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In an unexpected turn, the departure of Chip and Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” left some of the show’s beloved crew members, like woodworker Clint Harp, metal craftsman Jimmy Don Holmes, and remodeling expert Saul “Shorty” Sanchez, pondering their next steps. So, where have these talented artisans landed, and what are they up to now? Let’s delve into their current endeavors.
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Clint Harp’s journey with “Fixer Upper” began in a rather serendipitous way. It all started when he had a chance encounter with Chip Gaines at a gas station after noticing a Magnolia truck. As an aspiring carpenter, Harp seized the opportunity to seek advice from Chip. This meeting led to an invitation to Chip’s workshop, where the two spent hours discussing woodworking. “That was in February or March of 2012. By October, we were filming Fixer Upper,” Harp recounted to The Columbus Dispatch.
Clint Harp’s career blossomed alongside the show’s popularity. His furniture business, Harp Design Co., thrived, and he landed his own show, “Wood Work,” on the DIY Network. Beyond television, Harp traveled across the country for public speaking engagements and even authored a book titled “Handcrafted: A Woodworker’s Story,” released in September 2018. “I just want to get out there, share our story, and inspire people to start a journey of their own,” Harp shared with CultureMap Dallas in 2018.
Jimmy Don Holmes, the talented metalworker, caught the attention of Chip and Joanna Gaines through mutual friends. He recounted on his website (as reported by Closer Weekly) that he had recently crafted a sign for Waco business owners, who were friends of the Gaineses. When Joanna mentioned the need for a reliable metal artist for signs and cutouts, their friends recommended Jimmy Don Holmes in Crawford. “And the rest is history,” Holmes remarked.
Clint Harp has a new endeavor
Clint Harp first burst onto the scene during Season 1, appearing on “Fixer Upper” as Chip and Joanna Gaines’ trusty carpenter following a chance encounter at a gas station after spotting one of the Magnolia trucks. As a budding carpenter, Harp approached Chip, hoping to get some advice. In the end, Chip invited him to his shop, and the two men spent hours talking. “That was in February or March of 2012. In October, we were shooting Fixer Upper,” Harp told The Columbus Dispatch.
Harp’s star continued to rise along with the show. While his furniture business, Harp Design Co., continued to grow, Harp landed his very own show, “Wood Work,” on the DIY Network, and made his way around the country doing public speaking gigs. And somewhere along the way, he even found time to write a book, “Handcrafted: A Woodworker’s Story,” published in September 2018. “I just want to get out there, share our story, and inspire people to start a journey of their own,” Harp told CultureMap Dallas in 2018.
Unfortunately for Harp, it was announced in April 2019 that the DIY network would be rebranded to the Magnolia Network. At the time, Harp told People that he was caught off guard by the news. True to form, however, Harp landed back on his feet in 2021 when he secured yet another show, “Restoration Road,” on the Magnolia Network that ran until 2024. Then, in 2023, he announced that he was closing Harp Design Co, citing ever-increasing time constraints. Interestingly enough, in April 2025, Harp announced that he was pivoting yet again. “New journey. New chapter. So excited to partner with my friend Jonathan to build the 254 Realty Group under the family of Camille Johnson Realtors,” he announced about his endeavor on Instagram.
Jimmy Don Holmes Still Forging Metal and Magnolia Ties
The story goes that Chip and Joanna Gaines first learned of metalworker Jimmy Don Holmes and his craftsmanship through friends. “I had just finished a sign for some Waco business owners who are friends with Chip and Joanna,” he once shared on his website (via Closer Weekly). “Not long after, they were eating dinner together when Joanna expressed the need to have a ‘go-to’ metal art person for signs and cutouts, etc. The couple was instantly like ‘Oh! You [got to] call Jimmy Don Holmes in Crawford!’ And the rest is history,” he declared.
Fortunately for Holmes, the success his business garnered after being featured on the show continued long after “Fixer Upper” was off the air. Holmes went on to set up shop in a trailer located close to the Gaineses’ famous Magnolia Market. (As the old saying goes, location, location, location.) Still, Holmes was careful to note that his work didn’t serve as a competitor to the wares sold at Magnolia Market. “The Gaineses have been good to me, and I love them to death,” he told the Waco Tribune-Herald (via Country Living). “I would not do anything to jeopardize that relationship.”
On October 24, Holmes took to Instagram to encourage people to attend Silobration, an annual multiday event hosted by Magnolia Market. “Love running into everyone at Silobration! Come find us walking around with a few freebies for y’all!” he wrote.
Saul ‘Shorty’ Sanchez
Although Chip and Joanna Gaines were the stars of “Fixer Upper,” it was Saul Sanchez, aka “Shorty,” who really stole the show! “He was just always energetic and always the right man for the job,” Chip gushed about his longtime friend and colleague during an episode of “Fixer Upper: Welcome Home” in June 2021.
As it turns out, once “Fixer Upper” wrapped, the Gaines family placed their faith in Sanchez yet again, awarding him a $10,000 Chipstarter contest at the 2018 Silobration event to start his very own business. “Thank you so much to my friends @chipgaines and @joannagaines for always believing in me. You are an inspiration to me and so many others to follow your dreams. Can’t wait to get this remodeling business started! #shortysremodeling,” Sanchez wrote on X about the generous gesture.
In 2021, things came full circle for Sanchez when he made a cameo on “Fixer Upper: Welcome Home.” While in a pinch, Chip opted to call Sanchez to help him move a heavy wood-burning stove. “I knew this thing was more than I could handle, so I happened to call Shorty, and Shorty was like, ‘Bro, I’m right around the corner,” Chip explained. The guest appearance also served as a trip down memory lane for viewers, as the men reminisced about their long history together — all while the pair struggled to get the stove into the fireplace. “Back when you were 16, I would have been, like, 26. This would have been no problem back in our early days,” Chip joked about their predicament. Hey, at least they’ll always have old “Fixer Upper” footage to remind them of the good ol’ days.