This Old House

We begin our 12th season with the restoration of Hazel Bricenos triple-decker, three-family home in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Together with the Residental Development Program of the Public Facilities Department of Boston, well renovate all three floors. First, we soak in the sights and sounds of Jamaica Plain. Then our host heads off to meet with Lisa Chapnick, head of Bostons Public Facilities Department. Finally, the guys introduce homeowner Hazel Briceno and meet contractor Abel Lopes.

The issue of vinyl siding is discussed. Cellulose insulation is blown-in from the interior. A variety of replacement windows is reviewed. Kithcen and bathroom redesign begins with Glenn Berger.

Our master carpenter works on front porch. We get a lesson from the plastering crew on blueboarding. We then tour a Canadian gypsum mine and New Hampshire factory where gypsum rock is turned into wallboard.

Home magazine editor Joe Ruggiero tours the house and discusses with Hazel ideas for interior decorating on a budget. Our master carpenter reconstructs the front porch post. Our host gets a lesson on plastering.

The guys install the new front porch columns and build a railing system. Abel Lopes and Amy Wrigley tour the house to see progress on the back shed, deleaded window trim and the new tile in bathroom. The guys then discuss baseboard heating and the boilers.

Our host tries some sanblasting to get rid of the graffiti on front of the house. Our master carpenter installs some of the trim he made in the workshop. Our host takes viewers to Japan, where he tours a typical apartment and visits a model home park, where shoppers can choose among a variety of prefabricated houses.

We tour the vacant city-owned lot across the street with Stephanie Bothwell, senior landscape architect with the City of Boston. There, trees and bushes are being planted as part of a neighborhood-approved lot improvement scheme. Stephanie and Tom Wirth visit horticulturist Gary Kohler at the Arnold Arboretum to view suitable trees for city landscaping. Back at the house, Glenn Berger gives us a tour of the kitchens, as our master carpenter installs cabinets in Hazels unit. Finally, we visit the Chicago Home Center Show, the largest of its kind.

At the house, the guys install the new front door. Hazels security system is reviewed. Jeff Hosking checks out the state of the houses floors, sanding what he can. Our host then takes viewers to the historic Gardner-Pingree House in Salem, Massachusetts, to see how floorclothes are made.

The guys visit the International Carpetry Apprenticeship Contest in Seattle, Washington. Back in Jamaica Plain, Richard Trethewey and our master carpenter look over some of the newly arrived appliances, and our host goes across town to check out a modular triple-decker going up on an abandoned lot.

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The 13th season opens with a visit to Hazel Bicenos triple-decker in Jamaica Plain, site of the 12th seasons main project. We then go to Wayland, Massachusetts, site of this years house, and meet homeowner Chris Hagger, who gives him a tour. The crew casts a cold, contractors eye on the 1815 National Historic Register home and tells the Haggers (Chris, wife Joan, and children Andrew and Jason) that theyll need to spend a sizable chunk of their $200K budget on basic repairs and upgrades.

The guys and homeowner Chris Hagger discuss Chris decision to go with architectural-grade shingles on his new roof. On the roof, the crew installs shingles and a roll-out roof vent. Our host then visits a recycling facility that processes construction debris as well as community recyclables. Back at the house, a preservation mason gives the fireplaces and chimneys the once-over, recommending a careful cleaning for the former and rebuilding for the latter.

Mason Lenny Belleveau teaches us the ins and outs of chimney-top flue dampers from and then checks out the work on the chimney sweeps. Down at sill-level, the guys discuss the replacement of one part of the sill and the consolidation of another using an absorbable epoxy. SPNEA head restoration carpenter Tom Decatur demonstrates another version of the epoxy used for filling voids in rotted wood. The crew demolishes the kitchen, and kitchen designer Glenn Berger recaps the evolution of the kitchen Chris and Joan Hagger.

The crew pours footings for the new portico, and the guys tour the demolished bathroom and kitchen, reviewing framing plans. Outside, we meet deleader Dave Rugato, whose crew is scraping lead painf off the building. Electrician Paul Kennedy shows us some of his preminary concerns with the wiring of the new spaces, and landscape architect Tom Wirth walks the property with homeowner Joan Hagger.

Our host checks in again with Herb Brockert, who has installed the leaching pits. Middlesex Lead continues prep work on the exterior, powerwashing for a good painting surface. We visit the SPNEA lab to find out how the 1888 color scheme was discovered. Finally the guys install a new kitchen window, which gives the historic look of true divided light while providing the advantages of modern insulated glass.

The guys install a new bulkhead, while Herb Brockert puts in the septic tank, pump chamber and pump. Our host attends the Wayland Historic Commission meeting to watch the debate over Kirksides proposed repainting. We then visit a paint store to have the historic paint colors computer matched.

Richard Trethewey shows us a gas company truck that runs on natural gas, then takes us inside to see progress on radiant floor heating. Chris Hagger accepts delivery of concrete for a new porch slab from a truck that mixes up small amounts on-site. The crew lays out the slab over the radiant tubing. The guys work with old planes to see how moldings were made long ago, while Tom Silva runs new molding for the eaves with a knife he custom made. Finally, we visit a lighting showroom to see some of the kitchen lighting the homeowners have chosen.

Tom Silva explains the insulation hes been puting up in the kitchen, and in the master bath. We see a new screw gun the blueboarders are using, and then get a tour of the new air conditioning system. In the basement, Paul Kennedy installs a new generation of breaker boxes. Back at the workshop, our master carpenter bulids column support boxes for the portcio. Finally, the crew installs the grass entry door in the new back porch.

We meet Sam DeFrost, who points out the features of the new fence. Our master carpenter begins to fit the new portico together, and Roger Hopkins lays in a stone walkway using scrap granite slabs. We take a tour of US Treasury Building rooms that are undergoing historic restoration. Back at Kirkside, Paul Vogan installs the vinyl flooring in the master bathroom.

The final day in Kirkside begins in the steeple of the church, where minister Ken Sawyer gives us a look at the Paul Revere and Son bell. Down at the portico, our master carpenter installs the finishing touch: a curved and kerfed step. Out back, George Lewis and Paul Gardescu of the towns historic district commission give their opinion on the final product. Inside, Glenn Berger gives a tour of the kitchen, and we take a trip to Ohio to see how the dishwasher was built. Richard Trethewey shows off the master bath, and designer Judy George takes us through the decorated four-season porch, master bedroom and ballroom.

Contractor David Booth introduces us to a ""rag and bone"" man who collects scrap from building sites with his cart and horse. David explains the elaborate scaffolding job and then takes us up to the flat, where the roof is off and bricklayers are extending the mansard sides. Our master carpenter arrives to give the British crew a lesson on pneumatic nailing, and he and David go off to The Building Centre, a showroom of building supplies and design ideas. At the flat, architect Trevor Clapp and homeowner Carla discuss the evolution of the flats floorplan. Finally, our host and homeowner Jeremy tour a kitchen design shop.

Our host visits the Tower of London and meets a Beefeater and one of the famous ravens. At the flat, site supervisor, Finn Hurley, updates us on framing and roofing progress. We then visit master thatcher Christopher White and get a lesson in this ancient roofing art. Our master carpenter visits a woodworking shop where the Volgers new stairs will be made. Back at the flat, David Booth arrives with news that the local planning authority has said work must stop on the mansard extension so that they can review the proposed plan. A planning consultant adds his comments, and the homeowners are given the news.

The show starts at an ancient stone circle on the Salisbury Plain, then we check progress on the site. Richard Trethewey explains the shower, pump and heating systems and introduces plumber Stan Newton. On the roof, David shows the single membrane weatherproofing system. Our master carpenter points out the features of the American custom windows, and then takes viewers to the workshop where the flats kitchen furniture is being made.

The new season kicks off with a visit to the Haggers at Kirkside in Wayland. The lawn has come in, and the place looks great. Then its off to Newton, where a developer has found it economically sound to buy up tired little ranches and upgrade them ratically - the idea the show will explore this season. In Lexington, our host meets Brian and Jan Ioge, and their children Brennan and Sarah, in the ranch house theyve lived in for the past nine years. They want to expand it, and the crew agrees that the basic structure is sound and can be added onto without the need for repair first. The guys tell the Igoes theyll help them on their project.

Architect Graham Gund reveals his plans for the Igoes ranch, using a model and drawings. The crew begins to file a for a building permit and to figure material and labor cost using a computer program. Meanwhile, our host takes viewers back to London to see Jeremy and Carla Vogler in their now-complete flat.

Arborist Matt Foti and crew remove a large swamp marple from the site. Tom Silva takes us to see another, simpler ranch expansion he did in a nearby town. Back at the site, our master carpenter and host discuss the new polystyrene insulating foundation forms Ken Lewis is installing; then the concrete is pumped over the house and into the completed forms. Later, our host checks in to see the slab poured and termiticide applied to the new foundations perimeter.

With the roof demolished, the crew begins to deck over the second floor. The addition is decked over, and our master carpenter and architect Rick Bechtel discuss plans for the new front entrance. Our host talks with homeowner Brian Igoe about his new chimney, and then tours a ranch renovation in a nearby town.

Homeowners Brian and Jan tour the house and see how the kitchen ceiling has been removed. Landscape architect Tom Wirth visits the site and accepts the challenge of reworking the approach to the houses front entrance. Tom Silva shows us some new ventilation chutes hes using, as well as an engineered wood trim. Then we visit timber-framer Tedd Benson at a jobsite on Squam Lake, New Hamshire, and see Tedd and his crew fabricate scissor trusses for the Igoes great space.

The crew prepares an opening to accept a new window. Housewrap is discussed, and inside our general contractor demonstrates how he is triming out the windows with engineered wood trim. Upstairs, our host discusses various parts of the librarys design with Brian and Jan, and we see how mason Lenny Belleveau built the librarys fireplace. We then meets Todd Dumas, who is putting the copper valleys onto the building. Our host shows the ridge vents that are part of the roof venting system, then catches up with electrician Paul Kennedy, who shows the mix of new and old wiring hes facing.

Work continues on the front landscaping, and Tom Wirth gives us a update on the layout. Inside, Richard Trethewey shows us the plastic tubing that has made rough plumbing proceed quickly. Stone mason Roger Hopkins is proceeding, with granite steps going in and a concrete slab poured at the front entrance. At the workshop, our master carpenter fabricates the columns architect Graham Gund has designed for the front enterance. Then we tour a Gund project outside St. Louis.

The job has suddenly taken a turn for the better, thanks in part to the homeowners cleanup efforts. The crew installs the double front door, and electrician Paul Kennedy shows us the centralized audio/video/telephone wiring system hes installing. Our master carpenter continues his visit to the Forest Products Lab, where he sees recycled wood and paper technology. Back at the site, blueboard is going up in the great room, and landscaper Roger Cook goes to dig up a ""pre-owned"" tree for the use in the Igoes front yard.

Roger Hopkins puts in the last pieces of the front stairs: flagging made from ""scrap"" granite. Inside, lighting designer Melissa Guenet gives a tour of the lights going into the new new great room and kitchen. Upstairs, a fiberglass repair is done on the damaged whirlpool tub, while radiant heating tube goes in on the floor of the great room. At the workshop, or master carpenter works on the carcass an inlaid panels of the Igoes new entertainment center. Back at the house, Glenn Berger shows some of the other storage cabinets hes installing around the house; the plasters continue their work in the library; and tiler Joe Ferrante begins tiling the master bath.

Our host meets up with Jan Igoe to discuss the inadvisability of doing patches in the old floors. In the great room, Jeff Hosking and crew install a floating strip floor system, while our master carpenter continues work on the entertainment center at the workshop. Back at the house, Tom Silva is installing maple stair treads and woodmaker Pike Noykes presents the handcarved ""dollop"" newel he made in his shop. Upstairs, Glenn Berger talks about his custom cherry bookshelves, and Roger Hopkins fits in the granite hearthstone. In the master bedroom, we see Paul Kennedy install a stereo speaker and check up on Corian progress in the bathroom.

The crew heads to storm-stricken Maimi, Florida, in search for a house to fix up. After seeing one that is too big a job for six short shows, they find a 1917 Mediterranean Revival-style home that was directly in the path of hurricane Andrew, surviving structurally intact but with significant water damage. Our master carpenter meets contractors Rich Groden and Brian Stamp at two of their jobsites. Our host talks with the homeowners son, Tony ODonnell, about the familys plans to restore and renovate the building.

Tree cutter Tony Sisto takes down a ded tree, with some difficulty, while our master carpenter checks the installation of the houses new air conditioning system. Contractor Rich Groden explains his plan to make water run off the sun porch roof better, and we get an update on the electricans progress. Our host meets with a window sales rep, who is ordering up as many standard-size replacement windows as he can get away with in order to avoid far more costly custom units. A concrete beam is repaired in the sun porch, and we visit Dr. Bob Sheets at the National Hurricane Center in Coral Gables.

We see progress on the house with general contractor Rick Groden: window patch-in, interior plastering and trim. He then meets the man who is patching the exterior stucco. Our master carpenter talks with Brian Stamp about a concrete pour meant to strengthen faulty arches in the porch section, and then visits a home destroyed by hurricane Andrew - a structural engineer explains why the house failed. Finally, kitchen designer Cecilia Luaces supervises the installation of the newly arrived cabinets.

The season starts in front of a magnificent example of Victorian architecture, then we visit the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities to lean more about the style. Then we arrive at our subject house, Dean and Lauren Gallants 1907 Shingle-style Victorian. After a spin around the outside, we go in and meet the homeowners, who show us the rest of the house and discuss their plans for it. Richard Trethewey checks out the systems and our master carpenter decides to have the siding checked at a lab to see if it contains asbestos.

Our host visits a landfill engineered to accept hazardous waste, such as the asbestos off the side of the Gallants house. Back at the house, Richard Trethewey helps Dean fix a leaky sink in the upstairs library, in preparation for setting up a temporary kitchen in the space while the old kitchen is demolished and rebuilt. Our master carpenter gives Dean and Lauren some help in removing the cabinets from the old kitchen, and they continue the job by pulling down plaster, lathe and blown-in insulation.

While the guys use a new airgun and lightweight nylon hose to shingle the base of one of the turrets, Dean reviews some options for rehabbing and improving the energy performance of the buildings windows. We then visit a house where a company is installing insulated glass in old sashes, preserving the historic loof of the house while modernizing its windows.

Our host arrives to find the crew getting ready to frame up the gutted kitchen. First, though, the plumbing stack had to be moved; Richard Trethewey shows whats involved in such a project. Tom Silva explains how past work has compromised the framing system, and how he plans to insert a carrying beam and jack up the floor. Outside, homeowners Dean and Lauren strip the last bit of paint an oval window frame using a caustic paste. Dean shows our host newly discovered rot on the porch walls, and the two discuss the idea of putting wood shingles on the front slope of the roof. Dean visits a jobsite to see the details of shingling over an eyebrow window. The window crew begins refitting the old windows with insulating glass, and our host helps the crew put in the engineered lumber beam in the kitchen.

Our host visits an eight-color historically accurate paint job west of Boston, under the supervision of SPNEAs Andrea Gilmore. Andrea comes to the Belmont house to advise homeowner Lauren Gallant about the paint colors shes considering. The guys critique the trim details on the porch, which has been poorly repaired and patched over the years. Using inference and a turn-of-the-century architectural pattern book, they make an educated guess at to what the original look mhst have been. Richard Trethewey helps plumber Maura Russell work on the PVC piping in the new laundry room, then he and our host meet up with plumber Christine Ernst in the basement.

In a big day at the jobsite, arborist Matt Foti and his crew cut down four conifers that had been hiding the house and keeping it damp. In the kitchen, the crew installs new true-divided-light windows, while on the roof, Jim Normandin is beginning to lay on the new wood shingles. Finally, in preparation for the paint job, painter Lou DiSanto and crew powerwash the building.

