No. If he ran hot AND ground wires directly from the battery to the fan motor(s) and they don't work, the fan motor(s) are bad.

Note: The reason you must use both wires is because on some systems the fans have power to them all the time and the sensor completes the circuit by supplying the ground. some are the opposite.

Also on most cars the second fan comes on when the A/C is turned on. The parts man should be able to tell you which fan is the primary and which fan is the A/C fan. Change the primary first and if it works then change the scond one.