Mike Holmes has seen a lot of tools come and go, but few have made him stop mid-sentence like the HP SitePrint robot. In a recent Holmes on Homes Podcast episode, Holmes sat down with Andy from HP and Peter from Building Point to break down how this new technology is changing what it means to build with precision. You can listen to the full episode here.
The conversation started with an old problem: human error. Every builder knows how one wrong mark can set off a chain of corrections — a wall a few inches off, a doorway misaligned, or plumbing that suddenly doesn’t fit. Holmes has spent years fixing jobs that went sideways for that very reason. Now, the SitePrint robot is taking those mistakes off the table. Instead of marking lines manually, it reads the digital design file and prints the layout directly onto the concrete surface. Clean, fast, exact.
Andy described the robot as “the next step after laser levels,” a device that takes the plans from screen to floor with millimeter accuracy. It’s guided by sensors and software that ensure it follows the blueprint precisely. It can draw everything from walls and columns to text labels and curved outlines — all while moving smoothly across the site. Holmes leaned in, fascinated by how this tiny machine could do what entire layout crews used to spend days on.
Peter explained that the benefits go far beyond convenience. When layout work becomes automated, teams save massive amounts of time and money. Jobs move faster, rework is minimized, and construction schedules stay tight. Holmes picked up on that right away: “It’s not about working harder, it’s about working smarter.”
That phrase set the tone for the rest of the episode. The discussion wasn’t just about robots; it was about evolution. For decades, construction has balanced tradition with adaptation — from power tools to 3D modeling. But this? This was the next leap. Holmes has always pushed for quality and precision, and the SitePrint system fits perfectly with that philosophy. It eliminates guesswork, keeps consistency across multiple sites, and ensures every trade starts from the same reference point.
Still, Holmes wanted to know how the machine actually fits into a job site. Does it need special training? Does it replace workers? Andy and Peter were quick to clarify: the robot isn’t a replacement — it’s a teammate. It takes on the repetitive, precision-heavy parts of the job so skilled tradespeople can focus on higher-value work. Layout becomes faster, cleaner, and less exhausting, while people stay where they’re most needed — solving problems, coordinating trades, and pushing progress.
Holmes pointed out that this shift could be the key to solving one of construction’s biggest challenges: the labor shortage. Young people who grew up surrounded by technology are more likely to be drawn to an industry that uses tools like SitePrint. It shows that building isn’t just manual labor; it’s tech-driven creativity. “If we want to build the future,” Holmes said, “we have to show that construction is the future.”
The episode took a thoughtful turn when they started talking about craftsmanship. For Holmes, craftsmanship has always been sacred — something you feel in your hands. So when he sees a robot doing layout work, he wants to know: does that diminish the craft? Peter’s answer stuck with him. Precision isn’t the opposite of craftsmanship — it’s part of it. When technology helps eliminate errors, it gives tradespeople more time to perfect the details that actually require human judgment. Automation, in that sense, frees up artistry.
Holmes connected that idea to safety as well. With fewer people crawling on the floor measuring and marking, there’s less physical strain and fewer trip hazards. The job site becomes calmer and more predictable — a benefit that’s hard to quantify until you’ve spent years navigating half-finished floors and tangled lines. He’s seen too many accidents come from small, preventable errors. This robot quietly erases a lot of those risks.
As the discussion wound down, Holmes reflected on how fast things are changing. Construction is moving from manual to digital, from reactive to predictive. The SitePrint robot is just one example of how technology is aligning with human skill instead of competing with it. Holmes summed it up neatly: “We’re not just building smarter buildings — we’re building a smarter industry.”
That line hung in the air — equal parts challenge and promise. The episode leaves you with the sense that the trades are entering a new era, one where experience meets innovation head-on. The future job site might not be louder or busier, but it’ll be sharper, cleaner, and more precise.
For anyone curious about what that future looks like — and how it feels to watch a robot literally print a building into existence — tune into the full conversation on Spotify here. It’s Mike Holmes at his best: asking tough questions, championing craftsmanship, and reminding us that progress is only as strong as the people who build it.