We arrive to see the new paint colors going up, while Tom Silva continues to re-detail the porch trim with proper fascia and wood gutters. Meanwhile, our master carpenter visits the island of Marthas Vineyard to see the oldest carousel and a full-blown hstoric restoration of an 1891 Queen Anne. Back at the house, kitchen designer Phil Mossgraber and homeowner Lauren Gallant shows us their choices for kitchen countertops, cabinets and flooring. Finally, arborist Matt Foti gives the oak a fall feeding.

Our host arrives to find the crew putting down rubber membrane roof on the garage, while homeowner Dean Gallant helps Roger Cook lay a concrete block terrace outside the back door. Meanwhile, artisans Peter Mattison and Charles Billings installed the leaded glass windows theyve repaired. We then travel to the Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut, a perfectly restored Victorian. Back at the site, homeowner Lauren Gallant is hard at work cleaning up the dust left from tearing down her sand-finish ceilings, which have been redone to a glasslike smoothness by the wallboard/plaster crew. Our host meets them in the kitchen, where theyve used a fiberglass backer board around the perimeter for the tile backsplashes. He sees the device they use to lift drywall panels up to the ceiling, and watches as the brown base and veneer top plaster coats go down.

Our host arrives to find the crew fishing off the last of the porchs historic details, which is was able to duplicate thanks to a home movie provided by a previous owner. Charlie installs a new downspot with an improved fastening device. Inside, Tom Silva and master carpenter have hung the new kitchen cabinets, Jeff Hoskings has restored kitchen and living space floors, and tilers. Joe and Chuck Ferrante are beginning the countertops, using a new tile backer board homemade Arts-and-Crafts style tiles. Finally, we watch as an authentic linoleum floor goes down in the mudroom.

The guys padde into Honolulu, Hawaii, to begin an eight show series on the renovation and expansion of homeowner Christiane Bintliffs oceanside bungalow, built in the 1930s. The house sits on part of a larger parcel given to her great-great-great-grandfather by Hawaiis King Kamehameha III in return for his services as admiral of the royal navy. Despite the apparement termite damage and out-of-date systems, Chtistiane is determine to save this old-style island home. So our master carpenter goes off to the lonely island of Molokai to see the restoration of Father Damiens church, recently completed by the firm of Ching Construction, and our host visits a stunning renovation of an oceanside home by architect Norm Lacayo. With the team assembled, the jobsite is blessed by Hawaiian minister the Reverend Abraham Akaka.

The show opens at the Punchbowl, an extinct volcano crater that is the site of the National Memorial Cementry of the Pacific, burial place of Americans who have fallen in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. On site, the new addition begins to take shape, with stud walls up and prefabricated trusses arriving on site. All lumber is pressure-treated to battle the resident termites. Homeowner Christiane Bintliff decides to go with a wood shingle roof, as the original house had, and our host talks to roofer Jim Wilkinson about the reasons behind the high - $21,000 - labor cost involved. We visit the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor and learn of the events that brought the US into World War II. Back on the job, engineer John Allison and project super Rob Varner discuss options to tie the roof down to the sidewalls to protect against the lifting effect on high winds. Inside, our master carpenter shows us the unique way the original building is put together, and then builds a new single-wall

The show begins at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, a 1927 beauty known as the Pink Palace, one of the first two luxury hotels on the beach ar Waikiki. At the site, our master carpenter explains how the additions siding will be made to look like the originals board and batten, then catches up with job super Rob Varner to see how the lanai is being reinforced with a welded steel frame. Inside, the kitchen wall is opened to give Christiane the ocean view shes wanted. We visit Lolani Place, home to Hawaiis last king and queen, and the United States only royal palace. Built in 1882, its painstaking restoration is one of the countrys finest. Back at the site, ""invisible"" audio speakers are built into the ceiling, and project architect Dan Moran shows us recessed halogen lights for the ""art wall,"" prairie-style exterior light fixtures, and brass entry hardware with a moleculary bonded finish that the manufacturer warranties as tarnish-free for life.

Our host opens the show at Halekii heiau, an ancient Hawaiian temple on the island of Maui. Surrounded by an industrial park and tract housing, it is an example of the tension between the development and historic preservation. At the site, we check out whats left on project supervisor Rob Varners punch list, and tour the house. Our host visits a termite fumigation job where the entire house is tented and poisonous gas injected. Richard Trethewey reviews the new solar hot-water system and shows us the split-system air-conditioning units. We then visit a house in Maui designed in 1936 by the dean of Hawaiian architecture, Charles W. Dickey.

The season begins with a tour of the countrys oldest wood-frame house: the Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts, built in 1636. We then go to the seasons project house (and the oldest house the show has worked on): a 1710 colonial in Action, Massachusetts, owned by Terry and Sima Maitland. Though suffering from bad sills and much settling, its real problem for this family of five is lack of space. The Maitlands $150,000 budget will barely cover an addition, and our master carpenter and Tom Silva advise them to ""let sleeping dogs lie,"" and not attempt to correct many of the original houses problems, which would soak up that amount and more.

Homeowner Terry Maitland cuts down a tree to make way for the new foundation, while the crew lays out the excavation lines using a small laser level. Excavation contractor Herb Brockert arrives to dig, while out back the old septic field is expanded with a new tank and new leach lines. Inside, the guys review the demolition plans, pointing out the importance of not going beyond the planned areas of reconstruction. Architect Chris Dallmus guides us through a model of the new addition and discusses a possible window choice. Halfway through the excavation, Herb hits large boulders or ledge at about four feet, dashing the Maitlands hopes for a full basement.

At the site, lumber - conventional and engineered - has arrived, and the crew begins to attach the sill to the foundation. Terry Maitland lays down fiberboard to protect his old floors during construction, and discusses with our host his concern about the lead content of the old building: one of his children, who has been monitored for the past year, had a slightly elevated blood lead level. Our host promises the shows help. He then takes Terry into the basement, points out how little is holding up the living room, and suggests Terry replace the lally column that somehow got knocked down. We visit a c. 1760 tavern that has been moved across the state and rebuilt as a private home, with painstaking attention to historical accuracy. Back at the site, the first of the wood I-beam joists go in.

With the addtion weatherweight, its massing is apparement and seems to make a successful match with the old building. Inside, Tom Silva shows us the lightweight steel partition walls hes building, and Sima Maitland checks out the new windows and first floor plan. We then tour a plant in Tennessee where power tools - including the circular saw he follows from start to finish - are made. Back at the site, Tom Silva shows us how to the exterior trim on one of the new windows.

As he contemplates installing replacement windows in the original building, our master carpenter explains that it might make sense to replace the old, heavily weathered clapboards on the fornt facade instead of having to cut each windows trim into them. On the less-weathered west side of the house, the guys shows us just whats involved in installing a replacement window and retaining the original clapboards. We watch the deleading crew in action as they remove lead paint from the original building. Richard Trethewey follows the installation of the well pump and tank, and visits a lab to have the water tested.

Homeowners Terry and Sima Maitland puzzle over exterior paint colors, settling on a pumpkin for the field and cream for the trim. They discuss a few details of the farmers porch that may be reconsidered: a post up against the body of the main house, trim treatment along fascia, and a gutter. Inside, our host checks out a new central vacuum system, while the guys review the heating and cooling systems for the new addition: radiant baseboard downstairs and in the master bedroom, in-wall radiant tubing for mudroom, stairwell, and master bath. Preservation mason Steve Roy diagnoses the fireplaces on the first floor and decides that the chimney should be rebuilt from the roofline up. Finally, landscape contractor Roger Cook supervises hydroseeding of the lawn.

We see Terry busily caulking the battered clapboards of the west gable in preparation for the top coat of paint. Painter George Hourihan applies the gloss latex top coat to body and trim. We join mason Lenny Belleveau to take down and rebuild the chimney from the roofline up. Our master carpenter meets up with archtect Chris Dallmus for a research trip around Action to find the proper design for a new front enterance, since the old one is now too rustic for the house. Sima Maitland reviews her choices for flooring: recycled longleaf and shortleaf southern yellow pine and old white pine. She decides on the white pine, and we visit the lumberyard where it and a wide variety of other 18th and 19th century architectural components are on display.

We arrive to find Jeff Hosking installing the salvaged floorboards he found in a New Hampshire yard. Jeff discusses the challenges of working with such material, and shows a stationary double-drum sander he uses to take off a little of the boards rough surface at a time. Upstairs, Joe Ferrante applies a colored grout to the slate tile in the master bath. In the dining room, homeowner Terry Maitland - after checking out a similar house nearby - decides to take down the plaster ceiling, in the hopes that an original beam and joist floor system lurks beneath. Unfortunately, what they find is not very preety... On a more positive front, the guys build a historically accurate entryway for the house back at the workshop. Finally, a new lightning arrest system goes on the building.

Our host arrives to find installer Michael Griffiths laying out a carpet for the master suite. Its made of recycled soda bottles. Inside, he meets up with Tom Silva, who shows him the new ceiling in the dining room (reboarded, plastered, and given a faux box beam) and explains the work involved in finishing off the replacement windows. Homeowner Terry Maitland discusses with them his expenses for the project (around $190,000) and the amount of donated materials (around $120,000) - the target of $150,000 was exceeded because of all the unforseen work in the old part of the house. Steve meets interior designer Bill Reardon, who explains his approach to the project. Part of it includes a decorative wall finish of joint compound and successive latex paint washes, as applied by artisan Julia Clay. Up in the master suite, the carpet has gone down quickly, and our master carpenter prepares to install brass door hardware. We take a tour of the Reading, Pennsylvania, factory where it was made

The crew heads west to Californias Napa Valley and Dennis Duffys circa 1906 farmhouse. Essentially untouched in the last few decades, the house needs a new, larger and brighter kitchen, as well as a new roof and a reinforced foundation. To help out on the project, our host enlists noted Valley architect Jon Lail, whose residences include a shingle-style home being built on the outskirts of St. Helena. Then we check out the work of general contractor Jim Nolan, whose company renovated and rebuilt the offices, winery, and tasting rooms of Merryvale Vineyards in downtown St. Helena.

After a period of heavy rains and flooding, Napa Valley - and the jobsite - are a soggy mess. The show opens in sandbagged downtown Napa, then head to the job, where foreman Jeff Castille and crew have spent the week levelling the kitchen area with steel beams and hydraulic jacks. Jeff shows us the water level he used. Outside, the concrete truck arrives to pump in the mix for the steam walls. On site, our master carpenter visits a rammed-earth house being constructed on a nearby hillside. Our host checks out the condition of Denniss roof with roofing contractor Mike McDermott, and Richard Trethewey takes Dennis to a San Francisco bath showroom to consider choices for his bathroom and kitchen.

We check out the mustard plants in a vineyard near the farmhouse before heading over to a very busy jobsite. There, contractor Jim Nolan shows us the extra work that has had to be done to save us the old front porch; the chimney has also been torn down. The roofing crew strips and sheathes the old roof, which has been straightened and reinforced with purlins and braces. Job foreman Jeff Castille shows us around the newly framed kitchen and we meet electrician Al Curtice, who is installing incandescent can fixures and a fluorescent valence light around the kichen ceiling soffit. We tour the champagne caves of Schramsberg Vineyards, while our master carpenter visits a crew who is busy digging a cave for a new winery. On site, Dennis meets with kitchen designer Paul Price to lay out the proposed cabinet footprint and choose cabinet door patterns and finishes, as well as solid surface countertops.

The show opens at Clos Pegase, a winery designed by noted architect Michael Graves. At the site, the rains continue, and so does progress. Our master carpenter follows the installation of the solid-surface countertop, while Richard Trethewey points out the important features of the new hot-water system: earthquake strapping, a circulating pump on a timer and the magnesium rod which prevents corrosion of the tank. A water softener goes in, and electrician Al Curtice installs a three-way dimmer that dims from two locations. Finally, we tour a remarkable winery property thats for sale in St. Helena.

The show opens the season with a tour of Salem, Massachusets - the Witch Trials Memorial, the towns formerly bustling waterfront, the residential grandeur of Chestnut Street, the House of the Seven Gables, the Peabody-Essex Museum and the old town hall. Convinced that this is the town the show should work in, our host tours two houses that are for sale with realitor Betsy Merry. While one is in too fine shape, the other needs a lot of work. Its an estate property on the market for $239,000. We meet a couple who is considering making an offer on it - they have two children and one on the way and only six small rooms in their current house. Meanwhile, our master carpenter and general contractor check out the property. Their conclusion: Lots of repairs needed, mostly the result of neglect, but essentially the building is sound.

We visit the island of Nantucket, where architect Ann Behas firm is expanding and renovated the historic Atheneum, the town library. She agrees to help out in Salem. In Salem, the crew erects aluminum pump jack staging - a safe and efficient system, especially when many trades will be working on the exterior. We tour a couple of paint jobs with painting contractor Mike McManus and asks him to squeeze our house into his schedule.The guys finish reglazing the old window sash, using old-fashioned mouth-blown restoration glass. In the basement, Richard Trethewey points out an inefficient electric water heater that currently handles both sides of the house, and an oil heater that could use some tuning up. Our master carpenter points out ""cooked,"" degraded old clapboards on the upper third of the building and recommends replacing them.

Tom Silva shows us the reframed bathrooms, with floors stiffened by flipping the original joists and sistering on reinforcing members. The bathtub arrives, and the crew horses it upstairs, where plumber Charles Cashin is rough-plumbing the new childrens bath and master bath. Restoration painter John Dee uses dental tools to reveal the finest of the porticos details. Before he could get to that stage, however, he had to painstakingly remove about 20 layers of built-up paint, aided by a paint stripping gel. We see wood restorer John Stahl use an epoxy repair system to work on the historic windows on the first floor. The Dutch system replaces rotted wood with workable epoxy and uses a flexible silicone for glazing compound. Architect Ann Beha presents some possible color schemes to homeowner Deborah Guinee, and later, after painting some samples on the building, she choses colors (blue body, white trim, black shutters) that she will present for approval to the Salem Historical Commissio

We arrive to find Mike McManus and his painting crew continuing their prep work, dry scraping and hand sanding, per Board of Health regulations. The new staging now has safety nets, protecting passerbys from falling tools or debris. Inside, our master carpenter shows us how to lay out and install tile in the kids bath, using both a stationary and a hand-held wet saw. We revisit the Maitlands colonial farmhouse in Action, to see how theyre liking it. Back at the house, homeowner Deborah Guinee shows us the drawings of the covered carriageway the architects have put together; shell have to take them in front of the Historical Commission to see if they will approve the scheme.

We arrive to hear some troubling news: Some of the neighbors - not pleased with the Historical Commissions approval of the carriageway plan and worried about traffic flow, fumes, and the change to the facade - are thinking of appealing the decision. Upstairs, however, work on the kids bath proceeds, with the installation of a new vanity, solid-surface counter with bowl, and lighting sconces. Our plumbing and heating specialist puts in a new sink faucet and shows us an electronic valve that shuts down when the clothes washer is off, reducing the chances of leaks. Downstairs, architect Ann Beha walks Deborah Guinee through the proposed new kitchen. After the bathroom mirror is installed, a crew arrives to fabricate and install a wire shelf system for the bathroom closets. Finally, the crew begins demolition for the new kitchen.

The City of Salems tree-planting program puts in a Callery pear (pyrus calleryana red spire) in fornt of the Guinees house. In the kitchen, the guys examine the new windows - custom-made with sills and casings to match the existing ones on the house. They feature glass recycled from the original kitchen windows, which were too big to accommodate the countertops. The guys recall the scene earlier when Historical Commission members and interested neighbors visited the site to see a mock-up of the proposed carriageway. Roger Hopkins arrives to realign the granite steps, and Tom Silva puts a time capsule underneath, containing a TOH shirt, a Silva Bros. shirt, and a copy of TOH magazine. Upstairs, the crew cuts through a wall to reconnect the guest room to the Federal for the first time in 120 years. Our host takes the old clawfoot tub to a company in Ludlow, Massachusetts, to get it refinished.

