Career Options
Jack of all tradesNeil Davies is the affable English foreman known for getting things done on HGTV's Real Renos. This jack of all trades tells viewers --and even host and master contractor Jim Caruk -- how it is. His sense of humour has made him a favourite with homeowners across the country. LINDA WHITE |
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 [ 2006-03-15 ] |
His notoriety can make a trip to the corner store a lengthy excursion. "We're recognized all the time. It's humbling," he says. "Sometimes I go out to pick up a loaf of bread or bag of milk and it takes me an hour. My wife asks me what took so long and I tell her I was talking to someone about their renovation ... People feel like they know me."
Becoming a recognized face was hardly in the cards when Toronto-born Davies returned to his birthplace 15 years ago. Even his foray into the trades was a "pure fluke." The former British Marine wanted to earn money so he could help his mom with her mortgage payments back in England.
Meeting Caruk at a barbecue set the ball in motion. "I had never been interested in touching a hammer or any of the trades," Davies says. "I didn't know what I wanted to do. Jim was doing a small addition to a house and offered me a job."
And the rest, as they say, is history. "I did every dirty, filthy job imaginable. Whenever someone needed a hole dug, I was the one they called. A shovel was attached to my hand for the first year." Davies soon wanted to take on additional responsibilities. "It's not me to be a follower. I wanted to progress, progress, progress. I became everything. I had to answer questions when Jim wasn't on the job site."
His skills grew along with The Caruk Group, which began constructing custom-designed homes and tackling large additions. "From digging out basements to the last brush of paint, I was there. I felt an achievement in that," Davies says. "It took about five years to decide this is what I really wanted to do."
Davies learned along the way. "A lot of our trades are sub-contractors and I learned from them. On-the-job training is the best. There's always something to do on the job site, whether it's sweeping floors, hammering nails or looking at plans. You have to be motivated."
A particularly challenging house renovation would change the course of things. The homeowner wanted an addition at the back of her home, but the only way to gain access to the backyard was to dig a tunnel under the house. "It was a tough job that went from bad to worse," Davies says.
When the homeowner asked if that was typical of renovations, Caruk answered honestly: "Yes." The homeowner, a former TV producer, knew she had the makings of a new show.
Real Renos premiered in 2002. "It was never going to be a how-to show, but a show about what you're going to go through when you undergo a renovation," Davies says. "You're hearing two sides: the homeowner and the contractor."
The show quickly earned a loyal audience. Viewers overheard interesting conversations, participated in meetings and felt the frustrations and ultimate satisfaction of a job well done. "They wanted us to be ourselves. We never had to act it out. There were no two takes and no makeup."
LIVING THE LIFE
After five seasons and 65 episodes, Real Renos is now in reruns and Davies is living the life he shared with so many viewers: he's renovating his own home in Toronto. He tackled the heaviest jobs before moving in with his wife and two-year-old son and hopes to complete the bulk of the work before the family's new addition arrives in the coming days.
Davies has appeared at home shows across the country, most recently in Calgary. He loves talking to wannabe tradespeople and is proud the show appeals to both homeowners and builders.
His favourite trade? Finish carpentry. "That's when the house really looks like something. I have been lucky to work with guys who are really good."
But Davis is quick to give all tradespeople a pat on the back. "Whatever (trade) you choose, you're as important as everyone else. Everyone loves the tile guy because he makes the house look pretty, but without the framers, the guys putting in the heating system or the shingles, you wouldn't have anything."
What keeps him motivated? "You have to care about what you do. It's not just about collecting a paycheque. I like to stand back and say, 'Wow! I want this to stand up for the next hundred years'."
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