her vision come to life right before my eyes was truly a gift. The show was unbelievably challenging, but I learned what I thought I already knew –– my daughter is not only up to the challenge, but extremely talented.”

Hollie noted the duo knows each other so well, they’re a well-oiled machine.

“We have been working together for a long time so we know how each other operates,” she said. “I’m always anticipating his next move, and he moves quickly! It was amazing to see what my dad is capable of accomplishing. Age is not a factor; he works harder than anyone I know and inspires me to do the same and to never give up!”

The teams are tasked with designing their own vacation home, in their own style. The designs really reflect their characters and tried and true elements.

Graham noted that people’s tastes are so varied and individual, and because of this, anything goes. But he says one of the most traditional elements is paying attention to how people move through a space. “Good design allows people to move organically through a home.”

Individual style means that creatively, “anything goes” but having a clear design plan ensures your space is truly unique to you while not sacrificing functionality, Hollie noted.

“I think it’s important when starting with a blank slate that you incorporate something vintage or personal so that the home starts to feel connected to you. I find drawing inspiration from different time periods inspires a good balance of modern and nostalgic. In short – always mix old and new!”

She also believes that homes feel most “individual” when you move away from matching sets. Having variety in your pieces (and patterns) makes a home feel collected, individual, and not too contrived. 

Given the shortage of skilled trades in Ontario, shows like Renovation Resort just may light a spark for some considering the industry.

“I believe a show like Renovation Resort encourages people to create. And one of the steps in creating is learning a skill or two. So yes, I feel this show encourages young people to take the necessary steps to get into this industry,” Graham says.

Hollie agrees and says this show does a great job of representing all sides of a project – the wins, the losses.

“It’s not easy to build something from scratch but it is so rewarding when you do. It would be great if this show would encourage more families to consider working together. You see a lot of ‘father-son’ businesses, but few ‘father-daughter.’ I will say, patience goes a long way when you’re working with family!”

The rising cost of materials has impacted homeowners when carrying out renovations.

Hollie says many homeowners are living in their spaces longer than they would like.

“A lot of our clients have had their same kitchen for 10-20 plus years before they give us a call. High material prices can unfortunately discourage homeowners from investing in better quality materials.”

Graham notes all costs are rising, but people continue to invest and maintain their biggest asset – their home.

The uncertainty of the housing market is definitely encouraging homeowners to renovate their existing spaces, Hollie believes. “Renovating gives homeowners a chance to improve the functionality and value of their home with a comparatively lower price tag,” said Hollie.

Committing to a home long-term does have an upside, Graham points out – taking advantage of the situation to personalize their home and make it their own.

Check out Resort Renovation to see how this dynamic duo fares in the competition.

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