Our host arrives with news from the latest Historical Commission meeting: a decision on the issue of the carriageway will be made in three weeks. The Guinees asked for a continuance because the corrected drawings arrived only a day before the meeting and they wanted everyone, themselves included, to be fully up to speed on the details. Despite the continuance, public comment was heard, and a lot of it was against the carriageway. Out back, our master carpenter begins to build a trash shed that will allow the Guinees to store their cans and recycling bins. The crew uses engineered lumber to stiffen the floor of the boys bedroom. Our host visits the Andrew-Safford house, a 1819 late-Federal that is part part of the Peabody Essex Museum, that been renovated by a local charity as a designer showcase. Back at the house, a slow-expanding insulation foam is injected into the walls, the shed is finished off, and the guys compare the merits of two types of storm windows: one-piece interior and

Homeowner Kevin Guinee tells us that, for now, they have withdrawn their petition to build a carriageway, citing lack of time to build, lack of remaining funds, Deborahs pregnancy and the highly charged atmosphere in town surrounding the issue. The Guinees will finish off the room where the carriageway may someday go as a simple family room. Richard Trethewey arrives with a stainless steel flue liner to prevent condensation from the highly efficient gas furnace from forming in the old chimneys, leaching through and damaging both the mortar and surrounding ceilings and walls. We meet a representative of the regional electric company, who shows us a new, more-efficient water heater being installed on the rental side of the building and explains the companys position on heating water with electricity. The guys fabricate a run of seamless aluminum gutter, and a crew installs a protector that keeps leaves from collecting in the gutter while still allowing water to be collected. We then vi

A historically inspired Federal-style fence is installed to replace the rotting pickets in front of the house. Tom Silva installs a new mortice lock in the front door using an automatic morticing tool. In the kitchen, we meet with Julia Clay, who is painting a diamond pattern on the floor, while in the powder room decorative painter John Parsons is creating a mock library on the walls. We then visit Salems Peabody Essex Institute for a sampling of its collection, which includes artifacts from the citys maritime past and original records from the witch trials of 1692. Back on the site, our master carpenter installs a new, full-light patio door in the family room to allow more light in, using a new kind of adjustable screw to set the jambs. The crew hauls the newly restored bathtub upstairs to the master bathroom, where it matches beautifully with the new toilet and pedestal sink. Our plumbing and heating specialist has found found antique-look chrome bath fixtures that comply with mod

This Old House heads south to the historic splendor of Savannah, Georgia, where Mills and Marianne Fleming have purchased an 1884 Italianate Victorian townhouse on Monterey Square, one of the citys most beautiful. We tour the house, whose rotting back porches will be replaced by a permanent structure holding an expanded kitchen and dining room on one floor, and a master bedroom and bathroom on the second. Other needed improvements include restoring the heart pine flooring, adding guest bathrooms, installing HVAC system to cope with the regions high heat and humidity and improving the facade with an appropriate iron balustrade and wooden shutters. Mills leads a ""greatest hits"" tour of downtown Savannah. Then contractor J.T. Turner, whose firm has restored many homes and buildings in the historic district, shows us a job in progress and a finished restoration. Finally, Turners job foreman, Mark Fitzpatrick, goes over the subject house and gives us his take on the main challenges facin

The show opens at Wormsloe Plantation, ruins of a 1736 dwelling on the banks of the Inland Passage and the earliest remnant of those colonial times in Savannah. Back at the project house, a new water main is going in on Gordon Street. Inside the new historically accurate (true-divided-light, single-thickness glass) windows have arrived, and project manager Mark Fitzpatrick applies brick-mold trim to one and installs it. The high-velocity air-conditioning ducting and air-handlers are now on site. Viewers then tour the Green-Meldrim house to see its many methods of keeping cool in the days before electricity. Atop the Flemings house, a new terne metal roof and a fluid-applied acrylic and polyester mesh roof, new and old. A pull-down attic stair is installed, while out back masons reuse local ""Savannah Grey"" bricks from the original structure to build up a veneer on the new addition.

The show opens at Fort Pulaski, a Federal fort taken over by Confederate forces early in the Civil War, only to fall to superior weaponry, rendering its masonry construction obsolete. At the site, new mouldings, custom milled to match the existing ones in the house, have arrived and are stacked neatly and out of harms way in the carriage house. Upstairs, job supervisor Mark Fitzpatrick uses a fax service to up-to-date specs for the new appliances so that he can rough in electronics and gas accurately. Upstairs, drywall contractor Kevin Landry is using a vacuumed sander to smooth out his joints. Viewers then check out a new batt insulation made of cotton scraps and meet flooring contractor Mike McMurray, who will lay a new heart pine floor in the addition and make it match the old, which he will also be refinishing. We see paint and wallpaper prep, and a new plaster ceiling medallion made by master plasterer Jean-Francois Furieri. We visit the Lucas Theater restoration project, where F

The show opens with a visit to the Port of Savannah, one of the busiest container ports on the East Coast and a major employer for the region. He delivers the new cedar shutters to the jobsite, while the heat pumps are hoisted onto the roof. Installer Jimmy Woods shows us the new maple cabinets going into the kitchen. The buildings front facade gets a lift as project manager Mark Fitzpatrick removes the old sheet metal ""pigeon guards"" that were obscuring the lintels. We visit nearby Gulfstream Aerospace, where state-of-the-art business jets are built and fitted out with cabinetry of the finest veneers. Back at the house, we see a floor mosaic go down in the entrance vestibule; its intricate Greek key and acanthus leaf design is formed of porcelain tile cut by computer-controlled water jet. We check out the new and old heart pine floors, matched perfectly by specialist Mike McMurray and crew. Finally, paper hanger Peter Bridgman continues his work in the rear parlor.

This Old House sets out for Nantucket the classic way, aboard a Streamship Authority vessel. On island, they tour one of our master carpenters first jobs, a clothing store. Linking up with designer Jock Gifford, we take a walk up Main Street, one of the finest preserved streets in America. At the subject house, a tour reveals small rooms and poor systems, but a project with a lot of potential. Accordingly, we meet island contractor Bruce Killen and then the homeowners, Craig and Kathy McGraw Bentley.

The show starts with a visit to Nantuckets Unitarian Universalist church, a beautiful showcase of restrained New England architecture and trompe loeil painting built in 1809. At 3 Milk Street, we catch up with general contractor Bruce Killen, who has his building permit and is well into a gut job on the building. Reasons for this dramatic course include the fact that the building will need insulation, upgraded wiring and plumbing, new windows and trim, and a notable change of floor plan; it will also get rid of the bulk lead paint. Outside, mason Don Kissell is accepting a load of concrete for the new additions footings. Our master carpenter takes a trip to an island plant to see where the concrete is mixed. We hear designer Jock Giffords report on the Historic District Commissions judgement: the additions were approved, but any exterior details will have to be proven to have been on the building originally. To that end, Syd Conway, who grew up in the house, drops by to share some

The show starts with a visit to Sankaty Head Light, a Coast Guard property of the exposed Eastern edge of the island. Built in 1850, it like the rest of the houses along the the bluff that leads up to it, is in danger of being washed away by the encroaching Atlantic. Coast Guard Capt. Bill Batson gives us a tour and discusses the options for the future. Back at the house, general contractor Burce Killen checks out the nearly entirely reframed house and discuss the efficiency and code considerations that led to such a radical reworking. Outside, designer Jock Gifford shows homeowner Kathy McGraw Bently a sample of the new windows hes specified for the house, featuring true divided lights, interior energy panels, factory installed trim, and a factory applied three-part exterior pait finish guaranteed for ten years. The Bentleys need to go before the Historic District Commission to obtain approval for the colors they want to use on the building; upon approval they can order the windows.

The show begins at Nantuckets Old North Wharf, much of which dates from the early 18th century and site of several small cottages available for rent. At the site, homeowner Kathy McGrew Bentley shows us the window sash color approved by the Historic District Commission, as well as the outside placement of the chimney, which had previously been slated for inside the building. Contractor Bruce Killen describes the cost of the extra framing work so far: $30,000. Outside, mason Dan Kissell shows us how to parge the new concrete block foundation so that it matches the old foundation, while cedar roofer John Rex reveals the secret of the roofs decorative diamond detail. Out at Bruce Killens workshop, Bruce helps refrubish the buildings old fornt doors, using custom knives to replicate the moldings and a large belt sander to remove the paint from the frames. Finally, lighting designer Melissa Guenet and electrician Sally Kay Bates shows us the plans for the second floor.

Before heading over to the job site, we visit the 1827 African Meeting House, a former school, church, and meeting house used by Nantuckets black population until the 1920s and now the object of a restoration effort. Contractor Bruce Killen builds a new door frame for the restored Victorian double doors, which he and the crew hang. Then we go to Switzerland to see one mans solution to the high cost of building and real estate there: high-quality factory-built houses.

The show begins with a visit to the Wharf Rat Club, a collection of old-timers who gather to chat each morning in a former quahog-sorting shack on Old North Wharf. Then we check out the progress at the house: a Victorian-detailed chimney is complete, as is the custom bulkhead door. Inside, general contractor Bruce Killen goes over the features of the newly arrived windows - wood construction, factory-applied two-color paint scheme and exterior trim, interior energy panels, vinyl sash guides, tilt-in cleaning, excellent weatherstripping - and we see one go in. Then we meet energy conservation specialist David Weitz, whose company is using a three-part system - foam, high-density fiberglass batts and extra-tough vapor barrier - to bring This Old House up to the highest of insulation standards set for new housing. At the workshop, our master carpenter finishes off the exterior brackets by making intricate decorative in-fill on the bandsaw.

Realtor Hammie Heard shows us around the Dreamland Theatre, a downtown Nantucket landmark. First a Quaker meeting house, then a straw hat factory, then a roller rink, then part of a hotel on Brant Point before finally becoming the islands biggest movie theatre in 1904. Now for sale for $4.2 million, it stands as 15,000 square feet of pure potential with a great view. At the house, Bruce Killen takes a look at the interior insulation, used for sound deadening and heat zoning, and unpacks the new etched glass just in from California. Based on a rubbing of the surviving front door glass panel, its a perfect match and the final touch on the refurbished Victorian entry. Our host arrives to see bluebarders David and Eric Sandrson tackling the tricky angles of the upstairs rooms, then goes with designer Jock Gifford to see a Victorian-style kitchen in another island home, part of Jocks work to help the Bentleys decide on the work of their new kitchen. Also helping in the kitchen design an

We visit the Nantucket Marine Lab and its director, Rob Garrison, to see efforts of augment the islandes scallop population. At the house, Bruce Killen tells us that the Historic District Commission has rejected as ""too fancy"" the proposed Victorian fence, approving instead a simple Quaker picket. Painters Gerry Ratnecht and George Loranger applied a plastic filler to nail holes, sand, and lay down a top-quality latex paint on an island used to oil. Inside, Bruce sees carpenter Joe Topham finish out a new window with traditional Victorian trim. We meet landscaper Michael Flanagan, who is dry-laying walls of Pennsylvania fieldstone, then plasterer Howie Nair shows us whats involved in repairing the broken plaster cornice mouldings in the front room. Finally, we catch up with energy-conservation specialist David Weitz as he conducts a blower-door test on the building, trying to seal it up to meet the high standards of the utility company.

After a visit to the Milestone Cranberry Bog in time for the October harvest, viewers meet up with Bruce Killen who discusses the punch list - it looks like the project will not quite be finished by the shows last taping. Inside, tiler David Goodman shows our master carpenter how he copes a decorative tile molding for the powder room using a water-cooled diamond band saw. We visited with Chuck Davis, who brought back the old pine floors upstairs and is laying a new ""floating floor"" system in the rest of the house. Richard Trethewey and ground-source heat-pump expert Carl Orio fire up the new system and review the air-to-air heat exchanger in the attic, necessitated by the tight envelope the building now has. Our host arrives to find cabinet designer Gina MacVicar going over the kitchen, family room, and master suite cabinets, while outside, lanscaper Mike Flanagan is puting in hydrangeas and day lilies to set off the crushed stone parking tray. Fence installer Ron Dugas shows us the n

This Old House hits Tucson, Arizona, for an eight-part winter project: the renovation and and expansion of Jim and Colleen Meigs 1930 Pueblo Revival home. After an overview of Tucsons sights - tract housing, golf courses, Old Tucson Studios, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Air Forces ""Boneyard"" of old planes, Biosphere 2, and the magnificent Catholic mission San Xavier del Bac - we head to the Meigs house, where we see that the homeowners have for nearly 20 years, they are pretty certain: a new kitchen, an outdoor cooking area, a finished courtyard with fountain, a media room, library, a new master suite and a new coat of stucco. Their target cost is around $150,000. As Jim is an architectural designer, we visit one of his completed houses. However, since as Jim puts it, ""A new lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client,"" he has hired an architect for his own job - Alexandra Hayes. She shows us the model she has built for the proposed project.

The show opens with a hike in the natural splendor of Sabino Canyon, in the northern foothills of Tucson. At the house, a crew prepares and pours a colored and scored concrete floor, a typical detail in older Arizona homes. Homeowner Jim Meigs and our host discuss design issues concerning the new powder/laundry room and outdoor and indoor kitchens, and then we visit cabinetmaker James Vosnos at his shop, where the kitchens cabinets are coming together in Mexican mesquite. Richard Trethewey and HVAC contractor Marshall Dennington review the heating and cooling system Marshall has design for the house, including a natural gas-powered air-conditioning unit, electronic air cleaner, humidifier, and high-function thermostatic controls. Finally, we visit Old Tucson Studios, a moviemaking mecca since the 1930s, recently rebuilt after a catastrophic fire.

The show opens with a visit to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, where the natural-looking environments are the result of painstaking human artistry, including the casting and construction of artificial rocks. On site, new windows have arrived, and window consultant Forrest Campbell explains their features, including true-divided-light appearance with thermal pane efficiency, custom-matched, high performance exterior paint, and, for the French doors, a one-move, three-point pin locking mechanism. Outside, the entire Meigs residence begins to get a new skin, as insulated board goes over the failed stucco, to be followed by a new fiberglass and acrylic stucco coat. HVAC installer Marshall Dennington explains why the system was broken into three separate units. In the master bath, David Kelly is putting in tile and electrician Dan LaBlue is installing a steam shower unit. Finally, we check in with Shelly Kessler and her crew, who are modifyingthe old bedroom floor with a walnut inlay to m

After a trip downtown to Tucsons Hotel Congress, built in 1919 and the site of John Dillingers hideout back in 1934, we return to the Meigs house, concrete pavers are laying the driveway - consistent in size but varied in color, they form a hard-wearing cobblestone-like surface. We inspect the outdoor kitchens gas barbecue, whie in the indoor kithcen cabinetmaker James Vosnos puts the finishing touches on the mesquite cabinetry. James Murdock puts the finishing touches on the ""endless"" pool, while NCAA swimmer Sean Pepper test it out. Our plumbing and heating expert checks out the houses water treatment equipment, then takes viewers around Tucson to see the ongoing challenges the city faces in its struggle to satisfy its water needs. Our host takes a look at a new privacy glazing in the master bath - it uses a liquid crystal and electricity to switch between transperancy and opacity while the flooring contractors finish up the library floor.

The show opens in the historic town of Milton, Massachusetts, founded in 1662 and the site of the c. 1725 Colonial home the show purchased for renovation and eventual sale. The This Old House crew looks the old structure over, including the massive post-and-beam barn on the property. The diagnosis: questionable room layout for modern life, some rot, but a remarkable sound house with a lot of potential. Jinny Devine, owner for the past 38 years, recalls raising her family of four boys in the home.

