Local TV show highlights energy-efficient home projects

Get ready to grab a cup of coffee, find a comfortable seat and tune your TV to KMIZ. Season two of Columbia’s own Building for Better Living starts at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 2.

Last year, show host and local building contractor Cole McCollum took his audience along as he and business partner Jason Richardson completed an entire house from beginning to finish. This season, McCollum is going it alone and guiding viewers through three different home improvement projects: a garage makeover; creation of a “drop zone,” a room designated for backpacks, umbrellas and dirty shoes; and the installation of an outdoor kitchen.
“Right now, in this economy, it’s a little harder for people to make money, but it’s easy to make small changes and hold onto more of the money you already have,” McCollum said. “Basically, our show is about energy-efficient goods and services that save people time and money.”
The show will be filled with smart ideas for living an eco-friendly lifestyle. Local business owners sponsor the show and have spots in each episode that provide how-to demonstrations, introductions to new products and tips for home improvement.
Mark Hall, owner of Mark Hall Fine Cabinetry, is one of several sponsors and will have his garage renovated as part of the show. Hall said his garage is currently like most people’s: little storage and lots of clutter. But by the end of the project, it will shine with a new epoxy floor, cabinetry with stainless-steel countertops, a ceiling fan and a new doggie door.
“Better Living is kind of like a do-it-yourself program in that it allows potential clients to see how they can remodel rooms in their houses,” Hall said. “It gives people ideas about what’s possible. Typically, garages are a mess. That’s what we’re trying to fix in addition to storage solutions — showing people that even the garage can be a nice place to arrive when you come home.”
The show (before it was a show) began as a local radio ad for McCollum’s business, J&C Construction. He said he just maybe had a little too much fun doing it.
“Really, one thing led to another,” McCollum said. “I did the math and quickly figured out that I could make it work financially. But in a way, that part doesn’t even matter because it lets me talk to people and be crazy and do what I love to do.”
For a full list of episodes, visit the show’s website at buildingforbetterliving.com.