Bob Vila

Biography

Bob Vila is an American television host and home improvement expert, best known for pioneering the home renovation TV genre. Born in Miami, Florida, in 1946, Vila learned construction skills from his father, who built their family’s home by hand. After graduating from Miami Jackson High School, he studied journalism at the University of Florida and then served in the Peace Corps in Panama. Vila began his television career as the host of the groundbreaking PBS series This Old House in 1979 after winning a restoration award for his work on a Victorian Italianate house in Newton, Massachusetts. His approachable style and expertise made the series immensely popular and helped launch a wave of similar programming. Vila left This Old House in 1989 due to endorsement conflicts and moved on to host Bob Vila’s Home Again and later Bob Vila, continuing to educate and inspire viewers on home repair and renovation. Beyond television, Vila wrote more than a dozen books, including a guide to historic homes of America. He made several cameo appearances on Tim Allen’s sitcom Home Improvement and has developed his own line of home products. In addition to his media work, Vila is known for his involvement with organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and for helping restore Ernest Hemingway’s home in Cuba. Vila remains a well-respected advocate for craftsmanship and homeownership, winning a Daytime Emmy lifetime achievement award in 2022 and continuing to inspire new generations to take pride in their homes and communities.