The show opens with a visit to the top of Great Blue Hill and its historic weather observatory (built in 1885) to view the sights: the town of Milton, downtown Boston (8 miles northeast), and the 7,000 acres of parkland that comprise the Blue Hills Reservation. At the jobsite, the crew takes up planks in the front part of the barn in preparation for turning it into a garage; the structure reveals various areas of rot and poor construction. Forms are in place to accept the concrete coming to make up the new workshops foundation, and landscape architect Tom Wirth assesses some of the sites challenges, including a lack of proper accesss to the front prospect of the house. Historic photos shows a gravel or shell drive that once passed by the homes front, and Tom thinks a similar scheme would be appropriate. Insulation specialist Graeme Kirkland shows us the results of a blower door test hes conducting: the house changes its interior air 11 times an hour in a simulated 15-mile-an-hour w

Our master carpenters workshop continues to take shape, as Richard Trethewey lays out radiant floor heating tubes over a layer of rigid insulation. We meet audio/visual systems contractor Steve Hayes to get a preview of what the new media room may look like, and visit a showroom to see the range of equipment options. We see a virtual walk-through of the new workshop put together by Randy Levere, while the crew tears down the old kitchen addition, which has revealed itself to be woefully built. Paint stripper Brooks Washburn uses a paraffin-based paste to remove dozens of layers of old paint from the front staircase, and our host suggests trying it out on the historic front facade. Finally, the concrete arrives to complete the floor of the new workshop.

The houses new spaces are framed and sheated, giving us a chance to tour the new kitchen and media room. The front facade is now completely stripped of its burden of 200 years of paint, ready for primer and a new color. Architect Rick Bechtel and window specialist Mike Roach discuss the new windows they are specifying for the new work (all wood units, double hung, insulating glazing, applied six-over-six muntins), and decide that, rather than being replaced, the historic sash of the front part of the building should be restored and weatherstripped. At the workshop, we see now, low-cost, breathable building wrap, then watch as the crew installs one of the new skylights. Then a roll-forming machine spits out metal roof panels for the buildings new standing-steam roof. Finally, we see the engineered wood product that is being used to trim out the house - its very stable, warpfree, consistent, and cheaper than clear pine.

Our host arrives to find our master carpenter unpacking the new stationary woodworking tools for the workshop; they admire the newly shingled barn, whose panelized shingle system the general contractor estimates saved him almost two weeks labor. At the main house, the crew shingles the low-pitch roof over the media room, taking special care to first cover the deck with a waterproofing membrane. Inside, we see the restructuring being done in the dining room: using engineered I-joist to level the ceiling and reinforce the floor above; carefully removing the old floorboards to get the rotted subfloor, strengthening it with more I-joist and a new plywood deck. Our host meets with chefs Julia Child and Marian Morash in the kitchen to discuss the layout, work surfaces, islands, tables, and flooring options. Out at the workshop, the team puts togehter the deck using an undermount system and decking made of recycled plastic bags and sawdust, and checks out the nerw woodworking tools. We watch

Our master carpenter inspects the new garage doors, made of redwood to look like old-fashioned outswing carriage doors but operated like modern overheads. The construction crew thickens the sills of the new windows to match the old trim style and installs a three-window mulled unit in the kitchen. Our host tours Milton with realitor Susan Bolgar-Wiesjohn to see what kind of properties are available in this town of 25,000, just 9 miles from downtown Boston. Lighting designer Josh Feinstein gives us an overview of the workshops new lighting package, while landscape architect Tom Wirth and architect Rick Bechtel discuss plans for the shade garden.

Our host arrives to find the site thick with trucks delivering drywall, cement board, and interior wooden doors. In a rapidly filling barn, he meets electrician Allen Gallant installing a lightning arrestor on the workshop panel - its a simple $25 device that protects all the houses and barns outlets from damaging power surges. Off of the exercise room, a prefabricated cedar sauna goes in, while arborist Matt Foti trims and props up the old apple tree outside the workshop. Down by the road, stonewall builder David Nyren and crew build a farmers wall across the old driveway opening and a riprap retaining wall at the bank cut for the new drive, and lanscaper Roger Cook and crew lay in the shade gardens brick patio. Landscape architect Tom Wirth shows us choices for the latticework around the shade garden, and tells us about the specimen terrs hes ordered for the property: a lacebark Chinese elm, two American hollies, and a cornelian cherry. Plumber Ronald Coldwell checks the state

The finishes have begun at the Milton project. We see the shellac and wax work painter John Dee is applying to the stripped old-growth white pine in the front wall - it now matches the look of the adjacement parlor. The crew directs a crane as it swings the new, 490-pound soaking tub through the master bath window. We visit the Wisconsin foundry where it was made. Meanwhile, tiling contractors the Ferrante brothers prepaer 16 x 16 limestone tiles for the bathroom floor using an extra-tile wet saw. Outside, our host meets a termite exterminator who uses an insect growth hormone bait to wipe out subterranean colonies. Upstairs, HVAC contractor Ken Winchester shows us the very important air-to-air heat exchanger, which introduces fresh air that picks up the houses exiting stale, damp air. In the courtyard, the new iron fountain has arrived, and the crew puts the finishing touches of the green lattice cedar fence. We meet Glenn Bowman, who is cutting and installing soapstone countertops i

Interior designers begin their work as the construction crew scurries to finish up the job. Painter John Dee uses a wood fillerto repair the deteriorating front door, while kitchen designer Phil Mossgraber shows us features of the cabinets and the newly installed appliances. A designer from Laura Ashley Home Stylings discusses the family rooms while painted woodwork and ""crackle-coat"" wallpaper, while Glenn Bowman routes out an integral drainboard in the kitchens soapstone countertop. Upstairs, we see the new electronic shower control, and designer Cheryl Katz describes the progress by which she went from raw space in the master suite to a finished design. Jeff Hosking and the crew lay a new wide-plank pine floating floor in the dining room and we see the ceiling mural decorative painter Julie Williams is putting up in the media room using a unique color-transfer medium.

The grand finale in Milton, with the house completed furnished with the work of 10 separate decorating teams. We tour the house, the barn and the grounds. The wrap party begins and the contractors and subs get a big thank you for a huge job well done.

The crew start the workday at the Powell Street cable car turntable, where cars are spun around by hand for the return trip over the Fishermans Wharf. On site, general contractor Dan Plummer has three weeks of work to show: the woodwork in the chapel has been sanded, the baptismal fount has been filled with concrete for the new fireplaces foundation, and the entire rear addition has been gutted to the walls. The reason: termites. We meet exterminator Bill Pierce as he sprays down the plywood for the new subfloor with a borate solution; the new floor joists are of a pressure-treated Douglas fir that contains no arsenic or chromium, unlike conventional PT lumber. Richard sees a blown-in cellulose insulation treatment of the floor joist bays, while our host visits a Gap store that homeowner Mark Dvorak helped to design - the simple, monochromatic finishes are meant to push the clothes forward visually, and Mark and Laurie Ann plan a similar scheme for the church to highlight their furni

The show opens with a walk through the magnificent Muir Woods, home of the coast redwood, the worlds tallest tree. At the house, where general contractor Dan Plummer is dealing with yet another of heavy rain, we see the lighweight concrete mixed and poured over the kitchens radiant floor tubing. Our host gets the rundown on the buildings sprinkler system from installed Fred Benn, including a dramtic demostration. We visit the workshop of Peter Good in Oakland to see him building new exterior doors for the church - a matched pair for the front and a Dutch door for the side entrance. At the house, Jay Fenton shows the stainless steel flue hes installing above the new Rumford fireplace, while Dan Plummer and the team review the new stairs and the old-growth Douglas fir joist hes recycling into treads and risers.

Our host visits Alcatraz before heading off to the jobsite, where our master carpenter is hard at work installing the new front doors. First step: trimming them to fit the out-of-plumb opening. Progress in the chapel continues, with industrial halogen light fixtures being hung from the ceiling, while paint going over the dark waiscoting, and a cleft-slate surround gracing the Rumford firebox. Upstairs, the drywall has been treated with a bonding agent so that a two-coat finsh plaster can be applied, the result of a last-minute decision by the homeowners. A zero-clearance fireplace centers the master bedroom, and plumber Jeff Deehan wrestles with an old-wall-mount sink, retrofitting it with a foot-pedal-controlled faucet. Our master carpenter continues on his on his doors, using a mortice jig to position and installs the hinges. Homeowner Mark Dvorak accepts delivery of the kitchen cabinets he designed - built in a computer-controlled manufacturing facility run by Paul La Bruna. Finally

Norm welcomes new host Kevin OConnor abord with a visit to one of the most ambitious TOH jobs to date, the Manchester-by-the-Sea project. Wanting to tackle a big job like this one his first time out, Kevin instead ends up in historic Concord, Massachusetts, with a small (but sweet) 20- by 26-foot garden shed that homeowners Jeff and Janet Bernard want to convert into an in-law cottage for Janets retired parents. Protected by local zoning laws, the shed cant be torn down and rebuilt, so Tom will reframe the c. 1894 building from the inside out, and Richard will face the challenges of bringing water, sewer, and gas lines into the building for the first time ever. The cottage is the smallest project in This Old House history, but everyone agrees that, although theres not a lot to work with, theres still a lot to do. Janet takes Kevin to see the inspiration for her project, a small garage apartment thats part of an estate currently on the market in Concord for $7.2 million.

Kevin arrives to find the newly issued building permit affixed to the building and work finally getting underway. Holly is officially on board, and Kevin pays a visit to her office to see the first pass at floor plans, elevations, and a scale model of the cottage. Zoning laws only allow for a modest increase in overall volume, so the new one-bedroom cottage will be less than 1,000 square feet when its done. Norm and Tom prepare to brace a bowed wall, but find a badly rotted sill that needs replacing before they can proceed. Putting Kevin to work, they build two temporary walls; once theyre in place, they takt the weight off the compromised outside wall. The rotted sill comes out and a new, pressure-treated sill goes in. Then Kevin visits a converted carriage house in Winchester, Massachusetts, thats full of great ideas for the project. Unexpected rain postpones the excavation for the foundation of the new addition.

Master electrician Allen Gallant installs PVC conduit two feet below the surface of the driveway to allow the 200-amp service to reach the cottage. Using a ""mouse,"" a string, a pull rope, and a vacuum (known to the trade as a ""fishing system"") his crew hauls the heavy electrical lines underground from the street to the cottage, a span of more than 200 feet. Architect Sarah Susanka shows Kevin a 3,000-foot-square house that illustrates the fundamental design principles outlined in ""The Not So Big House,"" her best-selling book. On the second floor of the cottage, carpenter Jason Wood sisters new 2x8s to the existing 2x4 rafters and cuts a hole in the roof to accommodate the new dormer. Norm and Tom push the old roof section out and let the light in upstairs for the first time in almost 100 years.

Kevin visits the Concord Museum, which houses one of the oldest collections of Americana in the country, including one of the lanterns that hung in the church on the night of Paul Reveres ride and several items relating to the life of local Concord resident Sam Staples, the man who built our project house. Tom and master plumber Ron Coldwell show Kevin the progress on the rough plumbing and how adding a shower at the last minute affected the layout of the first floor powder room. In search of other elegant small pieces, Kevin travels to Nantucket, Massachusetts, to meet homeowner Harvey Jones for a look at his charming North Wharf boathouse as well as two recently renovated guest cottages near the center of town. Back at the cottage, Norm discovers that the stairs to the second floor are too steep for older residents to navigate and that headroom is tight on the landing. Tom suggests eliminating a step to reduce the rise, allowing him to both shorten and lower the landing platform to

Tom shows Kevin how the red cedar sidewall shingles are installed in decorative courses, designed by Holly in a classic turn-of-the-century pattern. Tom shows Kevin the most complicated part of the job - braiding the shingles to cover both the outside and inside corners. Norm uses a template and router to cut holes in the old barn door for the new windows. Kevin lends him a hand reinforcing the back of the door and then setting the first window, which gets inserted from the back in order to maintain a low front profile. Richard shows Kevin the compact wall-mounted condensing boiler that will save space and energy and virtually eliminates boiler noise - its quieter than most refrigerators. In Spring Green, Wisconsin, insulating glass expert Tom Kaiser shows Kevin how residential window glass is coated with silver for energy efficiency, then sandwiched together and injected with argon to form insulating glass panels. Back in Concord, Jeff meets with Roger and landscape architect Stephan

Kevin finds Roger inspecting a new shipment of select bluestone from Pennsylvania and cobblestones imported from India. Out back, Roger shows Kevin the right way to lay a bluestone patio using stone dust and cement over three feet of pack for drainage. Inside the cottage, Tom shows Kevin how wallboard contractor Paul Landry is hanging wallboard - its a new product thats non-combustible, moisture resistant, and mold resistant - an important innovation as mold problems continue to plague the building industry. Richard shows Kevin the air-to-air heat exchanger (which will bring fresh air into the building) and a new radiant heat system thats installed in the outside walls going up the stairs. Kevin meets up with Janet and interior designer Tricia McDonagh for a preview of her design choices for the cottage. Holly takes Kevin to Acton, Massachusetts to see the in-law suite that she created for homeowner Sylvia Arroms 90-year old parents. In the kitchen of the main house, family friends

Norm at the Concord Cottage during the first snow of the season and finds the bad weather slowing down both the landscaping and the exterior painting. In the future dining room, Norm and Tom show Kevin how theyre creating decorative wall panels by applying chair rail, baseboard, and surface applied moldings directly to the plaster. In Walpole, Massachusetts, fencing specialist Mark Bushway helps Janet pick the right size shed in a style that will complement the cottage; back in Concord, Kevin helps Mark put the shed together on site. With the base cabinets complete in the kitchen, Norm and Tom show Kevin a simple way to fabricate the face frames using a pocket hole cutter. In the parking court, Roger shows Kevin how to lay out and set regulation size cobblestones in a setting bed of stone dust and cement to achieve a flush finish and minimize cuts.

It is wall-to-wall subs today! Everyone from the tile guy to the fireplace guy to the painter to the granite-pillar guy - that would be Roger - are at the Concord Cottage. Kevin checks out Rogers latest project: installing granite bollards in front of the barn door to prevent vehicles from accidentally backing into the barn, while also adding lots of old-time character. In the front hall, tile contractor Joe Ferrante is prepping the radiant deck for tile, first with thinset, then with cement board. In the living room, chimney specialist Mark Schaub shows Kevin the new remote-controlled gas fireplace that can be vented up or straight out, via an exterior wall, and installs in about a hour. At Bostons Design Center, Kevin meets interior designers Tricia McDonagh and Charles Spada to see the antiques theyve selected, and are still considering, for the cottage. Back at the site, Kevin lends Norm a hand installing the sliding windows over the kitchen sink.

Kevin meets Holly for a look at the exterior details of the cottage, including a pressure-treated southern yellow pine roof shingle that carries a 30-year warranty. In the kitchen, Kevin meets countertop installer Dimitri Kampouris to see the new honed Black Zimbabwe granite countertops going in. Upstairs, Kevin finds a crew from a local home center installing a stain-resistant carpet that is both durable and soft - a combination thats tough to create. Downstairs in the living room, lead carpenter Jason Wood shows Kevin a few tricks to installing hardware on a rail-and-stile closet door. Then Kevin meets stained glass artist Jim Anderson to see the custom windows hes created for the cottage, including one small design that bears an important date - that of the original barn - 1894. Upstairs, Kevin meets John Jawarski, owner of an online custom closet company that lets homeowners design and install their own closet systems. As the day winds down, Tom clears the decks and puts Kevin

With their course set for historic and sunny Bermuda, host Kevin O Connor and master carpenter Norm Abram set sail aboard the Island Raider in search of a winter project house. Once on shore, they zip through the narrow cobblestone streets of St. George on mopeds and arrive at Aunt Neas Inn where they meet potential This Old House homeowners Andrea Dismont and Delaey Robinson - local innkeepers who want to fix up "Harbour View," a vacant and dilapidated circa 1805 Georgian-style home on their property. The house needs a lot of work, so Kevin meets up with local architect Colin Campbell at a recently renovated home in Pembroke to see if he thinks the project is viable. Meanwhile, Norm tracks down general contractor Alan Burland at a commercial job hes running in Hamilton, and Alan, an eleventh-generation Bermudian, assures Norm that he can handle the job.

