What is Bob Vila's Net Worth?
Bob Vila is an American home improvement specialist who has a net worth of $80 million. Bob Vila is best known as the host of "This Old House" and "Bob Vila's Home Again." He has also had a successful career producing other television shows and writing books on the topics of home renovation. In January 2020, Bob sold his website BobVila.com to digital conglomerate Recurrent Ventures, which also owns Outdoor Life, Popular Science, and Dwell, among many other properties. Perhaps not surprisingly for a home improvement expert, Bob and his wife Diana have owned a number of very impressive mansions over the years. In November 2023, the couple listed their waterfront Palm Beach mansion for $52.9 million. Scroll to the bottom of this article for a detailed history and video tour of Bob Vila's Palm Beach… villa.
Bob Vila first began hosting what became the iconic "This Old House" PBS show in 1979. The show would eventually make him arguably the most famous home improvement expert in the world. After spending ten years with the program, he then served as the host of other similar broadcasts, including "Bob Vila's Home Again," a weekly syndicated home improvement program that was known simply as "Bob Vila" from 2005 onwards. Over his career, Vila has been nominated for seven Daytime Emmy Awards. Vila also made appearances as himself in various episodes of the long-running ABC sitcom "Home Improvement," as well as in the 1993 comedy spoof "Hot Shots! Part Deux."
To date, Bob has written more than 25 books. Among the most notable titles he has penned is "This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating and Renovation an Older House," "Bob Vila's Guide to Buying Your Dream House," as well as the series "Bob Vila's Guides to Historic Homes of America," which covers five different US regions.
Early Life
Robert Joseph Vila was born on June 20, 1946, in Miami, Florida. His family is Cuban-American, and he was raised in Miami in a home that his father had built by hand. Vila attended Miami Jackson High School and then went on to study journalism at the University of Florida. After graduating with his bachelor's degree, he served as a volunteer in the Peace Corps in Panama from 1971 to 1973.
This Old House
After his time in the Peace Corps, Vila began restoring homes. He received the "Heritage House of 1978" Award by Better Homes and Gardens, recognizing his restoration of a Victorian Italianate house in Newton, Massachusetts. After receiving the award, he was hired as the host of "This Old House" in 1979. On the show, he appeared alongside carpenter Norm Abram. Along with Abram, he renovated various houses for the show until he decided to leave the program in 1989 after a disagreement arose regarding his involvement with various endorsements outside of the show. Steve Thomas replaced him following his departure from the show.
Endorsements & Other Work
After leaving "This Old House," Vila became a spokesman for "Sears" department stores. He appeared in various Sears commercials promoting the Craftsman tools brand. He then decided to return to television in 1990 when he started hosting the new show, "Bob Vila's Home Again." The show aired weekly and focused on home improvement. The show ran for sixteen seasons in syndication before being canceled due to declining ratings, though it still airs reruns. In 2006, Vila also parted ways with Sears after there was a dispute between him and the company.
Getty Images
Throughout his career, Vila also appeared on various episodes of the comedy "Home Improvement" starring Tim Allen. He would appear on Allen's fictional show "Tool Time" as himself. He also made a cameo appearance in the 1993 comedy spoof "Hot Shots! Part Deux." He has also appeared on the Home Shopping Network a number of times in an effort to sell a range of tools under his name brand which he founded in 2016.
Other television productions that Vila has created include "Guide to Historic Homes of America," a show airing in two-hour segments that feature homes from the four major regions of the United States. Some of the most famous homes that appeared on the show include Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, Ellwood House, the Dana-Thomas House by Frank Lloyd Wright, and Hammond-Harwood House in Maryland. He also created the show "In Search of Palladio," a three-part, six-hour study of the work of the 16th century architect Andrea Palladio. Additionally, he created "Restore America," which consists of 50 one-hour segments that explore historic preservation and building restoration in each of the fifty U.S. states. The show was broadcast on HGTV from 1999 to 2000.
In addition to his work on television, Vila has written over two dozen books. Some of his titles include "This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House," "Bob Vila's Guide to Buying Your Dream House," and "Bob Vila's Guides to Historic Homes of America."
Personal Life
Bob has been married to documentary filmmaker/producer/professor Diana Barrett since 1975. They have three children together. Diana came from a wealthy family and helped Bob launch his career and what became a business empire.
Palm Beach Mansion
Bob and Diana own several homes in the United States. From 2005 to 2024, their primary home was a 6,300-square-foot waterfront mansion located on Everglades Island in Palm Beach, Florida. Interestingly, Diana's mother was the previous owner of the home. Diana's parents bought the property in 1975 for $375,000. Bob and Diana bought the home on her mother's estate in 2005 for $6.1 million. As you might expect, over the next decade, the home underwent some major renovations. Bob did not perform the renovations himself; he hired a general contractor. Looking to downsize and capitalize on Palm Beach's explosive property market, in November 2023, Bob and Diana listed this mansion for $52.9 million. Here is a video tour of Bob Vila's $53 million Palm Beach mansion:
In January 2024, Bob and Diana paid $12.5 million for a smaller Palm Beach mansion. Bob and Diana also own a waterfront home in Chilmark, Massachusetts. They bought this 8-acre property in 2001 for $4.6 million. Today, this home is worth $15-20 million.
