Say goodbye to the world of miracle makeovers and sleepy do-it-yourself instructional shows. This is House Smarts, a 30-minute home improvement program hosted by Lou Manfredini. As a contractor and a broadcaster (NBC's Today Show, WGN Radio), Lou has created this high-energy half-hour weekly program to combine the best of both worlds for television audiences: useful home improvement knowledge and an entertaining look into the projects of real homeowners.
Each week House Smarts answers the questions homeowners really want to know. Nobody adds on a room in one weekend, or lets their neighbors decorate their living room. House Smarts follows the progress of real people and lessons learned.
House Smarts also stays up on the latest trends. Whether it's an inside industry look behind the scenes at a trade show, or in the show room of a high-end designer, Lou makes keeping up on the newest and best things out there a breeze.
The reality of this show is that it pays to work smart. House Smarts is for real homeowners.
From early on, houses and the art of building captivated Lou Manfredini. As a teen, the Chicago-area native went to work at a local hardware store to learn about housing structures, the tools of building and home improvement projects. Later, during high school, he decided to put what he had learned to practical use and began working as a carpenter’s apprentice. Then, in 1987, Manfredini struck out on his own and launched a construction company in Chicago. He not only built and renovated people’s homes; he gave people a better understanding of how their houses work.
After 8 successful years in business, Manfredini had gained so much and such varied knowledge about homes that he began to consider ways to more broadly share this expertise with others. He believed that a house was more like a living entity than an inanimate collection of lumber, wiring and plumbing. By showing people how various systems and components in a house rely on each other and instilling a greater understanding of a house as a “whole” Manfredini thought everyone could have greater success in their home improvement and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects.
Armed with his expertise and enthusiasm, Manfredini began a media career when WGN-AM Radio 720 in Chicago launched his idea for a home improvement call-in radio show in 1995. The show quickly caught on, and today, over ten years later, Ask Mr. Fix-It, is the number one Saturday morning radio program in Chicagoland. Manfredini is also the host of Lou Manfredini’s Home Improvement Minutes heard on over 170 stations across the United States.
Not long thereafter, Manfredini branched into television and print media. Since 2000, he has been the official home improvement contributor for NBC-TV’s “Today Show” and NBC 5 in Chicago and a frequent guest on HGTV, CNN, Discovery and the History Channel. He has been featured and quoted in such periodicals as USA Weekend Magazine, People Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, Real Simple, the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times.
Reaching millions of DIYers every month with his friendly persona and down-to-earth project advice, Manfredini also has authored five successful books for DIYers: Mr. Fix-It: 101 Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions About Repairing Your Home, Mr. Fix-It Introduces You to Your Home, Bath Smarts, Kitchen Smarts and Room Smarts published by Ballantine Publishing. These books have been featured in national magazines such as People and Newsweek, as well as newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.
Manfredini is a nationally recognized do-it-yourself (DIY) expert, one who is sought after both for his expertise and his energetic, entertaining style.
In addition to his media engagements, Manfredini continues to run his own hardware store in Chicago, keeping him up-to-date on the homebuilding industry’s latest trends and technology. He lives in Chicago with his wife and four children.