Host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram welcome plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey to Bermuda in front of St. Peters Church in St. George. Next door at Aunt Neas Inn, Norm and Kevin meet homeowner Delaey Robinson to talk about the building permit and the budget. Across the street at Harbour View, general contractor Alan Burland shows Norm how hes using a steel beam to pick up the second floor load, while lead mason Dilton Cann shows Kevin how hes building new walls of the addition out of concrete block. To see how charming an old renovated Bermuda home can be, Alan shows Norm his carefully restored circa 1750 farmhouse in Somerset. Back at the project house, master plumber Gerald Smith shows Richard how two existing cisterns or "tanks" will collect rainwater from the roof to supply the house with drinking water.

Master carpenter Norm Abram welcomes general contractor Tom Silva to the island by getting him properly outfitted in the "full Bermuda." Host Kevin OConnor meets homeowners Delaey Robinson and Andrea Dismont at Aunt Neas Inn to see how they are managing the renovation while operating the circa 1780 guest house and raising two young boys. They show Kevin the historic mantel theyd like Norm to replicate for their new home. Across the street at the jobsite, Kevin finds foreman John Richardson and lead mason Dilton Cann pouring the bond beam that will unify the structure of the new addition and bear the load of the new stone roof. While measuring for the job, Norm and Tom decide that the firebox needs to be rebuilt to accommodate the new mantle. Worried about time and resources, project manager Alex DeCouto reluctantly agrees to add the masonry work to his list.

After welcoming landscape contractor Roger Cook to Bermuda, host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram meet with project manager Alex DeCouto in the North court to see the scaffolding down, the old building painted and the landscaping well underway. Inside, Alex shows Norm the new cedar French doors and oiled bronze hardware - an ideal combination for this seaside location. Kevin finds kitchen contractor Mark Henneberger finishing up the countertop install - it s a new quartz material that is non-porous, two times stronger than granite, maintenance free, and carries a 10-year warranty. In the upstairs hall, Kevin finds interiors specialist Jennifra Gray installing a faux Bermuda stone - its closed cell polymer that gives the look of natural limestone without the maintenance issues or cost.

This Old House celebrates 25 years of home renovation by going back to its roots. The season opens with Kevin and Norm taking a look at the first This Old House project in Dorchester, Massachusetts - a house the show brought, renovated, and sold in 1979. This season well be homeowners again, with some of the proceeds from the sale of the 25th anniversary centerpiece project endowing a new scholarship for the building arts. To find just the right house, Norm takes Kevin to Carlisle, Massachusetts, a beautiful New England town 20 miles outside Boston. After looking at several properties, This Old House decides to take on an 1849 Greek Revival-style farmstead thats big on charm, but needs a lot of work to be comfortable for a modern family.

Kevin finds Roger clearing land for a much-needed job site parking lot. Architect Jeremiah Eck walks Norm and Kevin through a 3-D model of his proposed design. Highlights include dramatic reuse of the existing timberframe barn as a ""living hall,"" an updated floor plan incorporating the kitchen and dining room in the new connecting ell, and an addition containing a generous master suite. Tom brings in a barn jacking crew to lift the 65-ton barn two feet off the ground so his crew can repair the foundation and replace the first floor deck. Demolition contractors arrive to knock down the failing ell, which will be rebuilt using structural insulated panels.

Kevin visits Great Brook Farm State Park, a 1,000-acre park and the last working dairy farm in Carlisle, Massachusetts. Tom shows Kevin how he created a custom crushed stone flooring for the foundation using a ""stone slinger"" - a high-speed conveyor that projects stone as far as 75 feet. Norm oversees the installation of a new insulated foundation system thats pre-cast in a factory and then trucked to the job site. Certified arborist Matt Foti shows Kevin and Roger how to relocate the septic tank without harming an old catalpa tree that might be worth saving.

Detectorist Bob Phillips discovers a cannonball at the job site that may be a souvenir from the war of 1812. Norm shows Kevin the progress on the framing of the old Greek Revival house and the new connecting ell. Tom introduces Kevin to two carpentry students that are part of the This Old House 25th Anniversary apprenticeship program. Then Tom explains how hes built up all ten posts on the short side of the barn by using scarf joints to make the connections. Kevin travels to New Haven, Connecticut, to visit the Yale Building Project, a graduate class that requires Ivy League architecture students to learn by doing as they design and build a stylish urban home in a low-income neighborhood. Back at our project, Norm meets structural insulated panel expert Frank Baker to see another application for the SIPS technology - its a fast way to install an insulated structural floor.

Kevin drives up to find landscaping finally underway and the house is full of 100 newly arrived windows. Stone wall expert Nick OHara shows Kevin why he has to send back an entire truckload of fieldstone - its lacking the character necessary to build a traditional New England farmers wall. Tom gives Kevin a lesson in how to properly flash a window. In the future kitchen, Kevin and Norm wonder if the kitchen is too big and enlist the help of certified kitchen designer, Kathy Marshall, to help define the space. Kathy shows Kevin a dream kitchen that she recently created for a family of four, as well as a cabinet showroom where the design process begins for the Carlisle kitchen.

Kevin finds Tom milling up exterior window castings that look like wood, but are actually made out of cellular PVC material that is resistant rot. Richard installs PEX water supply lines throughout the house. In the barn, chimney specialist Mark Schaub shows Norm the final design of the Rumford fireplace and chosen materials - granite hearth, fieldstone surround, soapstone firebox, and recycled oak lintel. Kevin welcomes senior design consultant Alexa Hampton to the show by visiting a ten-thousand square-foot French Neoclassical home that shes working on in New Orleans. Kitchen designer Kathy Marshall presents her plans for the kitchen using cardboard mock-ups of the proposed cabinetry.

Kevin opens the show in Concord, Massachusetts, where dozens of stately elm trees once lined Main Street - until Dutch Elm disease nearly destroyed them all. At the project house, elm tree specialist Roger Holloway plants two three-inch caliper Princeton Elms - a disease-resistant cultivar that is helping return the elm to the American landscape. Well contractor David Haynes begins prospecting for water in the side yard, while master electrician Allen Gallant shows Norm the challenge hes facing with wiring both the SIPs and the timberframe barn. Lighting designer Susan Arnold shows Kevin some creative lighting solutions at another renovated barn in Reading, Massachusetts. Tom installs pre-finished cedar single panels that go up six times faster than individual shingles and carry a 35-year warranty. As darkness falls, the new well is already 200 feet deep, and counting.

As part of our 25th anniversary season, Kevin returns to the shows first timber frame barn project, the Concord Barn, to see how the building has held up over the last 15 years, and learn from homeowners Lynn and Barbara Wickwire what its really like to live in a barn. Chimney specialist Mark Schaub oversees the prep and pour of a new flue for the living hall fireplace. Back in Carlisle, Richard shows Kevin the anatomy of the new submersible pump that will be 400 feet underground inside our new well. Norm and Tom shows Kevin how to work with the latest generation of pressure treated lumber while building the front entry porch.

Nurseryman Peter Mezzit arrives on site with a truckload of plant material, and (with frost on the ground) its not a moment too soon. Roger unloads the plants while landscape architect Stephanie Hubbard reviews the placement of the new birch trees. Inside the barn, Norm finds Tom overseeing the insulation of the barn with a water-blown expanding soft foam insulation. To learn the language of Greek temple architecture and how it influenced the American Greek Revival period, architect Thomas Gordon Smith shows Kevin a full-scale model of the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee and an ornate house called ""Rattle and Snap."" Back in Carlisle, in the master bedroom, Norm finds plasterer Stephen Norton hanging wallboard - made out of a new product thats non-combustible, moisture resistant, and mold resistant - an important innovation as mold problems continue to plague the building industry.

Kevin finds Roger and his crew finishing up the bluestone terrace and retaining wall under the protection of a heated tent. Generator specialist John Barros shows Kevin the new standby generator that will restore power to the house in less than 30 seconds in the event of a power failure. In the barn, Tom shows Norm the new parging on the chimney, and how hes recreating the look of the old barn loft on the new barn ceilings. Kevin visits one of the largest antique lighting restoration houses in New England to see if they can save our old barn fixture. In the master bath, Norm finds tile contractor Joe Ferrante laying out the recently arrived handmade tile. On the third floor of the barn, Kevin finds Richard installing the air handler that will provide cool air for the living hall, as well as a hydro-air until that will provide both heating and cooling to the guest suite.

In the barn, Norm meets up with chimney specialist Mark Schaub to determine if his oak lintel above the fireplace is truly safe, and if it will meet code. Kevin meets interior designer Alexa Hampton for a sneak peak at the furniture and fabrics for the dining room. Kevin meets millwork specialist Mark White at his showroom that specializes in high-density polyurethane trim, and back in Carlisle, Tom shows Kevin what its like to work with. Richard walks Kevin through the anatomy of the mechanical room. Back in the barn, there is a surprising twist - just a few hours into it, the fireplace has already failed the safety test and Norm breaks it to Mark that he must swap out the wood for a masonry lintel. Cabinet specialist Maureen MacDonald shows Norm the newly installed cabinets in the office, kitchen and pantry. The day ends with the much-anticipated arrival of the built-ins for the library.

Norm meets lighting designer Susan Arnold for a look at the modern (but practical) cable lighting system in the kitchen. The limestone tub deck is installed in the master bath, while Richard installs an undermount sink in a freestanding vanity in the kids bath. Norm finds garage system specialist Christopher Hubbuch installing a workshop storage system in the basement of the barn. Designer Beth Ferencik shows Roger Cook the handcrafted teak furniture and accessories shes selected for the terrace. Richard shows Norm the last pieces of the HVAC story - the condensers (that uses a refrigerant that wont delete the ozone layer) and the heat-recovery ventilators (that will bring fresh air into the sealed-tight house.) Alarm specialist Don Martini shows Norm the latest innovations in his field - an access keypad that unlocks the front door with a swipe of a key tag, while keeping a log of comings and goings on the household computer. Finishing specialist John Dee shows Norm how hes going

Kevin and senior design consultant Alexa Hampton continue to explore the designer show house through the work of designers Gracyn Whitman, Lisa Newman Paratore, and a company that produces furnishings especially for teenagers. Tom shows Kevin how hes going to extend the sliding barn door to make up the difference lost in the barn jacking. Richard shows Alexa the new 6-foot whirlpool tub and walk-in shower room in the master bath. Designer Frank Roop gives Norm a look at his Mediterranean-inspired master bedroom. Painting contractor Jim Clark finishes up the last of the trim, and Alexa gets to show off her own space - a formal dining room room featuring damask upholstered walls and clean, classic furnishings.

The new season finds the experts at This Old House in historic Cambridge, Mass., working on a mid-century Modern house for biotech bachelor, George Mabry. At the project house near Harvard Square, host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram discover that Georges house is the sleeper on a street of renovated beauties. Problems include water damage, structural issues, failing plumbing, and an outdated floor plan that locates the master bedroom near the front door. The kitchen, renovated 13 years ago, and many aspects of the landscape, will stay. General contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin the failing 50-year-old tar-and-gravel roof, while plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Norm the houses original boiler and early radiant-heat system, both of which are still in use. Despite concerns about working in a congested city neighborhood, the team is up for the challenge, and the change of pace, of working on a Modern home.

A week of rain from a springtime Noreaster hasnt stopped work on the house, nor on the lot. Landscape contractor Roger Cook shows host Kevin OConnor the progress—the trees are cleared, the access road is in, excavation for the new foundation is complete, and the form work is underway. General contractor Tom Silva discovers extensive rot and termite damage on the Eastern elevation, and what he thinks is a failed footing in the basement. Master carpenter Norm Abram finds that the problem is not the footing, but rather under-structured framing from two previous renovations. Homeowner George Mabry shows Norm the exterior materials hes thinking of using; stucco and stone with accents of wood siding. In nearby Lincoln, Mass., Kevin meets educational director Peter Gittleman to see the Modern house Walter Gropius designed and built for his family in 1938. Gropius modest house was revolutionary in its impact at the time, and is today a museum and monument to the Modern movement.

Master carpenter Norm Abram shows Host Kevin OConnor the newly discovered problems at the project house, most of them caused by the poor workmanship of a previous contractor. In the living room, one structural fix is already underway as general contractor Tom Silva prepares to install a flush frame beam made from LVLs that will carry the load of the second floor. Pest management expert Dan Fleicher shows Kevin the extent of the termite and carpenter ant damage, and suggests possible treatment options. Landscape contractor Roger Cook reveals the anatomy of new landscape walls; theyll be natural stone veneer over reinforced concrete. Kevin visits Six Moon Hill, a utopian neighborhood of modern houses created by The Architects Collaborative in 1948. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin one of the challenges hes facing in this minimalist modern house — no place to hide necessary ductwork.

Host Kevin OConnor finds master carpenter Norm Abram and homeowner George Mabry discussing the recent water damage in the old kitchen, and Georges new inclination to renovate the entire space. Master mason Lenny Belliveau gives Kevin a lesson in block work while he builds up the lower landscape wall to the proper height. Kevin travels to Los Angeles to see a restored modern house that once belonged to Hollywood legend Gary Cooper. In the entry to the library, general contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin how hes using fir two-by-fours turned sideways to frame for the future pocket door.

Landscape architect Gregory Lombardi shows host Kevin OConnor the final design for the entry courtyards and water feature, and landscape contractor Roger Cook explains the formwork, rough plumbing and rough electrical on the structure. General contractor Tom Silva removes the old single-pane steel slider in the living room and replaces it with a more energy efficient, insulating glass unit with a low E coating. Master carpenter Norm Abram travels to Keene, NH to meet artisan tile manufacturers Stephen & Kristin Powers for a tour of their showroom and factory. Custom pool specialist John Fitzgerald shows Roger and Kevin how his eight-member crew forms the trough of the water feature out of gunite.

Landscape contractor Roger Cook shows host Kevin OConnor Mount Auburn Cemetery — Americas first landscaped cemetery featuring 5,500 trees and many notable graves. Back at the house, general contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin how hes creating a modern look inside by using minimal wood trim around the windows. While the garage slab is poured in the garage, landscape contractor Roger Cook starts installing 18 tons of bluestone in the front courtyard. In the kitchen, tile contractor Joe Ferrante shows master carpenter Norm Abram how hes reusing old slate (should be bluestone) from the front entry to extend the old kitchen floor using a traditional mud job. Kevin lends Tom a hand building a small deck on the flat roof off the guest suite.

Landscape contractor Roger Cook shows host Kevin OConnor how hes installing a pre-fabricated pitched structural foam trench drain at the entrance to the garage. Inside, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin the radiant tubing going down in the master suite, the cast iron waste pipe and PEX water supply lines in the walls of the library, and how the high-velocity mini duct system is saving valuable space on the first floor. Painting contractor Jim Clark shows master carpenter Norm Abram the challenge hes facing in developing a stain formula that will work with all of the various wood species in the house. General contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin the water-blown expanding soft foam insulation going in on the second floor. Kevin visits the Stata Center at MIT to see how modern architecture is serving the needs of one of the countrys most advanced universities.

