"Home Improvement" Star Patricia Richardson Asking $10 Million For Her Brentwood Home Of Nearly 30 Years

On September 17, 1991, "Home Improvement" premiered on ABC.

If you didn't grow up in the 1990s, it's hard to convey just how massive "Home Improvement" was. For starters, it was genuinely funny. It wasn't a cheap, formulaic sitcom. Secondly, it appealed to nearly everyone: men and women, kids and parents, blue-collar and white-collar alike. And for many male viewers, there was an added draw during the show's early seasons: Pamela Anderson portrayed Lisa, the original "Tool Time girl," often clad in a cropped t-shirt and overalls.

At its peak, Home Improvement drew more than 30 million viewers a week and consistently ranked among the top 10 shows on television. During its third season, it even climbed to #2 in the Nielsen ratings, just behind "60 Minutes." To put that in perspective, about 26 million people watched Game 7 of the World Series two weeks ago, and around 20 million tune in for Sunday NFL broadcasts on CBS, Fox, or ABC. 60 Minutes still ranks as the most-watched non-sports show today, but it now averages about 14 million weekly viewers—less than half the audience Home Improvement once commanded.

Home Improvement's cultural reach was equally enormous. Even today—more than 25 years after the series finale—you could walk up to almost anyone over 35 and grunt like Tim Allen, and they'd instantly know what you're referencing. Chances are, they'd even grunt back: "Uhh?" … "Uhh! Uhh! Uhh!" … or "Arr arr arr!"

The show's stars, Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Zachery Ty Bryan, Taran Noah Smith, and Richard Karn, became household names.

By the final season, Tim Allen was the highest-paid actor on television, making $1.25 million per episode. There were 28 episodes in the final season, so he made $35 million that year. FYI, that's the same as making around $68 million today.

Much to her frustration, for the entire series, Patricia Richardson earned exactly half of Tim Allen's salary. That tension resurfaced midway through the eighth season when ABC approached her about returning for one final, ninth season. To entice her, the network offered $1 million per episode, or roughly $25 million for a full season—about $50 million in today's dollars.

Unfortunately, Patricia soon learned that ABC had offered Tim $2 million to come back. AKA $50 million for the season. AKA $100 million after adjusting for inflation.

Upon hearing that, Richardson politely told ABC she would return only if she and Allen were paid equally. The network declined, and the show ended after eight seasons.

Standing up for herself wasn't just about money. At the time, Richardson was a recently divorced single mother of three, balancing her career with raising her kids and caring for an ailing parent. As she later explained, if she was going to spend more time away from home, it had to be under fair and extraordinary circumstances.

After the show ended in 1999, Richardson retreated from the spotlight and focused on family life. During the height of her Home Improvement fame, she had purchased a charming Cape Cod–style mansion in Los Angeles's Brentwood neighborhood for $1.1 million. It became her sanctuary—a place where she raised her children, hosted family weddings, and even held SAG-AFTRA events during her tenure with the union.

Now, nearly 30 years later, that same 6,600-square-foot home has hit the market for just under $10 million. The seven-bedroom, nine-bath estate features classic 1930s architecture, manicured gardens, and a resort-style pool with a waterfall grotto bar. Unclear if it needs any improvement, or if it comes with a friendly neighbor whose face is never shown 🙂

Here is a video tour: