The host guides various participants as they repair and renovate various houses.
Genre: Documentary, Reality-TV
Cast:Richard Trethewey , Norm Abram , Kevin O'Connor , Tom Silva , Steve Thomas , Roger Cook , Bob Vila , Mark McCullough , Jenn Nawada Evans , Charlie Silva , Mauro Henrique , Jeff Sweenor , Heath Eastman , Mark Ferrante , Allen Gallant , Nathan Gilbert , Katherine Bicer , Liz Delfino
The crew takes on the huge Bigelow Homestead, a 19th century home in bad repair in Newton, MA.
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The Brookline House: Bob visits Southern California and views geodesic dome homes, plus finds out about the latest in alarm systems.
The Brookline House: Bob and Norm review exterior construction and cedar siding. The designer shows Bob tile choices. Bob visits an architect in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Brookline House: Lighting fixtures, solar water tanks are featured. Bob travels to Seattle to view Metropolitan magazine's Home Design of the Year winner.
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The final days in Charlestown. The This Old House team works its way through the checklist of finishes. Period lighting fixtures and 2 new suites of modern appliances turn the Beliveaus' townhouse into an up-to-the-minute historic showpiece.
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This Old House: The final days in Manchester begin with a look at the smoke detectors - specialist Greg Smizer explains to Steve maintenance obsolescence issues, and points out that the ones he's installing also detect low temperatures.
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For the 30th anniversary of This Old Horse, the crew begin renovations on a 1915 Dutch Colonial revival, adding some much-needed living space for a family in Newton, Massachusetts.
Master carpenter Norm Abram and general contractor Tom Silva remove the old vinyl siding from the exterior of the house, exposing not only the original wood clapboards underneath but also lots of repair work that needs to be done. Inside, architect Paul Rovinelli takes host Kevin O'Connor and homeowner Gillian Pierce through the plan for the new kitchen, which calls for a modest expansion, building as Gillian puts it, "just what we need," and nothing more. One early proponent of that style of thinking was architect and author Sarah Susanka, so Kevin travels to her own "Not So Big" home in Raleigh, North Carolina, to see some smart ideas for restrained remodels that won't break the bank. Back in Newton Centre, landscape contractor Roger Cook breaks up the old porch slab to make way for the foundation for the new addition.
Host Kevin O'Connor and general contractor Tom Silva discuss the homeowners' decision to stay in the house during construction, and they agree it won't be easy. Homeowners Bill and Gillian Pierce are already living out of boxes and coolers, because today their kitchen will be gutted back to the studs. In the basement, the laundry room can stay for the time being, but the entire heating system is also coming out today, as plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey goes straight to work with a reciprocating saw and a sledgehammer. Outside, Tom shows Kevin how he's extending the old windowsills with wood and epoxy to replicate the historic "ears" of the sill that were cut off by the vinyl siding contractor years ago. Gillian sets up a temporary kitchen in the basement, while Kevin gets some bad news from master electrician Allen Gallant. The exterior service components are water-damaged beyond repair, and due to some hidden (and ungrounded) knob-and-tube wiring, nearly ninety percent of the old house will have to be rewired to meet building code. Out back, Tom uses interlocking, insulated concrete forms to form the foundation for the new addition, just before the concrete truck arrives for the pour.
Host Kevin O'Connor meets general contractor Tom Silva in the kitchen to see some bizarre and inadequate framing that he recently discovered in the old kitchen ceiling. As a result, they have to reinforce and level the entire ceiling using an angle iron, a laser level, and multiple new LVLs. Then, Kevin visits Long Island, New York with architect Russell Versaci to learn about the origins of our house style, the Dutch Colonial Revival. Back in Newton Centre, master carpenter Norm Abram leads the effort to frame up the first floor platform for the new addition.
Homeowner Gillian Pierce shows host Kevin O'Connor the progress in the first floor family room. Up above, general contractor Tom Silva is building the gable-end wall for the new addition. Kevin climbs up top and lends a hand with the wall raising. Out front, master electrician Allen Gallant prepares to upgrade the service from 100 amp to 200 amp, but first he sets up temporary jobsite power by making up a new main connection from the street with live wires. In the basement, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin how he's using a composite pipe made up of PEX and aluminum to run new lines to the old radiators. Out at the new addition, Tom walks Kevin through the complex roof framing, and they get a sense of the new library and home office space for the first time.
Work on the Dutch Colonial Revival continues as master carpenter Norm Abram recaps the progress on the addition, then turns his attention to the kitchen where general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O'Connor are working to reframe the existing walls to accommodate new door and window openings. Upstairs, Tom installs a large new window in the library that is really six individual window units grouped together, while downstairs, kitchen designer Tamara Raymond helps homeowner Gillian Pierce envision her new kitchen with the help of paper mock-ups. Kevin pays a visit to former This Old House architect Treff LaFleche to see how he renovated his 1906 Gambrel-style Victorian to achieve superior energy efficiency and a LEED green building certification.
Landscape contractor Roger Cook welcomes certified arborist Matt Foti to Newton Centre to prune all of the existing hemlock trees on the corner of the house, and along the driveway. Inside, master electrician Allen Gallant installs a bath fan in the new powder room that looks like a recessed light, but it has hidden ventilation capabilities built in. Host Kevin O'Connor travels back to Austin, Texas to revisit our first certified green building project: a 1920s bungalow that was expanded to accommodate a family of four. Nearly three years later, the homeowners and their builder report back on how the house is performing. Back in Newton Centre, general contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin how he's roofing the new addition to match the existing house using an architectural asphalt shingle.
General contractor Tom Silva replicates the old exterior trim details around the new windows in the addition using cellular PVC that will never rot. Master carpenter Norm Abram installs the pre-hung Douglas fir exterior door for the back entry. Architect Paul Rovinelli takes host Kevin O'Connor on a tour of a recently renovated Dutch Colonial Revival that makes the most of its small footprint. Back at the house, Tom gets some help from homeowner Bill Pierce and his dad, Bill Pierce, Sr., as they remove the old bookshelves and plaster wall to gain entry into the new library addition.
General contractor Tom Silva enlists homeowner Gillian Pierce to help him fabricate the new decorative bracket that will support the rear entry porch roof. In the basement, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows host Kevin O'Connor the progress on piping the old radiators, and the challenges he is facing in providing heat to the new kitchen space. The solution is two different applications of radiant heat, a portion installed above the subfloor, and a portion installed underneath. In a renovated church downtown, interior designer Lisey Good shows Kevin how she created a beautiful new kitchen and a combination home office/library space (both with smart storage solutions). Back at the house, Kevin helps master carpenter Norm Abram use new red cedar clapboards to patch in the old exterior siding at the back of the house.
To replace the stairway he removed from the old kitchen, general contractor Tom Silva builds a brand new stairway to the basement. Then, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows host Kevin O'Connor how to select a good quality faucet-- discussing function, finish, construction and valves. Inspired by an existing arched door opening, Tom shows Kevin how he's making a vaulted ceiling in the hallway that connects the front of the house to the new addition out back. At the end of the day, insulation contractor Tony Trigler arrives to install spray foam insulation in the new addition.
Host Kevin O'Connor arrives at the house to find the prepping for the exterior paint job well underway. Homeowner Bill Pierce reveals that he has selected a new kind of paint that promises homeowners they'll "never paint again." General contractor Tom Silva and master carpenter Norm Abram install custom copper half-round gutters that the architect specified for the rear of the house. Inside, Kevin finds the wallboard up, and plastering contractor David Crawford and his crew putting up a base coat of veneer plaster. Back outside, Kevin meets painting contractors Mat Giovanello and Pat Foley to learn more about their product-- a system that relies on proper surface preparation, proprietary bonding agents, and an acrylic paint containing ceramic beads to create a lasting finish. Kevin learns that just a few weeks before the end of the project, Bill has decided to have Tom rebuild his entire one-car garage. Wasting no time, Tom gets to work removing the old garage.
Host Kevin O'Connor lends a hand as general contractor Tom Silva builds a new small deck that will serve to connect the kitchen to the patio. Then, landscape contractor Roger Cook works with homeowner Bill Pierce to lay concrete pavers for the new patio. Tile specialist Catherine Mitchell shows Kevin the range of options available in selecting white subway tile for the kitchen backsplash. Then, in the new library, flooring contractor Patrick Hunt shows master carpenter Norm Abram how he's installing new oak flooring to match the existing flooring in the house. Kevin checks back in with Roger as they finish the patio by applying polymeric sand, compaction, and finally, water, to lock it all in place.
Host Kevin O'Connor arrives at the house to find that landscape contractor Roger Cook has removed the old driveway and has begun putting down the the new asphalt. Inside, master carpenter Norm Abram finds the new cabinets on site, and lends general contractor Tom Silva a hand as he begins to install them. In a nearby showroom, Kevin meets up with lighting specialist Bob Joyce to see the latest in under cabinet lighting, including some new energy efficient LED options. Then, back at the house, Kevin observes how painting contractor Anne Brady strips off two layers of old wallpaper from the front entry hall. With all of the kitchen cabinets installed, Tom and Norm work to trim out the bank of windows in the back corner of the kitchen.
Landscape contractor Roger Cook and homeowner Gillian Pierce visit neighbor and gardener Cathy Schneider to take her up on her offer to share some of her plants that need dividing. Back at the Pierce home, painting contractor Anne Brady gets started on the prep and painting of the dining room, first explaining how to patch and spot prime a water-damaged ceiling. Then, Anne teaches host Kevin O'Connor a method for repainting the ceiling in 3'x3' patches that allows her to do two coats at once while always keeping a wet edge. Kevin checks on the progress of the kitchen and then meets up with countertop fabricator Danny Puccio to see the latest offerings in countertops at an off-site showroom. Out back, they see how the tops are fabricated both by machine and by hand. Inside, Kevin finds general contractor Tom Silva constructing the new built-in bookshelves for the formal living room. Kevin lends a hand fabricating the boxes and mounting them to the wall.
Host Kevin O'Connor arrives at the project house to find a bustling jobsite and the finished countertops arriving. Inside, homeowner Bill Pierce reviews the tight clearances around the kitchen island before the tops are permanently installed. Landscape contractor Roger Cook takes homeowner Gillian Pierce shopping for plant material for the yard, focusing on dwarf specimens to fit the scale and size of her lot. Back at the house, master carpenter Norm Abram welcomes back wood countertop fabricator Paul Grothouse to install the butcher block island top and to review other wood top options. Outside, Roger and Gillian review the site prep and put the new plants in the ground. Upstairs, Norm and general contractor Tom Silva continue work on the new library by fabricating and installing the face frames for the base cabinets and gluing and installing the new oak tops for the window seat. Back in the kitchen, tile contractor Mark Ferrante installs and grouts the subway tile backsplash using a new pre-mixed urethane grout that promises faster installation time, greater stain resistance and no additional sealing.
In the final show from Newton Centre, host Kevin O'Connor drives up to find all hands on deck for the last few days of the project. Landscape contractor Roger Cook mulches in the last of the plants and lays sod around the new patio. Inside, flooring contractor Pat Hunt shows Kevin the prep for the new oak floors and how the color is achieved through layers of dye and stain to match the 100-year-old floors in the rest of the house. Down in the basement, Kevin meets plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey to see the final heating installation and how he made smart use of some old radiators to heat the basement space. In the kitchen, Kevin finds master electrician Allen Gallant installing the new LED under-cabinet lights that use a fraction of the energy of traditional lights. On the final morning of the project, master carpenter Norm Abram meets up with architect Paul Rovinelli to see the finished exterior elevations, and inside, the dramatic new library and furnished home office space. Homeowner Bill Pierce shows Kevin the finished living room, with plenty of new built-ins for books, and the new family room that is already being used by the kids in the house. The highlight of the whole project is the new kitchen, where homeowner Gillian Pierce is already happily at work preparing food for the wrap party. Highlights include a new 30'' range with burners up top, and two ovens below, and plenty of space for the family to gather around to keep her company. Lead by general contractor Tom Silva, the modest project (with a modest budget) succeeded in its goals of tightening up the old house, while adding on just enough space to achieve better flow and living space for the family. At the wrap party, friends and family arrive to celebrate another This Old House job well done.
For the second project of This Old House's 30th Anniversary Season, the crew takes on an issue that's top of mind in the country: foreclosures. Partnering with the City of Boston and local nonprofit Nuestra Comunidad, they will take a foreclosed and abandoned two-family house from the 1870s, and turn it into two units of affordable housing in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Local general contractor David Lopes shows host Kevin O'Connor just how extensive the damage to the old house is, and they quickly get to work demolishing the parts that can't be saved, including a three-story rear extension, which has rotted through from roof to floor. Joining the project will be apprentices from YouthBuild Boston looking to earn jobs in the building trades. In order to recruit two young carpenters from the program to work with the crew, master carpenter Norm Abram visits YouthBuild's annual carpentry challenge. Back at the house, after more necessary demolition, certified arborist Jack Kelly and his crew arrive to remove a giant dead tree that had fallen from the project house yard onto the neighbor's garage. Renovating the house will be a great challenge, but the City feels it will make a statement of hope and respect in a neighborhood that has been plagued by foreclosures.
Master carpenter Norm Abram meets up with general contractor David Lopes to discuss problems he's encountered in the last several weeks, including major engineering challenges and a month of rain. Meanwhile, host Kevin O'Connor meets up with non-profit developer David Price to learn more about Roxbury's past and present. David explains the work that his CDC, Nuestra Comunidad, is doing to bring back parts of Dudley Square. As part of Nuestra's mission to create affordable housing, they recently held a public lottery for our project house that resulted in a qualified buyer. At nearby restaurant Merengue, Kevin meets the lucky buyer of the house, Roxbury native Lanita Tolentino, to go over her renovation plans. Back at the house, the foundation walls for the new rear addition have been poured and backfilled. Inside, David Lopes shows Norm what he's done to shore up the structure of the main house, and how he is using laminated veneer lumber to remedy a structural problem caused by the failing foundation. After extensive foundation excavation on the main house, a framing crew arrives to start raising the walls for the new addition.
Master carpenter Norm Abram meets up with general contractor David Lopes to check out the progress that has been made on the house both outside and in. They find that there has been extensive framing work completed, but unfortunately, a great majority of the house had to be rebuilt due to the dire condition of the structure. Out front, a concrete truck arrives to pour the footing for the new front entry, which will be one of the last sections to be reframed. Up on the mansard roof, David shows Norm how he's putting down the new roof using architectural shingles made to look like the slate that would have been on the house originally. Days later, the new, energy-efficient vinyl windows have been installed, and work continues on the exterior PVC trim. Host Kevin O'Connor catches up with carpenter Ed Curet to see how he's installing the new siding, which was both pre-primed and pre-painted, saving time and money. At the end of the day, paint color consultant Bonnie Krims shows Norm how she worked with all of the modern, low maintenance materials to create a classic color scheme that is historically informed.
Host Kevin O'Connor arrives to find the construction trailer leaving the site, making way for the landscape work to begin. The roofing and siding of the house have been completed and the paneling on the front bay window has been recreated to resemble what might have been there originally. In the basement, plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey reviews the waste and water configuration of the two-family house, and meets HVAC contractor Abdul Barrie to see the new, high-efficiency two-stage hot air system he's installing. Throughout the house, spray foam insulation has been installed to keep that warm air inside. Host Kevin O'Connor visits the Fort Myers area in Florida and realizes that while foreclosures are still on the rise in Boston, the city is better off than many others in the country. Real estate agent Mark Joseph gives Kevin a look at one of the country's most foreclosure-ravaged communities, and explains how the houses there are selling quickly, but often at half their former market value. Back in Roxbury, Kevin catches up with our new homeowner, Lanita Tolentino, to see the progress she's made on selecting flooring and kitchen cabinet finishes with the help of interior designer Tricia McDonagh. Out back, master carpenter Norm Abram and general contractor David Lopes use low maintenance PVC decking and prefabricated railings to dress up the rear entrance decks.
Despite the bitter cold, landscape contractor Roger Cook works with a group of students from YouthBuild Boston to spread soil and put down sod in the backyard. Meanwhile, fence contractor Mike McLaughlin and his crew install a PVC privacy fence along the perimeter of the yard. Inside, master carpenter Norm Abram and lead carpenter Colin Paterson are adding some period charm to the bay window area by installing custom casings and paneling. The house's existing plaster ceiling medallions were beyond repair, so Norm brings back preservation plasterer Rory Brennan to replicate them on site. Fortunately, the originals were nearly identical to the medallions from the Charlestown project years ago, so Rory mixes up some plaster and pours a new medallion from the Charlestown mold. Afterward, they install a completed casting in the front parlor. At the end of the day, the fence is nearly complete and the sod is finished, thanks to our group of intrepid apprentices.
Host Kevin O'Connor finds carpenter Zo Curet in the front parlor installing a plaster crown molding. This close reproduction of the 1870s original is a lightweight foam made with plaster and an acrylic coating which can easily be installed with nothing more than a joint compound. Homeowner Lanita Tolentino shows Kevin the colors she's considering as painting contractor Ivan Batallas paints an accent wall in the back bedroom. Master carpenter Norm Abram visits a workshop to see how the slabs for our new eight-foot oak front doors and sidelights are machined and pre-hung for installation as one large unit on the jobsite. Two miles down the road, Kevin visits an architectural antiques shop to find a matching marble fireplace surround for the second unit of our house. Shop owner Bill Raymer shows Kevin around and offers to donate a closely matching fireplace to the project. Back at the house, the new front doors have arrived, and lead carpenter Colin Paterson makes quick work of installing them. In the second half of the hour, on Ask This Old House, landscape contractor Roger Cook helps a homeowner revive a damaged lawn. Then Roger, along with Kevin O'Connor, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and general contractor Tom Silva ask, "What is it?" Afterward, Richard helps a homeowner fix a clogged kitchen sink drain.
General contractor David Lopes shows host Kevin O'Connor the progress on the puddingstone retaining walls and front entrances at our Roxbury project. Master carpenter Norm Abram travels to Dover, N.H., to see how millwork fabricator Denis Goupil and his team fabricated custom arches for the front of the house. Back in Roxbury, stone specialist Steve Torok installs a decorative antique marble fireplace surround and mantel to match the original at the house. Upstairs, Kevin finds flooring contractor Ingo Vu laying out and installing a pre-finished, solid birch floor that is hand-scraped for an aged effect. Interior designer Tricia McDonagh shows Kevin how she took cues from the panels in the bay window and the marble fireplace surround when designing the cabinetry and countertop details for the new kitchen.
Host Kevin O'Connor arrives to find landscape contractor Roger Cook on site with the landscape apprentices from YouthBuild Boston. The group is helping to spread new soil in the front yard and also to plant low-maintenance ground cover and an ornamental dogwood tree. General contractor David Lopes shows master carpenter Norm Abram the progress at the front entry and in the kitchen of the second unit. Next door, countertop fabricator Danny Puccio shows homeowner Lanita Tolentino how to clean and remove stains from her new marble countertops. Nearby, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey meets Massachusetts State Representative Byron Rushing to look more closely at the historical aspects of Roxbury. Finally, Richard and David Lopes install a new tankless hot water heater in the basement of Lanita's unit.
With just one week left in Roxbury, tile contractor Angelo McRae shows Kevin how to install meshed white subway tiles with a rail cap for the kitchen backsplash. Kevin visits our Washington, D.C., project house to meet the family that moved in and see how our last venture in non-profit development turned out. Then, general contractor Tom Silva lends a hand to lead carpenter Colin Paterson, who is customizing and installing the stair treads and newel post for the new stairs.
Crews restore an oceanside home in Barrington, Rhode Island.
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Homeowner Angela Daigle shows Kevin the period feel and features of her home that she loves. Upstairs, Tom Silva shows Norm the spaces that will likely be a full gut to give Angela a better master suite with additional living space. Out back, Roger shows Kevin the sad state of the crumbling retaining walls. Norm and Tom test for lead paint before beginning demo on the first floor.
Tom builds a structural wall inbound of the brick foundation. Richard shows Kevin the result of two weeks of hand digging and rough plumbing. The radiant heat/insulation system is going in. Tom joins to get the first of two massive LVLs tucked into the pockets in the brick sidewalls. Tom shows Kevin how he's going to open up the back wall for the new bump out.
The front of the building is obscured by scaffolding. Tom shows Kevin how he'll have to modify the old chimney for the new gas fireplace units. The third floor master suite is all framed up. Mason Mark McCullough presents options for rebuilding the decaying retaining walls at different price points. Then, they dig into the demolition. Richard shows Kevin the progress on plumbing and electrical.
Richard sees the last wooden whaling ship in the world. Tom shows Norm the progress on the dormer, and its carefully waterproofed low-slope roof. Kevin notes progress: insulation went in a few days ago and wallboard is going up. Mark McCullough installs a reclaimed brick veneer on the new kitchen bump out. Norm and Tom replace fake, applied vinyl shutters with authentic, operable shutters.
Roger visits the Sullivan Square Community Garden, while Richard works with fireplace expert John Sullivan. Norm and Tom add some subtle Greek Revival details to the interior window trim package. Roger takes homeowner Angela Daigle to see the hidden gardens of Beacon Hill. Painting contractor Mauro Henrique paints the exterior window trim on our row-house.
Tom shows a new four-panel front door with glass transom and sidelights in traditional Greek Revival style. Angela's cabinets have arrived from Pennsylvania. Tom and Kevin install new wood wainscoting to replace the worn out, poorly made version that used to be there. Norm learns about Charlestown's ancient past from city archaeologist Joe Bagley.
Tom builds a hidden door to the basement. Marble specialist Danny Puccio shows Kevin the new Carrara marble island top. Fence contractor Mark Bushway installs a new PVC fence on top of the retaining wall. Norm and Tom restore the old, weather beaten exterior front steps with a grinder. Stone specialist Steve Torok installs the salvaged marble mantel and surround in the sitting room.
After five months of work in Charlestown, the exterior is nicely restored. Greg Smizer test-drives the new internet-based security system. Kathy joins Angela and Kevin to see the former dining room transformed into a sophisticated sitting room. And the new kitchen: cabinetry, tile, storage, a splashy new powder room, and the window seat addition was worth all of the hard work
This Old House kicks off the second project of their 35th Anniversary Season: an addition to a 1966 Colonial Revival in historic Lexington, Mass. With a history that extends back to the time of the American Revolution, Lexington is home to a strong tradition of Colonial-style homes that are still popular today.
Kevin finds the front gable wall of the second floor up, and the roof framing underway. Tom installs a 24-foot long LVL to temporarily hold up the second floor. Architect Frank Shirley shows how people have used front porches to lend character to Colonial style homes. Tom shows Kevin the framing of our new farmer's porch and then they build a small overhang to extend the look across the garage.
Norm visits the Hancock-Clarke house to see where Paul Revere stopped to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the British troops during the American Revolution. Kevin recaps how the roofers applied new architectural shingles to tie the old house in with the new addition. Richard fight to keep the P-trap from the new bathtub from interfering with the decorative ceiling of the new kitchen.
Roger meets landscape designer Tim Lee to see how the small stream in the backyard affects all other areas of the yard. Roger shows Kevin the valuable shade plants that could be damaged in the process. Tom and Kevin cut away a five-foot section of wall to connect the new kitchen to the old great room. Richard shows Kevin two common rough plumbing conditions in the kitchen.
Tom shows the new mudroom door and the new clapboards which match the old around it. Two weeks of rough electrical is coming to a close as the subs call for their inspection. Kevin meets electrician Allen Gallant and inspector Alix Berube to see what goes into a rough electrical inspection. Tom shows Kevin how he's using a hybrid railing system that has cedar posts and railing caps.
Norm and Tom install reinforced fiberglass columns to support the new farmer's porch. Richard meets plumbing contractor Brian Bilo and local plumbing inspector Donald "Duke" LaConte to see what he's looking for at our rough plumbing inspection. Kevin and Tom meet building commissioner Fred Lonardo to see what goes into the rough mechanical and rough framing inspections.
Gutter fabricator Mike Vidulich installs one-piece covered gutter. Roger shows Kevin the native plants he's using to turn a patch of lawn back to nature. Master electrician Allen Gallant shows Kevin the existing aluminum wiring in the old part of the house and how he's update the recessed light fixtures. Norm visits Londonderry, NH to see how they're testing two types of windows for our project.
Norm recaps progress on mudroom and kitchen Tile contractor Mark Ferrante installs a porcelain plank floor tile that is made to look like wood. Master electrician Allen Gallant shows Kevin how to properly abandon an old electrical box, and how to fish wires to a new one. Kevin shows how to patch in the huge holes where the old recessed lights were.
Kevin finds the second floor sanded, stained and sealed. In the kitchen, the cabinets are mostly installed. In Lexington Center, just steps from the Battle Green, Kevin meets local designer Robin Gannon to see how she decorated 22 rooms of a historic inn. In the temporary garage workshop, Norm shows Kevin how he's turning a chest of drawers into a sink base for the new powder room.
Roger starts the new bluestone front walk despite some significant challenges. Norm finds tile contractor Mark Ferrante installing porcelain tile made to look like slate. Kevin meets Richard to see the sink and faucet set. Roger visits a stone salvage yard to see fabricating antique granite for the front walk. Kevin sees the granite steps in place and lends a hand as Roger sets the house marker
Master electrician Allen Gallant shows Kevin the new LED ribbon strip lights he's using under the cabinets. Norm and Tom build the new mudroom storage system. Richard and Tom review the critical need for ventilation. Wallpaper hanger Mark Pehrson shows Kevin his technique for applying wallpaper to a ceiling. Painting contractor Mauro Henrique sets up to paint the accent wall.
Roger and landscape designer Tim Lee place the first new plants in the planting plan. Richard uses two kinds of radiators to bring heat to the garage and upstairs sitting room. Bob Young shows the new insulated steel garage doors. Tom shows Kevin the progress on the upstairs laundry room. Master electrician Allen Gallant shows how he's installing a massive wrought-iron chandelier with 52 bulbs.
Roger and sod grower Pat Hogan install a new variety of turf. Plumbing contractor Kevin Bilo and plumbing inspector Duke LaConte do the final plumbing inspection. Designer Robin Gannon and Matt Allen turn design into reality, including the sliding barn door hardware to hang salvaged interior doors. Richard shows Kevin the finished mechanical room and makes final heating and cooling decisions.
Norm and Kevin observe the transformation that has taken place. Kitchen designer Michele Kelly shows Richard the design and technology smarts built into the Kieval's new kitchen. Interior designer Robin Gannon shows Norm the creative and strategic updates she made. Kevin and Jody join Jeremy and Tom in the kitchen to see the finished space, the new breakfast area, screen porch, and back deck.
Over three special episodes, This Old House is partnering with Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) to build a house from the ground up for one Army veteran and his family, as a way to highlight the heroes who have given so much for their country.
Kevin meets Matt and his cycling team at the local bike shop--his disability doesn't limit his passion for cycling. Richard meets HFOT project manager Mike Duckett to understand the requirements implemented on their ADA and Energy Star rated homes. Kevin meets HFOT recipients Alex and Holly Dillmann in Florida to see how their fully accessible home has allowed them to focus on starting a family.
Roger starts work on a high tunnel greenhouse to allow Matt and his family to pursue their love of gardening. Tom and Norm are also on site to build the end wall and doors for the structure. Kevin visits Army veteran Joe Beimfohr at his home in Florida to explore his passion for adaptive sports and welcome fellow athletes for gatherings. The DeWitts move into their new home.
A new project begins in Belmont, MA with a focus on salvage and restoration. Homeowners Katherine and Murat Bicer plan to revive their 1895 Victorian by building a front porch, refurbishing the original windows and opening up the kitchen. 1
Roger and Katherine take inventory of the plants, which Roger hopes to save and replant. Tommy explains the structural plan for the kitchen/dining area. Architectural historian Joe Cornish and Norm tour Belmont's Victorian homes. Tommy inspects open walls to determine structural support for the newly opened space. Dave Greenwood repairs the window pulley systems throughout the house. 2
Tommy jacks up the basement ceiling with temporary braces. The homeowners want to save the marble sink and claw foot tub in the second floor bathroom. Tommy gets the final beam specifications from the engineers plans to hold up the back of the house. Richard tours Belmont's 1853 Homer House. Tommy carefully pulls up flooring so he can reuse it to patch other areas of the house. 3
Tommy explains how he assembles a flitch beam, and begins to install the first of two in the kitchen. Kevin travels to West Virginia to see how laminated veneer lumber is made. Richard discovers a rear-mounted toilet on the 3rd floor, and replaces it. Landscape designer Jenn Nawada shows her ideas for the shade-covered space. The braces come down and the open space is revealed. 4
Tommy calls in an excavator to begin work on the footings for the new porch. Norm meets homeowner Katherine and kitchen designer Linda Cloutier in the new open kitchen to discuss the layout. Kevin helps Tommy and his crew frame in the new closet and bathroom for the master suite. Tommy removes all of the old fiberglass insulation with a giant vacuum. Norm and Tommy resize an existing door.
Mason Mark McCullough starts laying blocks for the mudroom foundation. Tommy builds a custom bay window for the new kitchen. Norm visits the shop where the original windows are undergoing restoration. Tommy shows Kevin how he uses a Dutchman's patch. Kevin, designer Amanda Reid and homeowners Katherine and Murat meet at the Boston Design Center to discuss plans for the formal living room. 6
Kevin learns about the plan to keep the existing boiler and add a ducted system with condenser for AC. Tommy's crew replaces the old steel main water line at the front of the house. Mason Mark McCullough lays brick for the new porch piers. Tommy pours a concrete "rat slab,". Homeowner Katherine and designer Amanda Reid are making final selections for the bathrooms.
Kevin finds Tommy out front, beginning the framing of the front porch with the ledger board. HVAC expert Brian Palen solves the puzzle of snaking ductwork through an old house. Kevin heads to Brimfield, the world's largest outdoor antiques show, where homeowner Katherine searches for furnishings. Back at the house, Tommy has finished the deck framing and shows Kevin how he builds the stairs. 8
Tommy frames a new mudroom. Architect Mat Cummings has put together a couple of color-scheme options for the exterior of the house. Richard travels to New Bedford, Mass., to see the claw-foot tub undergoing restoration. Electrician Allen Gallant shows Kevin the remnants of old knob-and-tube wiring and snakes new wires for new fixtures. Tommy shapes new molding to match existing exterior molding. 9
Tommy lays down a mahogany floor on the new front porch. Homeowner Katherine and interior designer Amanda select new modern fixtures. Tommy explains the difference between open- and closed-cell foam insulation and applies both to solve an ice dam issues throughout the house. Two new gas fireplaces are installed on the first floor. Tommy lays out and install the shingles on the front porch roof.10
Tommy converts a glass-paneled storm door into a custom mudroom-porch window. Interior designer Amanda Reid selects Victorian-inspired paint colors for the main living areas. Tommy clads the porch piers in white cedar shingles. Mark Ferrante lays marble tile in the master bath walk-in shower. Tommy lays down classic white oak tongue-and-groove floors in the kitchen and master suite. 11
Tommy creates an arched feature for the new gable above the front porch stairs. Then he adds the finishing touch to the front porch: cedar columns. Kevin travels to Vermont to see an artisan create a custom floorcloth for the kitchen. Tommy builds the porch railings, which require a special detail in order to meet code. Kevin begins a labor of love: a tree house for the kids. 12
Norm builds a ladder on the tree house. Tommy lays decking and Kevin instals balusters. Mauro shows Kevin how he preps the 120-year-old shingles for a fresh coat of paint. Tommy installs a new storm window, and the original refurbished windows are installed. Tommy puts the finishing touches on a custom trellis. Tommy patches the parquet flooring in the entryway using reclaimed wood. 13
Roger replants the trees and shrubs he dug up before construction began. Landscape designer Jennifer Nawada puts the finishing touches on the backyard. Norm visits a craftsman carving two newel posts to match the main staircase. Tommy installs kitchen cabinets. The marble countertop and claw-foot tub find their new home. The tree house is complete and ready for the kids to enjoy. 14
Designer Linda Cloutier oversees kitchen countertop installation and discovers a unique idea for the sink. Norm and Tommy build a columned divider. Richard reviews changes to the mechanical system. Mauro Henrique applies special primer to one wall in the kitchen. Interior designer Amanda Reid uses window treatments to create certain looks and Tommy walks through the house with the homeowners.15
Everyone celebrates the renovated home on the new porch. Roger finishes landscape transformation. Norm notes the porch's beautiful design details. Tommy shows PVC floor registers can look like surrounding wood. Pauline Curtiss paints an intricate damask design on the walls. Kevin recaps the tree house build and the functional mudroom addition. Richard points out the bathroom features. 16
On the North Shore of Massachusetts, homeowners Bill and April Harb begin building a traditional farmhouse with building methods at the forefront of innovation. With the site plan, Kevin and Roger walk around the property, pointing out the first steps in the process. Norm and Tommy tour other factory homes built 5 years ago and 105 years ago, learning about the methods used for assembly.
Tommy and Kevin visit the Vermont factory where the house will be built, as general contractor Erik Kaminski watches the first shipment of framing parts leave. Richard meets Ed Akerley, who drills and blasts through the rock ledge to make room for the foundation. Norm and Erik watch as Scott McKenzy and his team build forms and pour concrete for the foundation. 18
An inspector arrives to approve the new foundation. Kevin sees how Erik Kaminski installs the perimeter drain, which will keep groundwater away from the house. Landscape architect Kim Turner explains her landscape plan, making the property look like it's been there for a very long time. Matt Khoury leads the start of the framing process as Richard checks out the numbering system for the panels. 19
General contractor Erik Kaminski walks Tommy through the first floor. Kevin meets homeowner April and interior designer Kristina Crestin to see the plan for the living/dining room. Erik walks Kevin through the house and shows him how they're raising the roof. With the main house framed, the crew moves on to the garage. Exterior trim arrives, and fascia board gets attached to the rafters. 20
Kevin visits a reproduction first-period colonial home to find out how houses were roofed 400 years ago. Up in Rupert, Vermont, homeowner Bill shows Kevin how the reproduction light fixtures the couple selected are handcrafted. Window installation begins. Norm heads to Maine, where homeowner April and interior designer Kristina Crestin search for salvaged doors for the pantry and dining room. 21
Drilling begins on a geothermal system that will reduce the Harbs' energy bill by almost 50-percent. Norm tours local first-period homes with housewright Matt Diana. Kevin travels to the Vermont factory to see the stairs and wall panels being built. Back on the North Shore, Kevin learns about a new technology to seal ductwork. 22
General contractor Erik Kaminski shows Kevin how he installs clapboard siding. Roger, landscape architect Kim Turner, and homeowner Bill select salvaged granite for the yard. Richard and Erik discuss the insulation plan for the house. Richard sees how the geothermal pipes are connected in the basement. At the factory in Vermont, Kevin sees the kitchen cabinets coming together. 23
Erik takes delivery of the kitchen cabinets, and Kevin assists with installation. In the backyard, landscape architect Kim Turner shows Roger how she's installing reclaimed granite as a rustic patio. The den gets some formal wainscoting. The homeowners meet with designer Kristina Crestin to select interior paint colors. Erik installs the factory-made staircase. 24
Erik Kaminski finishes the staircase. Kevin and landscape architect Kim Turner to connect a reproduction antique light fixture to a granite lamppost. Richard shows the systems for getting water from the well. Scott Caron shows how the backup generator is installed. Electrician Heath Eastman installs the crown jewel of the cupola. Roger and Kim turn the muddy pit into a beautiful front yard. 25
Erik Kaminski and Kevin build a custom closet from off-the-shelf piping. Norm and Tommy walk through the mudroom and living room to see Kristina 's designs. Richard shows Kevin the brand-new geothermal heating and cooling system. Norm and Tommy chat with Erik and Mike Connor about the building process. The entire team meets in the kitchen to celebrate another job well done. 26
Tommy and Kevin take a road trip to see how the steel beams used in our house are fabricated. The beams are trucked to the site and Kevin finds Tommy supervising erection on the back of the house. The third floor has been demo'ed and now Richard can start an HVAC plan for the second floor. He's looking on the third floor for a location for an air handler and duct work to provide air to the floor below. The front porch must be demo'ed to make way for a new design. With the help of heavy machinery, Tommy's crew does the job quickly. Then Tommy walks Kevin through the process of placing footings for the new porch. Kevin finds Mark McCullough working on the firebox. Kevin wants to learn the dark art of figuring firebox size and chimney height.
The homeowners want a unique look for their kitchen. They think a custom range hood will fill that vision. Kevin visits the shop of Ed Packard, otherwise known as the Tin Man, to find out how the range hood is coming together. The original chimney has seen better days and needed to be demo'ed. Kevin goes up on the roof to watch Mark McCullough build a new one. Nick and Emily need to make some design choices in order to move construction along. Kevin finds Emily and Jill Goldberg, the designer, in the new family room discussing options for the fireplace. They want to somehow hide the television, which will be over the fireplace. Other decisions to make are tile for the first floor powder room and whether to paint the wood panels in the living room. Up on the third floor there's a small problem that Norm and Charlie Silva need to figure out. All the way down in the basement, both the original floor and new slab floor are being coated with a speckled epoxy.
The project's old front porch was a hodgepodge design - part permanent, part temporary. Kevin finds Tommy framing the new front porch using custom cut and assembled rafters. The new design puts an Arts and Crafts punctuation mark on the front of the house. Nick and Emily have chosen special marble from Danby Vermont for their countertops. Richard travels to the world's largest underground quarry where the stone originates to find out how marble makes it's way from inside the mountain to inside the kitchen. Emily wants the new exterior color of the house to fit in with the Arts and Crafts design. She has brought in a preservation specialist, Sally Zimmerman, to help with the color selection. Norm catches up with them to find out what they have decided. Stucco panels are part of the Arts and Crafts charm of the project house, but they need work. Mark McCullough, in the process of fixing panels, shows Kevin the lost art of stucco.
The journey of the Vermont marble continues from the cave to the counters. Richard watches as fabricator Roberto Martinez and his crew install the largest piece of marble at the kitchen island. Nothing says New England like a fieldstone wall. Kim, our landscape architect, calls for one that starts in the front yard and bends down along the driveway. Kevin finds Roger and his team laying the first giant stones for the wall. There is much more involved than just stacking rocks. Upstairs, Kevin finds Mark Pehrson hanging textured wallpaper over a wall that contains a secret door. What was once the master bedroom closet has now been switched to an upstairs foyer closet, but the homeowners want to cover it with a door that blends with the wall. In the basement, Richard looks at the finished radiant floor heating as well as a new state of the art air conditioning and supplemental heating system. The mechanical room wall is well organized and all hot water pipes, valves and pumps are labeled for the homeowners' reference. Fresh air ventilation is needed in the super tight space and Richard explains how the system works. Finally, the dog gets her own door as Tommy and Kevin install an extra-large dog door in an exterior wall of the mudroom. Soleil stops by to give it a try.
The Arts and Crafts house in Arlington is at completion and the guys come to take a last look and celebrate with the homeowners. Kevin and Tommy arrive at the new entrance where the old Silver Maple tree and telephone pole once stood. Kevin tours the front yard with Roger and landscape architect Kim Turner. Kim points out the new plantings in the front yard and all the hardscape that Roger and his crew have worked hard to finish. Meanwhile Tommy goes around the back to meet Norm and look at the three-story exterior addition. They reflect on how the addition was designed and built to look like it was always there. Inside, Kevin looks at the refurbished front door with homeowner Emily. Roger presents the homeowners with a wooden bowl turned from a burl on the old Silver Maple tree that had to be taken down at the beginning of the project.
Kevin introduces the city of Detroit and describes some of its history. He meets journalist Stephen Henderson in front of his childhood home, and learns about how the city and its neighborhoods came upon hard times. Kevin pulls up to the project house and meets Frank and Tamiko Polk, as well as Frank's mom Carolyn, in the front yard. He heads inside with Tamiko and Carolyn to tour the first and second floor. Frank finds Tommy in the back yard, and they assess some of the repairs needed, including repointing the brickwork and rebuilding the front stairs. Richard shows Frank some of the plumbing issues in the basement, and then Scott makes suggestions for upgrading the electricity. Frank, Kevin and Tommy start demo on the roof by pulling up three layers of shingles.
At the Grandmont Rosedale project, Kevin tours the demo on the house, and then meets electrician Lenny Rodriguez to learn about his electrical plan. Back in Russell Woods, Tommy teaches Tamiko, Monet and Christian techniques to remove all the peeling paint in the living room. Richard and Frank begin rough plumbing repairs in the basement using PEX tubing. Tommy shows Kevin the issues with the framing around the leaded stained glass windows in the living room as glass artist Ann Baxter begins the repairs. Richard traces the history of Motown through the Detroit neighborhoods, then visits the studio where it all began.
At the Russell Woods project, Tommy uses a clever fix for some damaged oak flooring in the living room. Frank and Tamiko meet with Jerusha Kaffine, a local kitchen designer, to see her plan. Mark McCullough joins the crew in Detroit to repair the front steps, and then new gutters go up. Kevin visits a nearby pottery to see how they've been making tile for a century. Then he heads to the Grandmont-Rosedale neighborhood to show the progress.
As an old house in Detroit is being rehabbed the team installs restored lead glass bay windows. A heated floor and tile have been set and kitchen cabinets are going in. Kevin and Roger also share a segment about urban farming in Detroit.
In Russell Woods, Kevin finds Frank and Tamiko prepping the guest room walls. Their kids join in to begin painting. Kevin finds sod farmer Mike Thompson in the front yard, planting some low maintenance plants under the bay windows and laying sod across the rest of the front yard. Tommy repairs decorative crown molding in the living room by making his own template from a putty knife. Kevin and Contractor Josh Engle work together to install plumbing fixtures in the upstairs bathroom, starting with the toilet. Tommy and Frank work together to install a new interior door in an existing opening. Kevin finds tile installer Roger Dutcher giving the fireplace a much needed facelift, using handcrafted tile from a 100-year-old pottery only a few miles away. At the Rehabbed & Ready project, Darrick gives Kevin a tour of the nearly complete house. Once the carpet is installed on the 2nd floor, doors are re-hung and the paint is touched up, the house will be ready to go on the market.
Kevin and Tommy pull up to the completed Russell Woods, recalling their time in the city and the restoration efforts they've witnessed. Frank meets Tommy out front to review the exterior changes to the house. Tamiko shows Kevin the new living room, dining room and den, featuring the restored bay windows, refinished floors, new fireplace surround, fresh paint and inviting furniture. Richard gives Kevin an overview of the improvements to the mechanicals in the basement, which had been ravaged by thieves. A new furnace and water heater will keep the house warm and cool, and a whole house water filtration system will keep the drinking water clean. Franks shows Tommy the changes to the upstairs: 2 bedrooms and an office featuring fresh paint and beautiful woods floors; an office with an attached sun porch that will be the perfect place to relax; and a spa-like bathroom with a soaking tub, rain shower and dual vanity. Kevin stops by the Rehabbed & Ready project during its first open house. Land Bank Executive Craig Fahle discusses some of the logistics of selling the property, and Kevin interviews prospective homebuyers to get their feedback. Back in Russell Woods, Kevin and Tamiko tour the brand new kitchen. The whole crew and those who helped along the way join in to celebrate Frank and Tamiko's beautifully restored home.
A new season begins with a focus on the next generation. The homeowner inherits her childhood home, but makes changes with her husband to accommodate their children and in-laws.
Tom finishes the forms for the foundation and pours concrete with a new intern. Richard gets the house safe for demolition. Roger and his apprentice save roses and lilacs from being trampled by construction. Mold is found in the basement.
Tom's crew installs a beam to support a new opening to the kitchen. The homeowners select finishes with their interior designer. Three apprentices arrive and build the essential tool belt; their first job is to tackle the front porch.
Kevin and Tom build a new floor. Richard, the homeowners, and the designer hunt for an old clawfoot tub. Tom shows the apprentices how to level front porch and build a hip roof. Kevin visits Baltimore to learn about a training program.
While the apprentices get a lesson in roofing, Kevin visits Rhode Island to watch how an elaborate Chippendale railing is put together. A new slab of concrete goes in the basement to keep the moisture out.
Tommy builds a shower seat made of foam. Richard connects steel piping. Tommy teaches how to install replacement windows. Tommy shows Kevin and Joe how he makes a jig for the exterior shingled flair detail.
Granite goes down for a wood stove. Nathan installs the porch ceiling. Kevin visits a home in Rhode Island where the exterior trim is pine. Richard reviews the placement of components at mechanical wall. Mauro repairs holes in old plaster.
Tommy trims the rough interior columns. Liz makes a stained glass window. Kevin tours a flooring factory in Pennsylvania. Richard visits a tech school plumbing class. Norm shows Kevin a few tricks he's learned for installing stair treads.
Roger explains why some preventative tree work is needed. Homeowner Liz gets a lesson on tiling. The original black newel post is discovered to be walnut. The apprentices graduate after ten weeks of hard work.
A new series begins in Charleston, SC, where the team introduces two projects: a brick 1840s "single house" -- unique to Charleston's historic downtown district -- and a multigenerational 1890s home in a nearby transitioning neighborhood.
Demo starts on the Charleston projects. Homeowner Judith discusses planting options with Roger and then he visits a nursery that can provide what she needs. Kevin tours the American College of Building Arts. Richard goes privy diving.
An old fireplace will house a new stove. Tommy discusses using interior casework with exposed brick. The kitchen house brick needs repointing. Roger tours hidden gardens. Across town, demo continues and flooring options are considered.
Kevin meets a lumberjack on the Edisto River. In a house with no stud walls, Tommy watches how pipes are disguised and Richard seeks out places for HVAC equipment. Kevin learns about single houses. A crepe myrtle gets pruned.
Richard works on rough plumbing at the Elliotborough house while Kevin, Judith, and Julia meet a kitchen designer. The rotting porch gets assessed. A new floor is made to look old. Tommy and Mark snake wires through a brick wall.
At the Charleston Single House the custom iron gate built gets installed by students from a local building arts school. Kevin and Tom tour the house with the homeowners. Richard checks out the 3rd floor and mechanicals.
Add a plot
Insulation begins outside the house; shopping for decorative lighting; building rafter rails and installing them.
The difference between blueboard and dry wall; sizing a solar array; installing a wood ceiling; installing a generator; a boat building school.
Sod farm; HVAC installation; adding a gas fireplace to the living room; attaching screens to the side porch; digging a well.
Induction cooking; installing solar panels on the barn roof; installing a unique lattice; ERV demonstration; landscaping and hardscaping.
The Net-Zero house is complete; touring the yard, barn and upstairs; checking out the main floor; reviewing mechanicals.
Renovation plans for a 1957 mid-century modern house in need of a total overhaul; demolition begins.
Asbestos and tree removal; a visit to the first "This Old House" project in Dorchester, Mass.
Laying a sill on a new foundation; scoping the sewer; starting a design plan to create a sleek, modern space.
Pouring a buttress; revisiting the 2001 Manchester by the Sea project; solving a ductwork problem; installing a PVC trim overhang.
In-counter outlets; former apprentice Nathan Glibert; framing a skylight.
Selecting patio pavers; installing a skylight in the bathroom; repairing the foundation.
Calculating the risers for a set of stairs; insulating the foundation; installing radiant heat; revisiting an old project.
Installing rafters for a cantilevered roof; solving a venting problem for the kitchen sink; mixing AC ductwork; installing snow cleats on the roof.
Rebuilding a century-old puddingstone wall; revisiting the 2005 Cambridge modern project: installing timeless LED recessed lights; installing large tanks under the driveway to curtail rainwater runoff.
Manufacturing plate glass and windows; cold weather painting; installing radiant heat under the driveway while the patio is installed out front.
Layering large-format tile in the living room; visiting the 20th-anniversary project in Key West, FL; installing a hanging retro fireplace and modern kitchen cabinets.
Installing closet systems, modern baseboards and a linear wall drain in the master shower; selecting door hardware; installing floating bathroom vanities.
Touring the home and reviewing its special features.
The crew arrives at the new project in Westerly, Rhode Island - a sturdy 1940's ranch that was built and occupied by the same family since the new homeowners, Scott and Shayla, acquired it. They give Kevin and Tommy a tour of the knotty pine paneled interior.
At the old Westerly Ranch House, the roof was disassembled to add a new level, but the original chimney is going to be in the way of the open floor plan concept on the first floor. Jeff works with mason Mark McCullough to take down the center chimney brick by brick. Scott and Shayla meet with architectural designer Lori Foley for a window-shopping spree.
Tom Silva teaches the new apprentices to frame a deck. Jeff Sweenor's crew frames the exterior flair detail. Jenn Nawada learns about Westerly granite. Jeff teaches the apprentices to install a window.
Kevin O'Connor reviews the progress of the Westerly house. Tom Silva and Jeff Sweenor work on the main staircase at Jeff's shop and then they bring it to the house to install.
Tom Silva and Jeff Sweenor begin work on a coffered ceiling in the living room. Jenn Nawada watches as local Westerly granite is cut to size for backyard steps. Richard Trethewey reviews the complex septic system.
The new propane tank gets buried in the backyard. Norm advises an apprentice in composite decking. Jeff and Tom add final touches to the coffered ceiling.
Jeff shows Kevin how he installs floating oak shelves. Norm panels the playroom using the original knotty pine boards. Kevin visits the apprentices at a timber framing school. Jenn uses Westerly granite for backyard steps.
Mounting televisions and installing curtains; water heater; installing outdoor lighting; refurbishing a flagpole.
Touring the completed Dutch Colonial; pine table; hydroseeding; flying the refurbished flags.
Three families rebuild after they lost their homes to a wildfire.
Fabricating a stone hearth; automatic sprinkler systems; a simulator demonstrates how the Camp Fire spread; a vent designed to resist embers.
A visit to a fire testing lab; adding roof shingles; installing a stone veneer; touring farms; an architect designs a town memorial.
Engineered siding and fire-rated sheathing; solar backup battery; the Hope Plaza memorial ground-breaking.
Homeowners John and Molly plan to put the history back into an 1890s shingle-style home.
Tom and Kevin start laying sub floor. Charlie drills granite. Tom moves the doorway.
Cathedral ceiling. Sun tunnels. A plan for cooling.
Mark McCullough finds granite on the property to match a new stone wall to the old.
Tommy and Charlie install rounded-top windows in the breakfast room. An easy-install roof shingle goes down. Roger and Kevin go fishing. Tommy adds a custom diamond detail with the siding. Radiant heat goes in somewhere unexpected: the ceiling.
Working on a 130-year-old pocket door; and building a boulder wall.
Original leaded glass windows are repaired, and Fred plants a bed of perennials along the new driveway.
Mauro repairs 130-year-old plaster and Heath installs a new panel. Broken balusters are repaired.
A custom brass handrail is fabricated. Molly and Mauro create a chalkboard finish in the playroom. The repaired balusters are reinstalled. Richard gives a lesson in make-up air. Work begins on a custom dining table. Heath talks smart electricity.
A tour of kitchens, from fireplaces used for cooking in Colonial times to marble counters of modern days; the evolution of appliances.
From large-scale industry to small-town makers, factories provide materials for projects.
Talented makers, from young blacksmiths metalworking to a woodworker who finds centuries-old lumber underwater.
Following every step as the crew converts a decades-old butler's pantry kitchen into an up-to-date kitchen for the future.
Restoration resumes on an 1887 Queen Anne seaside Victorian cottage.
New rafters get a decorative flair; antique windows are restored, primed and reglazed before installation.
Repurposing bricks from the Victorian house to build a new, straight chimney.
The crew returns to the 1887 seaside Victorian cottage in Rhode Island as the interior walls are about to be closed.
Yankee gutters and corbels are installed; a lesson with the electrician's apprentice; tankless hot water system.
Cobblestone apron at the driveway; reinforcing old floor joists; hanging a drop finial on the exterior; installing a swinging window; choosing exterior colors.
Ceiling-mounted speakers; starting up a new HVAC system; garage door side mounts; lowering the pool into place; design choices.
Flooring and finish carpentry; master bathroom plan; a custom pizza oven and fireplace are installed in sections.
Elaborate interior window trim and custom storm windows; an updated electric meter and panels; working on the limestone hardscape in the backyard; assembling a Victorian style shed.
Transplanting trees and sod; installing a custom deck hatch; assembling a smart lock system; mounting a unique range hood.
Hanging the pantry door; finishing up the tiling and backsplash; creating a custom surround for the gas fireplace.
The historic Seaside Victorian Cottage is restored and expanded; a new addition matches the existing architectural details; new hardscape and landscape.
"This Old House" returns to Dorchester, Mass., to follow the renovation of a triple decker that was burned due to illegal fireworks.
Removing asbestos; a plumber works on dormant pipes; visiting a community garden; architectural historian Arthur Krim talks about three-deckers; pulling off the melted vinyl siding.
Bringing the back porches on a triple-decker up to code; eliminating fire order by ice blasting; installing new vinyl; framing the inside.
Creating an urban patio; rewiring part of the house with intact plaster ceiling; hanging a new fire rated door; fitting a new bathtub; installing a replacement window.
Working on the front door; mineral wool installation; kitchen cabinets and counters; working on three separate HVAC systems.
Fixing the plaster damage; sprinkler system; shopping for appliances for all three levels of the house.
Reinstalling the upper cabinets; hot water and heating; shopping for appliances; tile installation and window trim.
A two-day roofing class; installing French doors to divide the living room from a bedroom in the second floor unit.
Final touches are added to the triple decker.
Illegal fireworks cause a fire in the triple decker just before COVID-19 strikes; contractors put the house back together.
An 1887 two-family house is transformed into a bright Scandinavian style single family home in Cambridge, Mass.
Touring the inside and outside of an 1880 Country Cape located in the countryside of Concord, MA.
Salvaging reusable material and radiators before major demolition begins; spraying old hemlock trees to protect them from damaging insects; cutting off the garage addition.
Cutting a doorway, tying in the new foundation with the old, installing a beam to remove some of the wall abutting the front staircase.
it's a wrap on the multigenerational 1864 Dutch colonial, now a two-family with an open floor plan.
The old details of the home are respected; new porch columns are made to match the old; a bathroom, gets a concrete-like finish; installing a reclaimed front door; visiting MLK Jr.'s birth home.
Disconnecting the main power; the old bump out is demoed; the bathroom is tested for asbestos; a carpenter discusses working with Parkinson's disease; the removal of vinyl siding reveals original clapboards.
Pouring new foundations; a winding staircase replaces and old steep one; building a retaining wall; replacing the old water lines.
Installing roof shingles and exterior window trims; modifying the original staircase balusters and railings; the homeowners meet with an interior designer.
New wide plank floorboards mimic the look of the original flooring; a soapstone sink is fabricated.
The modest 1720s gambrel has been restored, complete with a new ell and barn element.