Landscape contractor Roger Cook sets the massive bluestone treads on a stringer that appears to "float" over the new water feature. Landscape architect Greg Lombardi shows host Kevin OConnor the low-maintenance plants hes chosen for screening and seasonal interest in the side yard. Inside, master carpenter Norm Abram meets plastering contractor Alberto Riponi to see the most challenging trim detail in the house—a narrow plaster bead that creates a subtle shadow line around every window and door. Plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey shows Kevin why a chiller makes sense for cooling a house on a tight urban lot. In the front guest room, flooring contractor Pat Hunt shows Kevin the new engineered floors from Europe—a 5/8" pre-finished red oak floor that carries a 30-year warranty over radiant heat, and locks together without glue. Rug specialist Steve Bookokian shows Kevin how hes cleaning, drying, and repairing 26 of Georges oriental rugs.

With only a week left on the project, master carpenter Norm Abram finds general contractor Tom Silva at work on the dramatic 3-story stair. With the teak treads and bronze balustrade finally in, Tom can work on installing the teak handrail. Audio/visual specialist Dan Chadwick shows host Kevin OConnor how hes concealing a 61" plasma TV in the living room, and adding acoustical panels to enhance the sound in the room. Designer Todd Tsiang shows Kevin the modern fireplace mantle, tile, plumbing fixtures, and the fully decorated master suite. Tom reveals the private roof deck off the master bedroom as a new modular steel railing system is installed. Landscape contractor Roger Cook visits a 500-acre sod farm in Rhode Island to see how sod is grown and harvested. In the wet bar, tile contractor Joe Ferrante shows Norm a "bubbly" glass tile being installed on the backsplash.

Master Carpenter Norm Abram and host Kevin OConnor travel to Washington, D.C. to help non-profit developer Mi Casa Inc. renovate an abandoned 1879 rowhouse. The group attempts to preserve economic diversity in transitioning neighborhoods by selling renovated houses to low-income families at below market costs. Architect Genell Anderson envisions a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home that features exposed brick, dramatic lighting, new windows, and updated amenities. With only $200,000 to work with, general contractor Mahyar Mahvi is hoping to save as much of the original house structure as possible. Norm and Kevin agree that the fire-damaged shell is going to need a lot of work, and that the budget must be spent carefully.

Host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram grab breakfast with the crew at Saints Paradise Cafeteria, a non-profit church kitchen in the neighborhood. Back at the project house, framing is almost complete. Architect Genell Andersons new design features a more open floor plan and the addition of a small first-floor powder room. Upstairs has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a laundry area. Norm meets with preservation planner Steve Callcott to review the procedures for working in the Mt. Vernon historic district. The restoration of the façade will require approved specialists in architectural ironwork, brickwork, and roofing. Restoration contractor Danny Palousek shows Norm how he will begin repairing and rebuilding the brick on the front of the house. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey visits the Solar Decathlon on the National Mall where university students compete to design and build houses powered entirely by the sun.

Restoration contractor Danny Palousek shows master carpenter Norm Abram how hes repointing and rebuilding the decorative brickwork on the facade of the house. Host Kevin OConnor ventures to the industrial waterfront of southwest Washington to see architectural ironwork specialist Fred Mashacks rehabilitation work on front entrance stairs. Inside, the drywall is up, taped and mudded, and cabinet installer Oliver Earl installs the new maple cabinets. Out back, garden designer Kevin Cordt shows Kevin his plan for the backyard—a functional urban landscape that features parking for two cars, natural wood fencing, a small shed, and a low-maintenance garden.

Landscape contractor Roger Cook brings host Kevin OConnor to the United States Botanic Garden — its at the base of the Capitol and serves as the nations greenhouse boasting 4,000 living species and 26,000 different plants. Back at the project house, Roger finds garden designer Kevin Cordt and his crew bringing in steel edging, pea stone, and plant material for the new backyard garden. Inside, general contractor Mahyar Mahvi shows master carpenter Norm Abram how hes sealed the exposed brick and started the tile work on the second floor. Custom stair manufacturer Jeff Glass and his crew fabricate a laminated railing for the new curved staircase. Interior designer Kate Dieterich shows Norm a new linoleum flooring for the kitchen thats homeowner friendly — it comes in panels with a cork backing, and clicks together without glue. In nearby Anacostia, Kevin meets park ranger Eola Dance for a look at the ongoing restoration work at the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

For the first time ever, the experts at This Old House gathered house proposals via www.thisoldhouse.com, and now find themselves working with two single female homeowners in the dynamic neighborhood of East Boston. The challenge for this new season is to renovate their 1916 two-family house on a modest budget. While the house needs new wiring, plumbing, and insulation — the homeowners hope to spend most of their money on stylish new kitchens and baths. Downstairs, homeowner Liz Bagley wants an open, contemporary look, with a new back porch. While upstairs, her aunt, Chris Flynn, prefers a more traditional approach that includes adding a new bath in the attic, and greatly expanding her kitchen. After a thorough inspection, host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram discover additional problems with the roof, heating systems, and an aggressive vine thats engulfing the house.

Landscape contractor Roger Cook puts homeowner Liz Bagley to work removing the dead privets on her property. Architect Craig Buttner walks Liz through three options for opening up her kitchen, the last one calls for a radical reorganization that would address some traffic-flow problems, but it could also be a budget breaker. Master electrician Allen Gallant shows master carpenter Norm Abram that although the panel boxes have been updated in the basement, much of the original knob and tube wiring is still active and in need of replacing. In preparation for demolition, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey drains the heating systems and begins removing radiators that will be saved and reused. Environmental consultant Sam Covino discovers asbestos in Lizs kitchen that will need to be professionally abated, but that does not stop general contractor Tom Silva from showing Liz and friends how to demo the old cabinets, plumbing fixtures and ceilings to make way for the new.

Despite both of their kitchens being gutted, aunt Chris Flynn and her niece Liz Bagley are still bunking in together in the upstairs unit, getting by with just a refrigerator and a hot plate in the dining room. Kitchen designer Kathy Marshall shows Kevin and Liz two possible schemes for Lizs new kitchen in the first floor apartment. Master plumber Bill Kane shows plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey a new pipe relining system that will line the old cast iron sewer pipe lateral with a new, continuous pipe made out of resin to protect against future tree root infiltration. On the second floor, host Kevin OConnor lends general contractor Tom Silva and master carpenter Norm Abram a hand hauling in and installing a new carrying beam that will allow for an open floor plan. Master electrician Allen Gallant shows Kevin how hes snaking new wires through the old walls using a fishing system and a flexible steel drill bit

Homeowner Chris Flynn takes host Kevin OConnor to the highest point in East Boston to see the spectacular view of downtown, and a national religious shrine featuring a 35-foot tall statue of the Virgin Mary. General contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin some of the problems with rot on the front porch, and failures in the old stucco exterior, while landscape contractor Roger Cook enlists the help of the homeowners to remove all of the ivy that is engulfing (and damaging) the building. Kitchen designer Kathy Marshall shows master carpenter Norm Abram the design and finish choices for the upstairs units kitchen, while plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey roughs in a new full bath in the attic space on the third floor. On the first floor, flooring contractor Patrick Hunt pulls back the old wall-to-wall carpeting to discover a fir floor that needs to be replaced, and two rooms worth of valuable long leaf pine flooring in beautiful condition.

Master carpenter Norm Abram and host Kevin OConnor open the show steps away from the project house at a little-known monument to a local pilot who sacrificed his life to save the neighborhood in 1954. Kevin helps general contractor Tom Silva pull up the second floor front deck to examine the structure and make the necessary repairs. They find extensive rot, colonies of active carpenter ants, and insufficient structure due to years of misguided repairs. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs new thermostatic valves that will allow the homeowners greater flexibility and control of their heating systems. Norm shows homeowner Chris Flynn how to remove a broken stained glass window, while Kevin visits the Brookline studio of stained glass artist and restorer Emanuel Genovese to see how the window is repaired. Landscape contractor Roger Cook brings in certified arborist Matt Foti to prune the street tree both up and down, in order to allow more light and water views into both the first and second floor apartments.

Homeowner Chris Flynn shows master carpenter Norm Abram how she is making do with the makeshift bathroom on the third floor. General contractor Tom Silva offers Chris reasons why she needs to replace her old basement windows, and host Kevin OConnor lends a hand installing them in the existing jambs. In the basement, as an alternative to using direct vent oil appliances, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Norm the new stainless steel double wall chimney that will be used to vent the heating equipment. On the other side of town, Kevin meets developer David DuBois to see how he fulfilled an urban fantasy by renovating an 1865 East Boston firehouse into an over-the-top dream home. Tom shows homeowner Liz Bagley how hell insulate behind her existing walls using familiar spray foam insulation, but this time it will be poured into the wall cavity through a series of small holes, so as not to disturb the old plaster.

Work begins on the exterior of the building, first by cleaning any old cracks, and then by applying a flexible polyurethane caulking that is blended to match the texture of the old stucco. Master carpenter Norm Abram repairs and updates the original front doors to the house, which were recently discovered in the basement. Inside, plastering contractor Karl Gross uses a reinforced plaster mix, mesh tape, and joint compound to patch the old plaster and prevent future cracks. Nearby, landscape contractor Roger Cook visits a colorful East Boston community garden. While back at the house, coatings specialist Scott Bennung shows host Kevin OConnor how hes applying an elastomeric coating, rather than paint, to the stucco that will seal out water and provide a fresh, clean look for the house.

Landscape contractor Roger Cook removes the rest of the old plants and dead lawn to make way for the new, while homeowner Liz Bagley and interior designer Lisey Good show off their plans for decorating the more modern downstairs unit. Upstairs, cabinet installer Oliver Earl shows master carpenter Norm Abram the new cabinets going into the kitchen. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey visits nearby Boston Light, the site of the first lighthouse in the country, to see its newly restored Fresnel lens. General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin OConnor how hes expanded the back porch using composite decking with a hidden fastening system, and how hes repairing an old pressure treated railing, rather than replacing it. Flooring contractor Patrick Hunt shows Norm a new dust collection system that attaches to a standard floor sander, separates particulate matter through a cyclone, and then funnels the dust to a canister that can be kept outside, leaving the jobsite dust free.

Host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram arrive to find the landscape coming together with a new fence, sod, and plants. General contractor Tom Silva fabricates and installs a laminate countertop for the laundry area. Kitchen designer Kathy Marshall shows homeowner Chris Flynn how to design a bathroom on a budget, as she takes her tile shopping at a local home center. Tile contractor Joe Ferrante gives homeowner Liz Bagley a lesson in installing subway tile in her new bathroom. The flooring contractors apply polyurethane to the longleaf pine floors on the second level, while Norm installs the custom banquette in Chris kitchen. Countertop contractor Jason Keefe installs engineered stone tops upstairs, and black granite downstairs.

Custom cafe shutters; finishing the grout on the glass tile backsplash; boutique look; cottage kitchen and bath.

Host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram arrive back in Austin, Texas, with a visit to the spring fed pool at Barton Springs, a favorite local outdoor hangout since the 1920s. Back at the house, the first truckload of framing material arrives, while Bills crew is busy "deconstructing" the house. Program manager Richard Morgan drops by to explain what they will need to accomplish to qualify for a rare 5-star rating from Austin Energys Green Building Program. To gain access to the much-needed workspace in the attic, the inefficient old system must go, so HVAC contractor Michael Scher begins outside, by draining and recycling the refrigerant from the old A/C unit. Curious about where the waste from our jobsite ends up, Kevin follows a dumpster of construction waste from our jobsite to a recycling center, and then to an integrated landfill where dimensional lumber and wallboard are turned into mulch and organic compost.

Host Kevin OConnor welcomes plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey to the "Live Music Capital of the World" with a visit to the legendary Continental Club ? home of live rockabilly, swing, and country music since 1957. The next morning, builder Bill Moore shows Kevin the progress, and how sons Sam and David are helping out with demo in the first floor bath. Up on the roof, Richard finds solar contractor Andrew McCalla and his crew beginning to mount the modules that will make up a 2.45kW solar array that will provide 40% of the power needed for the new house. To keep the old house charm, Norm visits Brad Kittel at the largest salvage yard in Texas to find interior doors and glass knobs for the addition that will match whats already on the first floor. Plumber John Podolak connects the circulator pump for the tankless hot water heater, while out front, Bill shows Norm the problem with the sagging front porch pad.

Despite a crippling ice storm in Texas, work continues at the project house. Builder Bill Moore shows master carpenter Norm Abram how hes using old roof rafters to fashion the railing system and nosings for the new stair treads. In the kitchen, homeowner Michele Grieshaber has selected six different paint colors, and paint specialist Mike Branch explains why, due to low-VOCs, the new paint were using will be less toxic to homeowners and workers. Outside, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey lends a hand moving a 1200-gallon tank into place on the property, while rainwater harvester Blake West shows how the water will be collected from the metal roof with a series of gutters and PVC pipes, stored in the tank, and used later for irrigation. Richard visits West Texas to see how Texans are creating clean, renewable energy by harvesting the wind. Tile contractors Robbie & Bryan Hawkins install handmade tile made from 50% recycled-content on the master bathroom floor.

The 30th anniversary season of This Old House opens with the crew beginning a small but sophisticated addition to a 1915 Dutch Colonial Revival that includes a new kitchen, home office, and family room. Homeowners Bill and Gillian Pierce love their old house but it lacks family space, flow, and a modern kitchen. Architect Paul Rovinelli presents his plan for the addition, while problems are identified in the old house, both in the basement and in the landscape. Host Kevin OConnor visits a similar house in the neighborhood that has been opened up and expanded, while general contractor Tom Silva and master carpenter Norm Abram arrive to begin the demolition with Bill. By the end of the day, the three-season porch has been removed, and work is well underway.

Host Kevin OConnor finds general contractor Tom Silva in the backyard prepping the footings for the new porch columns. Landscape contractor Roger Cook brings in civil engineer Mike Kosmo to do the perk test needed for the new landscape plan. To learn more about the form, architect Treff LaFleche shows Kevin a stunning neighborhood Shingle-style house that he purchased, renovated, and sold 3 years ago. The turn-of-the-century home features a curved wrap-around porch, dramatic entry hall, charming inglenook, and, similar to the renovation plans the team has in store, it has a new open kitchen and family room that connect visually with the rest of the house. Back on site, Roger finds certified arborist Matt Foti removing a rotted red maple from the side yard with a tree crew and crane.

Landscape contractor Roger Cook installs 200 running feet of pre-cast concrete to create a retaining wall that will define the perimeter of the new backyard. Inside the house, wallpaper historian Richard Nylander helps host Kevin OConnor date and evaluate the historic wallpaper throughout the house, while general contractor Tom Silva frames for a new window in an old wall. Kevin makes a trip to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to see how three 19th century buildings are being moved as part of a construction project at Harvard Law School. The million-dollar move, which has been planned for five years, requires the buildings to be lifted and rolled down Massachusetts Avenue on hydraulic dollies steered by remote control.

Host Kevin OConnor drives up to the house to find general contractor Tom Silva helping load up a truck for the "Building Materials Resource Center," a local non-profit that will be selling the projects surplus materials to needy homeowners at discounted prices. Inside the house, Tom shows Kevin the progress on the porch, kitchen, and master bath, where his crew is installing several new windows. In the basement, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey gives an update on the mechanical systems. To learn more about the homes Milford Pink granite foundation being a sign of wealth at the time the house was built, architect Treff LaFleche takes Kevin to see how the same stone was used on the Boston Public Library, and also how the granite is quarried and split to best match the homes existing stone. Back on site, Roger installs the new Milford Pink granite, and also matches the old mortar.

Host Kevin O’Connor sees how landscape contractor Roger Cook is building the fieldstone and mortar sitting wall. Meanwhile, master carpenter Norm Abram shows homeowner Paul Friedberg troublesome conditions with the wood-to-ground contact on the side of the house, underneath the front porch, and at the garage. Pest control expert Bill Seigel comes to the rescue with a treatment to stop the termite activity and prevent further damage. General contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin the new stepped dowel fastening system he is using to put down the ipe decking. Architect Treff LaFleche takes Kevin to see a riff on the Shingle-style brand new home he designed that looks traditional on the outside, but features clean, wide open, modern spaces on the inside. Up in the attic, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Norm the air handlers, and how the high velocity mini-duct system lets him easily feed conditioned air to the second and third floors.

Progress on the home’s exterior painting continues. General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O’Connor how he is wrapping the columns under the back porch in shingles. Preservation plasterer Rory Brennan shows master carpenter Norm Abram how he’s saving the old plaster in the billiards room using a new adhesive system. He also shows Norm how to replicate an authentic corner bead detail from the 1890s. Kevin meets homeowner Madeline Krauss and her interior designer, Abbey Koplovitz, to see their selections for the home’s lighting, paint colors, and furnishings. In nearby Somerville, Massachusetts, Norm visits billiard restorer Steve Kelly’s showroom and workshop to see rare and valuable antique pool tables, and also to see how work on the pool table is progressing.

Host Kevin O’Connor talks with homeowner Paul Friedberg to learn more about Paul’s past as an Olympic fencer. Master carpenter Norm Abram checks on the installation of the new custom garage doors. Cabinet installer Patrick Malone finishes the job by scribing his base moulding the floor. General contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin how he is giving a stock masonite door a face lift by adding an oak veneer and new oak mouldings. In the master bath, tile contractor Joe Ferrante shows Kevin how he is laying the mosaic “rug” tiles in front of the new vanity. Kitchen designer Donna Venegas shows Norm the countertop and tile choices for the kitchen, while template maker Kent Whitten creates the templates using digital technology. Landscape contractor Roger Cook works with an irrigation contractor to add both sprinkler heads and drip irrigation to the landscape before the cold weather sets in.

Host Kevin O’Connor checks out general contractor Tom Silva’s makeshift workshop on the front porch of the house. Inside, countertop fabricator Paul Grothouse arrives from Pennsylvania to install the end grain teak island top and deliver its companion piece “a custom teak farmhouse table” for the breakfast area. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey displays the progress on the second floor bath and meets tub refinisher Jack Donaruma on the third floor to see him strip and refinish the old clawfoot tub. In the master closet, Kevin finds the room painted and closet designer Brian McSharry is installing a custom closet system. Back in the kitchen, tile contractor Mark Ferrante shows Kevin how he uses wedges to create even grout lines on the uneven handmade tile backsplash. Tom shows master carpenter Norm Abram how he uses portable lathe to turn a new newel post finial out of walnut.

For the second project of the season, This Old House travels to New Orleans, Louisiana, to help a fourth-generation resident of the Lower 9th Ward return home, while following stories of rebuilding and recovery throughout the city. Host Kevin OConnor visits Musicians Village with founder Harry Connick, Jr. to see how he, along with childhood friend Branford Marsalis, are providing new housing for the citys musicians through Habitat for Humanity. In historic Holy Cross, along the banks of the Mississippi River, homeowner Rashida Ferdinand shows Kevin why she loves her c. 1892 flood-damaged shotgun single and artists studio, and how she plans to restore and expand them after a two-year vacancy. Master carpenter Norm Abram meets up with her builder to assess the challenges of building in post-Katrina New Orleans, while homeowner Marna David shows Kevin how she managed to renovate her own shotgun single in Holy Cross, twice, once before the storm, and once after.

Host Kevin OConnor visits the French Quarter with Vieux Carre Commission Director Lary Hesdorffer to see how one of the most important neighborhoods in America faired during the storm. At the project house in Holy Cross, master carpenter Norm Abram finds work on the side porch underway, with homeowner Rashida Ferdinand at work stripping paint from the historic windows that will be reused on her project. Paint color consultant Louis Aubert shows Kevin how hes bringing color back to our house, along with other houses in the neighborhood, by providing bright color schemes applied in a historically accurate manner. At Musicians Village, Norm and Kevin lend a hand to some of the volunteers who are rebuilding New Orleans, by raising walls, laying decking, and installing windows, one house at a time.

Host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram open the show with a quick visit to the locals alternative to Bourbon Street, the neighborhood jazz clubs of Frenchmen Street, where the New Orleans music scene is still alive and well. At the project in Holy Cross, homeowner Rashida Ferdinand has some surprising news: Her old contractor couldnt complete the job, so shes hiring someone new, while filling in herself to bridge the gap between builders. On her brief watch, shes managed to obtain her rough inspections, so spray foam insulation gets underway in the new addition. For progress on the French doors, Norm visits carpenter Matt Thompson to see his renovated house and shop in Bywater, and also how hes milling our historically accurate doors out of Spanish cedar. At Musicians Village, founder Branford Marsalis gives Norm a look at the plans for the music education and performance center that will be built in honor of his father, Ellis Marsalis.

Host Kevin OConnor visits the architectural marvel next door, the Dollut Steamboat house, with its owner, Don Gagnon. Back at our house, master carpenter Norm Abram meets homeowner Rashida Ferdinand and general contractor Larry Schneider for a progress tour. In addition to painting and flooring, the cabinets are mostly up in the new kitchen. Installer Oliver Earl shows Norm both the architectural details and the finish details of the cabinetry. Right behind him is countertop contractor John Finney, whos making templates for the new quartz countertops using laser technology. At the Musicians Village, general contractor Tom Silva is on hand for the morning meeting and then gives construction assistant Danielle Draper a lesson in making a window stool and apron. In Central City, Kevin meets Craig Cuccia to see how his non-profit group rebuilds the lives of at-risk youth through a unique hospitality and construction program.

Host Kevin OConnor meets District Fire Chief Tim McConnell to see how his own firemen are rebuilding 22 damaged firehouse on their own time, with the help of volunteers and the Denis Leary Foundation in NYC. In Holy Cross, master carpenter Norm Abram drives up to find plants arriving, and master mason Teddy Pierre, Jr. laying local St. Joe brick at the front walk. Lead carpenter Mike Gettle installs new custom composite shutters, which are functional for privacy and security, while also meeting Historic District guidelines. The mechanicals, including a new continuous flow tankless water heater, are also in place. In the French Quarter, Kevin stops into Bevolo Lighting to see how Drew Bevolo, a third generation lighting fixture manufacturer, is carrying on the family tradition, while also building lights for our project. Over at Musicians Village, Roger helps the volunteers establish grade and plant some screening shrubs and grasses in homeowner Calvin Johnsons front yard.

For the new season, host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram reveal that This Old House will be building new—a prefab, eco-friendly home that will feel like an old barn. Homeowners Amy & Pete Favat love their land, but have outgrown their 1970s-era home, so theyll deconstruct the old house to make way for a new one that will better suit their active family. To achieve their vision of a vacation home "all year round", custom homebuilder Tedd Benson and his staff are designing and prefabricating the new state-of-the-art timberframe home, with general contractor Tom Silva pulling it all together on site. To see how Tedds panelized system looks in the field, Norm and Tedd visit a recent project in Center Harbor, New Hampshire, while back in Weston, Tom works with deconstruction contractor John Grossman to take the old house apart by hand, in a way that saves landfill space, and allows the reuse of building materials.

Host Kevin OConnor arrives in Weston to find homeowners Amy & Pete Favat in the backyard, cutting back the spring overgrowth so the workers can get through. General contractor Tom Silva begins building the new house by setting the pre-cast foundation walls that are poured in a factory then trucked to the site and lifted in by crane. In New Hampshire at Bensonwood, builder Tedd Benson shows Kevin the work in the timberframe office, and demonstrates how his crew is using sophisticated software and computer-controlled cutting machines to begin fabricating over 300 timbers for the project. Back in Weston, the next step is to pour the slab for the basement and garage floor, so plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a new insulated in-slab radiant heating system. Landscape architect Wes Wirth presents a plan for the new yard that helps deal with the wetland setbacks, excessive road noise, challenging topography, and existing garden beds.

Homeowners Amy and Pete Favat are on site in Weston for the first day of "raising" their new house but the excitement is soon tampered by unexpected rain. After a two-day rain delay, the Bensonwood crew begins by craning in and setting the mechanical room module and all of the walls for the basement level. In the New Hampshire workshop, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and mechanical systems manager Paul Boa fabricate the floor panels and add radiant heating and insulation in the comfort of a controlled environment. Back on site in Weston, the completed floor systems are craned into place. Despite continued rain, the crew manages to close in the basement level, and Amy gives host Kevin OConnor a tour of the amenities on that floor—parking for two cars, a mudroom, workshop, powder room, kitchenette, and media room.

Two weeks into the new house raising, master carpenter Norm Abram meets architect Chris Adams for a tour of the first and second floors. At the Bensonwood shop in Walpole, New Hampshire, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey meets plumbing contractor Lynne Keating to see how she is running PEX water supply lines and ABS drainage pipe to the back-to-back kids bathrooms, both of which are assembled in the shop as one pre-built "module". Back in Weston, to keep pace with the fast building schedule, landscape contractor Roger Cook is already working on building the landscape plan. It calls for an elaborate drainage plan with a rain garden on the tail end to help protect the wetlands from surface runoff and contaminants. Homeowner Pete Favat and his daughter Juliette lend a hand building the rain garden and planting it with native plants and seeds.

Host Kevin OConnor arrives in Weston and finds a busload of masons just in from Wisconsin to help with the exterior stone veneer, while general contractor Tom Silva shows homeowner Amy Favat the new synthetic slate roofing material made from 80 percent recycled content. On the outside of the building, Jason Buechel and his crew install a New England fieldstone natural stone veneer that goes up with dark grout and deeply raked joints to give it a dry-laid look. Meanwhile, in Brookline, New Hampshire, master carpenter Norm Abram meets third generation lumber and paneling expert Tom Bingham to see how he is making custom wainscoting, chair rail, and horizontal wallboards for the Weston home. Back in Weston, Tom shows homeowner Pete Favat the new custom garage doors and how they are installed and operated.

At the project house in Weston, host Kevin OConnor finds solar energy specialist Jeff Wolfe installing eighteen solar panels that can provide up to 75 percent of the homes power needs. Later, in Alstead, New Hampshire, builder Tedd Benson shows Kevin a modest prefabricated Habitat for Humanity house that a group of 450 volunteers assembled in 8 days. Back in Weston, general contractor Tom Silva installs the red distressed vertical boards that will adorn the walls of the second floor hall. At the Bensonwood shop, master carpenter Norm Abram meets timberframer CJ Brehio to see how he is laying out and carving "2008" in Roman numerals into a reclaimed Douglas fir timber for the first floor. Back at the project house, Tom shows Kevin the new custom half-round copper gutters and decorative brackets going in on the street side of the house.

The Favat family takes host Kevin OConnor to see Lands Sake Farm, a local non-profit farm stand where they can get organic flowers, fruits, vegetables, and even timbers for their house. Back at the project house, landscape contractor Roger Cook sets the last of several underground tanks that are part of the rainwater harvesting and runoff control system required by the town. On the back entry porch, general contractor Tom Silva uses a new hidden deck-fastening system to put down composite decking. Upstairs, Toms brother Dick Silva is cladding a wall in reclaimed galvanized metal to achieve a rustic and industrial feel. Conservation commissioner Brian Donahue shows Kevin how the town of Weston is partnering with Lands Sake Farm to sustainably harvest trees from the town forest for use by its residents.

At the project house in Weston, landscape contractor Roger Cook installs a berm and fence in the front yard to screen out the busy street. Landscape architect Wes Wirth and homeowner Amy Favat review the native plants theyve chosen for the new planting beds. Amy takes host Kevin OConnor to a showroom and workshop in Florence, Massachusetts, where they both lend a hand in making the concrete countertops and sink. Back in Weston (after a 30-day cure time) master carpenter Norm Abram finds the countertops being installed in the kitchen. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin how the house is being cooled, with an a la carte, split-type air conditioning system featuring outdoor heat pump units and indoor wall mounted units. These provide zoning control in the different areas of the house. Upstairs in the master bedroom, Kevin finds Amy and designer Carole Freehauf putting down eco-friendly carpet tiles that are easy for DIY-ers to install.

For the first time in the shows history, host Kevin OConnor and master carpenter Norm Abram take This Old House on the road to New York City to restore a neglected 1904 brownstone in Brooklyn. Homeowners Karen Shen and Kevin Costello will convert the former rooming house into a three family home while preserving and restoring period detail wherever possible. In Brooklyn, Norm meets veteran brownstone remodeling contractor Michael R. Streaman at a similar job down the street to see how he transformed one of these rooming houses into a beautiful, modern family home. Back at the project house, Streaman gets to work on demolition and also starts stripping the paint off the back of the house to prepare the brick for re-pointing and eventually the installation of new energy-efficient windows.

Host Kevin OConnor and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey visit lower New York Harbor, taking in the city skyline and the Statue of Liberty from the water, and from Liberty Island. At the project house in Brooklyn, master carpenter Norm Abram meets local wood refinisher John Thomas for an assessment of the multiple wood finishes in the house (including lots of deteriorating shellac) and how to properly restore them. At a tile showroom in Bensonhurst, designer Carole Freehauf shows homeowner Karen Shen some period-appropriate tile combinations for her bathrooms and kitchen. Back at the project house, Richard gets an update on the plumbing and heating progress, and sees how brothers Randy and Erik Gitli are converting the old steam radiators to hot water.

At the project house in Brooklyn, homeowner Karen Shen shows master carpenter Norm Abram the progress in the owners unit while flooring contractor Neale Rattray installs new white oak flooring in the top floor apartment. In the new master bathroom, local plumbing contractor Randy Gitli shows plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey the showerhead combination that includes a master showerhead, a handheld showerhead and tub filler. The set up is equally complicated behind the walls with volume controls and a thermostatic valve that Randy installs that day. Design correspondent Carole Freehauf shows host Kevin OConnor the paint color scheme for the first floor which will be monochromatic to let the beautiful woodwork take center stage. Local builder Michael Streaman takes Norm over to his woodworking shop in Greenpoint to see the progress on the custom kitchen and how his crew is replicating baseboard profiles using routers instead of expensive custom knives.

At the project house in Brooklyn, master carpenter Norm Abram learns how local wood refinisher John Thomas is using a faux painting technique to disguise old and damaged woodwork. The custom kitchen is installed in the owners unit while design correspondent Carole Freehauf meets Ian Gibbs at his SoHo showroom to see window treatment options and how the shades are custom made in his Queens workroom. Tile contractor Mauro Zanutto arranges a mud bed for tile on the garden level floor while upstairs in the master bath he prepares to lay the mosaic floor by doing a complete dry layout. Also, in the garden level apartment, the finished countertops arrive for the kitchen.

At the project house in Brooklyn, local builder Michael Streaman reinstalls the beautiful white oak entry doors that were absent for several months when they were stripped of old paint and restored by wood refinisher John Thomas. Inside, John works his way through the parlor woodwork, covering, blending and matching color as he goes. In the kitchen, local plumbing and heating contractors Randy and Erik Gitli finish their connections to the appliances, the kitchen sink and install a new pot filler over the range. On the second floor, homeowner Kevin Costello shows master carpenter Norm Abram the new temporary wall in the master bedroom that creates a nursery for their youngest son. Eventually, the wall can be removed when they take over the third floor apartment. At a landmark home store in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, design correspondent Carole Freehauf gives host Kevin OConnor a lesson in shopping for furniture while making selections for the project house.

The 30th anniversary season of This Old House opens with the crew beginning a small but sophisticated addition to a 1915 Dutch Colonial Revival that includes a new kitchen, home office, and family room. Homeowners Bill and Gillian Pierce love their old house but it lacks family space, flow, and a modern kitchen. Architect Paul Rovinelli presents his plan for the addition, while problems are identified in the old house, both in the basement and in the landscape. Host Kevin OConnor visits a similar house in the neighborhood that has been opened up and expanded, while general contractor Tom Silva and master carpenter Norm Abram arrive to begin the demolition with Bill. By the end of the day, the three-season porch has been removed, and work is well underway.

