Eric Stromer

Before you learn more about this rescuer of homes in need, make sure you’re not living in the ugliest house on your block! Check out Eric’s top five warning signs and emergency fixes for homeowners who fear their home may be... hideous.

ERIC'S TIPS

Warning Sign #1: If there is a boat, trailer, old bus, abandoned car on your property your house is hideous.

The Fix: Move it! Have it towed, give to charity, or park it behind your house so at least we don’t have to see it. No one believes you are actually going to restore the vehicle someday if it’s been there longer than four months and no one has ever seen you working on it!

Warning Sign #2: Your house looks haunted.

The Fix: Clean up your landscaping. Look at your house from across the street objectively. Is it in need of a pressure washing? Can you take away all the elements that make it look like a junk yard? Trim back the foliage so your house doesn’t look overgrown. Paint does miracles! If you can afford it, do it! Evening landscape lighting can be helpful. New LED lighting kits are easy to install and use virtually no energy to operate.

Warning Sign #3: There is an indoor couch on your porch or front yard. Like a beacon in the night, this is truly the way to spot hideous. You see this in college towns on fraternity porches where young people are renting. If you are an adult with an actual job, it’s time to transition into actual outdoor furniture.

The Fix: Remove the said couch immediately! Replace with outdoor furniture or a porch swing. Anything! Please!!!

Warning Sign #4: There are multiple cats or packs of dogs roaming your front yard with pet piles everywhere.

The Fix: Stop feeding stray cats. Have your cats fixed so at least you aren’t creating more. If you have more animal waste than you can clean up on a regular basis, you probably have too many animals. Don’t let your kids manipulate you into acquiring more animals unless they can completely take care of them.

Warning Sign #5: There are holiday decorations left on your home way too long after the holiday ended. I’ll even give you up to six weeks after the holiday has ended. What are you, a carny?

The Fix: Lose the decorations or we will have to assume that you have mental problems and are a ward of the state!

BIOGRAPHY

What do you get when you mix construction, comedy and music? Chicago native Eric Stromer, star of over 300 episodes of such hit shows as OVER YOUR HEAD (HGTV) and CLEAN SWEEP (TLC), author of Do-It-Yourself Family, and one of People magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive.” Eric can also be heard every week on the nationally syndicated radio show HOME WIZARDS with Cindy Dole.

Eric’s entertaining DIY advice and infectious personality have won the hearts of millions of viewers nationwide! He’s been a spokesman for SEARS/Craftsman Tools and can be heard regularly dishing out home improvement advice to listeners of Adam Carolla’s nationally syndicated radio show. Also, Eric just completed recording his first full-length country music album in Nashville, which will be released later this year. Prior to joining the HGTV family, Eric starred on TLC’s Clean Sweep, NBC’s Three Wishes and as a special correspondent for the syndicated entertainment news magazine The Insider.

As the host of Over Your Head, one of HGTV’s top series, Eric comes to the rescue of homeowners who have tackled a home improvement project that failed miserably! Saving rooms, homes and potentially marriages, Eric and his team guide the homeowners’ projects to completion every week. You never know when one of Eric’s alter egos (such as knitting guru Granny Stromer) will show up to join in on the fun!

Eric partnered with AOL and GMC to create Home Improvement with Eric Stromer, a series of web videos and interactive features that help viewers conquer their fears and tackle home repair projects themselves. The series of videos feature a wide range of projects such as hanging wallpaper and eco-friendly landscaping, and they are available for free on AOL’s Living channel. The first season aired in 2007, and the series continues with new episodes in 2012 and beyond.

Eric is also an accomplished author. His book, Do-It-Yourself Family, is a helpful guide for busy parents, with suggestions for home projects that will not only bring the family together but also buy some quality time for mom and dad. Published by Random House/Bantam Dell, it is available in stores nationwide! Eric also pens a monthly column, “Superhandy Dad,” for LA Parent magazine.

Born and raised in Evanston, Illinois, Eric grew up enjoying both sports and drama. He excelled in track and football and participated in local talent shows. His passion for the arts and an early break in commercials led him to enroll in the University of Colorado’s theater department where he lasted only one week. After realizing a structured curriculum in drama was not satisfying, he desperately tried to return home, but soon found himself on the next plane back. In order to financially survive, Eric found a niche in construction. Eric’s four years of painting and putting crown molding in just about every house in Colorado laid the foundation for his future career.

Upon graduation, Eric moved to Los Angeles and began remodeling houses. His eye for design, attention to detail, and great craftsmanship captured the attention of many A-list celebrities. In 1993, Eric started his own company, Big House Construction, which quickly flourished into a lucrative business. Eric has remodeled homes for celebrities including Dylan McDermott, Elijah Wood and Jasmine Guy.

Although his business is thriving, Eric has not given up his first love of entertaining. And it didn’t take long for Hollywood to come knocking on his door. He was even honored with the Best Comedy Short award at the Houston Film Festival for producing, scoring and starring in The Acting Thing, a comedy film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Eric is also an accomplished singer/songwriter who has written and performed music for The Drew Carey Showtime Special, The Wild Side starring Christopher Walken, and numerous television shows. Eric is currently recording his debut full-length album with some of Nashville’s greatest musical talents.

A father to three, television host, construction extraordinaire and product spokesman keep this blonde hunk busy, but just ask Eric; there is nothing else he would rather do!