Host Kevin OConnor and general contractor Tom Silva discuss the homeowners decision to stay in the house during construction, and they agree it wont 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 hes 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.

Homeowner Gillian Pierce shows host Kevin OConnor the progress—the first floor family room is entirely framed in, and 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 hes 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.

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 OConnor 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 hes roofing the new addition to match the existing house using an architectural asphalt shingle.

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 OConnor 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.

Host Kevin OConnor arrives at the house and finds that preparation for the exterior paint job is well underway. Homeowner Bill Pierce reveals that he has selected a new kind of paint that promises homeowners that theyll "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 OConnor 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.

Host Kevin OConnor 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.

For the second project of This Old Houses 30th Anniversary Season, the crew takes on an issue thats top of mind in the country: foreclosures. Partnering with the City of Boston and local non-profit 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 OConnor just how extensive the damage to the old house is, and they quickly get to work demolishing the parts that cant 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 YouthBuilds annual carpentry challenge.

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 hes 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 OConnor catches up with carpenter Ed Curet to see how hes installing the new siding, which was both pre-primed and pre-painted, saving time and money.

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 houses 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.

General contractor David Lopes shows Kevin 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.

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.

This Old House opens a brand new season by helping the Sharma family renovate their 1940s house on Bostons famous Charles River. Out front, the homes bland exterior will receive a curb-appeal makeover thanks to the creative ideas of architect Chris Chu. On the inside, the house will get a new, larger kitchen, updated baths and loads of new windows to take advantage of the spectacular views out back. General contractor Tom Silva conducts a structural investigation and cites concerns about a new EPA law affecting all contractors dealing with lead paint in 2010. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey finds asbestos in the usual spots in the basement, but with the help of asbestos inspector Glenn Potter, its also discovered hiding in the ceilings, walls, under the kitchen sink and even in the joint compound.

The morning starts with the arrival of a 17-foot-long steel beam that weighs 900 pounds. It will carry the load of the house over the 16-ft. opening that was made in the rear foundation wall. Because the site is so hard to access, general contractor Tom Silva uses a crane to lift it up and over the house and place it carefully on a temporary wall near the installation site. Then, host Kevin OConnor and Toms crew lend a hand installing it. Master carpenter Norm Abram meets with product specialist Bill Gaines to see the insulated concrete forms being used not only for the foundations, but also for the above-grade walls on the new additions. Inside, Kevin welcomes Chris Kimball from Americas Test Kitchen, to help us understand the "time capsule" of a kitchen that we have from 1940 and where the new design is headed for our homeowners in 2010. Back outside, the forms are complete and the concrete truck arrives to pour the foundation and walls.

Master carpenter Norm Abram meets homeowner Allison Sharma to review progress and see the new front entry and framed up kitchen. At the garage, he helps general contractor Tom Silva turn the flat roof into a pitched roof with the help of some prefabricated trusses. Kitchen designer Donna Venegas and homeowner Raveen Sharma review the layout of the new kitchen with the help of a paper mock-up. In the backyard, landscape contractor Roger Cook and urban ecologist Peter DelTredici show host Kevin OConnor the native and non-native species taking over the flood plain. Norm and Tom review the layout for the new back deck and walkways and get to work setting 12 new footings to support them. Later, they frame up the floor of the new sunroom using engineered lumber.

In the basement, host Kevin OConnor finds plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey finishing up the installation of the floor-warming radiant heat that will be in the slab under the new family room. A concrete pump truck arrives to pour all of the concrete on the basement level, including the footings for the new deck, and a team of concrete finishers works to create a smooth and level new basement floor. In a tile showroom at the Boston Design Center, Kevin and homeowner Allison Sharma meet interior designer Melissa Gulley to begin making aesthetic decisions for the entire project. Melissa gets a feel for Allisons style by looking at images she loves, pulled from books and magazines. Back at the house, general contractor Tom Silva is busy installing the new energy efficient, vinyl clad casement windows in what was formerly one of the darkest corners of the house.

Host Kevin OConnor arrives to find work on the exterior progressing in the front, while out back, general contractor Tom Silva uses an acrylic stucco system to make the new basement addition blend in with the poured concrete of the old walkout basement. Inside, Kevin welcomes Chris Kimball of Americas Test Kitchen back to the show to see the final layout of our kitchen and to get his opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of the design. Back outside, Kevin finds Tom up on the roof, working to waterproof the valley where the flat roof meets the pitched roof of the new entry addition. Insulation contractor Tony Trigler arrives with crews to install four different kinds of insulation throughout the house for four different applications including, eco-friendly batt insulation, cellulose, and both open cell and closed cell spray foam.

Host Kevin OConnor arrives to find landscape contractor Roger Cook overseeing the crew that is setting the footings for the new pergola, while also preparing to give the concrete stoop a makeover using fieldstone veneer on the riser and a bluestone cap on the top. Inside, master carpenter Norm Abram and general contractor Tom Silva begin trimming out the first floor windows, starting with the 16-foot bank of windows in the sunroom. The trim details will match the originals, using a build up of unadorned profiles created with a moulding machine. With the pergola on the way, Roger takes homeowner Allison Sharma to the Arnold Arboretum to see several different kinds of vines and select one that is appropriate for her front yard conditions. Back at the house, Norm surveys the progress on the second floor and sees how tile contractor Rob Raps is using pitching sticks to create a mud job at the base of the new shower.

Host Kevin OConnor arrives to find landscape contractor Roger Cook getting ready to install nine tons of rustic Pennsylvania fieldstone for the new entry walkway. Inside, general contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin how to recognize a quality cabinet, and they assemble the kitchen island that has been sent in pieces from the manufacturer. Upstairs, Kevin finds tile contractor Rob Raps working in the kids bathroom to install the new black and white tile scheme. Then Kevin lends a hand while master carpenter Norm Abram boxes in the ceiling beams in the sunroom, finishing them off with crown moulding. In the front entry hall, Tom shows Kevin the interior MDF two-panel doors the architect has specified, as well as a beefier version for the front door, from the same manufacturer, just as it is being painted a color called "audacious" red.

Host Kevin OConnor arrives to find the wood island top being installed, and fabricator Paul Grothouse is on hand to show how he achieved the distressed finish. General contractor Tom Silva installs the "his & hers" closet systems that were designed online by interior designer Melissa Gulley and picked up at the local home center. Security system specialist Jack Basset installs the new wireless security system that cannot only detect opened windows and broken doors, but also the sound of breaking glass. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin the high-efficiency two-stage air conditioning system, and an equally efficient system for heat and hot water thanks to a condensing boiler and an indirect hot water tank. Countertop contractor Danny Puccio installs the kitchen window stool his shop made out of marble, as well as the "leathered" granite countertops – a look thats achieved by using metal brushes rather than diamond polishing pads.

For the second project of the season This Old House goes Hollywood with the first ever renovation project in the Los Angeles area. After seeing some of the local sights, master carpenter Norm Abram and host Kevin OConnor arrive at the 1933 Spanish Colonial Revival project house in the hillside neighborhood of Silver Lake. Homeowners Kurt Albrecht and Mary Blee plan to expand and renovate the 1,500-sq.-ft. house, while keeping and extending the character of the existing house into the small addition. Changes include a major kitchen renovation, a second floor addition and reconfiguration of the back half of the first floor. Norm ventures up into the Hollywood Hills to meet general contractor Steve Pallrand at a job hes been working on that showcases the unique challenges of building in Los Angeles. Back at the house, site supervisor Angel Leon gets to work salvaging finish materials for later reuse.

Back in Los Angeles, host Kevin OConnor arrives to find the new clay roof tiles on site as well as the custom windows and doors, which are made of wood and single-glazed to keep a historic look. They meet the strict California energy codes with a combination of tempered glass and Low-E coatings. Roofing contractor John Dybas returns to show Kevin the plan theyve come up with for the new roof: using the roof tiles from the old house for the perimeter of the new roof only where they can be seen from the street. The rest of the field will be new, manufactured two-pan tile to cut down on costs. Down in Corona, California, Kevin sees how piles of clay and sand are mixed with water and fire to produce our roof tiles. Back in Silver Lake, John shows Kevin the polypropylene underlayment hes using, the flashing details, and how his expert crew sets the tiles along the ridges using nails, mortar, and hand tools.

At the project house, exterior work has been delayed due to four weeks of record setting rains in Southern California. Inside, Host Kevin OConnor finds plaster expert Alfonso Garcia installing custom foam forms to create a tray ceiling that replicates the existing detail in the house. Once the forms are in place, they are covered with plaster. Master carpenter Norm Abram visits cabinetmaker Larry Bucklan at his shop in the nearby neighborhood of Frogtown to see how work is progressing on the kitchen cabinets. The boxes and drawers are made off site in Orange County, but Larrys crew carefully makes the doors and the custom end panel for the refrigerator. Back at the house, Larry builds a toe kick to receive the base cabinets. Upstairs, Alfonso shows Kevin the "cat face" plaster technique he is using on the walls to replicate the original plaster style.

Host Kevin OConnor gets a rare, up-close look at the Hollywood Sign with the man in charge of preserving it, Chris Baumgart. Then, in Silver Lake, flooring contractor Luke Hiller shows Kevin how hes matching the 1930s look of the old floors using new red oak with a walnut feature strip. Out back, the new terrace is constructed and the crew is adding some prefabricated decorative corbels made from foam that are covered with the same stucco product as the rest of the house. Landscape designer Melanie Williams evaluates the existing yard, and then takes Kevin to a recent job in Windsor Square to show him that low water plants can also be attractive. At the end of the day, tile contractor Carlos Sandoval installs the California-made terra cotta tile on the back terrace.

Landscape designer Melanie Williams shows host Kevin OConnor the progress in the front yard and how landscape contractor Jose Martinez uses broken concrete for the walkways at a fraction of the cost of flagstone. Then, they head to the local home center to see options for edging material for the planting beds. Inside, hardware specialist Dan Hakes shows Kevin the work hes been doing to restore the old hardware and light fixtures for the job. Dan mixes in reproductions to extend the look into the addition. Up in Malibu, Kevin visits one of the most spectacular Spanish Style houses in Southern California – the Adamson House – which is known for its extraordinary use of decorative tile. Back at our house, the Spanish theme continues with a new custom garage door that blends seamlessly with the period of the house: wood construction and iron window grates studded with dozens of "clavos" or rustic nail heads.

Work begins on a 300-year-old farmstead.

The crew removes old clapboards and opens up a hole in the old fieldstone foundation that will connect the old basement space to the new. They also patch a rotted sill.

Work begins on clearing the backyard. The crew assembles and raises the gable wall for the family room addition and repairs a historic windowsill.

The crew tops off cellulose insulation in walls, builds raised beds out of fieldstone, and waterproofs the roof.

General contractor Tom Silva installs new red cedar clapboards. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps remove some existing plumbing in the old kitchen. Landscape contractor Roger Cook installs a new asphalt driveway that will later be topped with a rustic finish. Richard shows host Kevin OConnor how hes solving a rough plumbing problem by using a wet vent in the powder room.

Roger Installs a 3,000-pound slab of reclaimed granite for the front step. The crew installs new windows in the addition and insulates old ductwork. Roger spreads a rye grass mix.

Roger uses old-style bricks for a winding entry path. The crew works to fit a modern kitchen into an ell from the 1700s and installs a zero-clearance gas fireplace. On the outside wainscoting goes in and painting of the farmhouse begins.

The crew finishes the driveway and installs a new LED strip light at the old fireplace. The home gets a Colonial-inspired boot scraper and doorknocker as well as a new hot water heater.

As the next project starts, demolition begins on the 1950s porch addition and the first floor is gutted.

Installing windows using a custom copper pan for flashing; installing architectural shingles.

Installing a custom copper gutter and scupper as well as coastal tolerant and native plants.

Replacing cracked asphalt with new concrete pavers in the driveway; using cherry veneers in the kitchen; wall cabinets; setting the new tub.

Glass tile; installing a garage storage system; cable railing system; installing a gas stove; LED down light.

Homeowners hope to turn a two-family Victorian-era house into a one-family home.

Relocating a load-bearing partition wall; color choices for the homes exterior; interior styles.

Getting Around Cambridge. Removing steps to roof deck; keeping ducts out of roof rafter bays; hiding the air handler.

Old and New in Harmony. Replacing the concrete front walk with a new bluestone design; modifications for replacement windows; shower waterproofing system; paint prep.

Norm and Kevin arrive to find the painters putting up a tinted primer with airless sprayers, turning the house from a bland grey to a sunny (and Swedish) yellow. Inside, Tom and Norm get to work trimming out the double hung widows on the second floor with an elegant, modern detail specified by the architect. Back outside, Norm finds custom gutter fabricator Augustin Crookston on site again to form and install the custom copper half round gutters for our project. Kevin meets homeowner Sally Peterson and appliance expert Sandy Lashway to explore the benefits of upgrading to professional grade ranges and ovens at a hands-on showroom. Back at the house, Richard meets fireplace specialist John Sullivan to see the Danish-designed zero-clearance wood burning fireplace insert hes providing for the living room. With the fireplace installed, homeowner John Stone shows Kevin the design and storage options they considered for fireplace wall, including the final design.

In the side yard, Roger installs two new sets of granite steps to access the old deck. Tom shows Kevin how hes making a new window seat fit into an old bay window. Norm installs the last of the maple stair treads, and creates a custom newel cap out of southern yellow pine. In the master bedroom, Tom shows Kevin how he concealed access doors within the wainscoting for the knee walls. Painting contractor Mauro Henrique use a whitewash stain with a lacquer finish to make our southern yellow pine ceilings look Swedish.

Kevin arrives to find Roger putting in the plants before the weather turns. Hes using a mixture of traditional plants and modern grasses to achieve the same mix of old and new as the rest of the project. Inside, the fireplace is ready for its hearth. Stone specialist Danny Puccio shows Kevin how they are using pietra cardosa (Italian sandstone) turned upside down to achieve a rustic finish that goes with the Swedish theme. The sides of the woodbox are getting the same stone, right side out with a honed finish. Norm visits Paul Grothouse in his state-of-the-art Pennsylvania shop for a meeting of the woodworking minds. The butcher block top for the kitchen island has a "waterfall edge" made with an eye-catching joinery technique called a dovetail key. Paul trucks the island top to Cambridge, where the whole crew lends a hand getting it in the house, and in place.

Granite posts; vintage doorbell in the foyer.

Kevin heads downtown to Boston to the Institute for Human Centered Design to see how good design can make living easier for people of all ages and abilities, not just those who are disabled. Back in Essex, Tom and Roger are underway with site work so that our doorways can eventually be level with the ground, requiring no steps. Inside, demolition is underway, and on the second floor, it has revealed bizarre and unsafe framing from a previous renovation that will need to be fixed. At the small kitchen bump out, excavation is complete, and the footings are in progress. Architect Sally DeGan shows Kevin that in her practice, accessible homes dont have to be institutional, they just need a short list of key considerations—one-floor living, room to get around, good lighting, no thresholds, and barrier free showers. Back in Essex, a few weeks later, the foundation for the addition is complete, as well as the first floor platform and gable end of the kitchen.

Roger meets aquatic systems specialist Yorgos Gregory to learn about our existing and neglected water feature and to see what it takes to restore it to good condition and function. Kevin meets Richard to learn the anatomy of a water well and how we can revive ours. Drilling expert Roger Skillings arrives with a drilling rig to diagnose and treat the problem. In the backyard, Kevin finds master electrician Allen Gallant working on a 100-yard trench from the house to the street down below. Excavation revealed that the service was once buried, but then put above ground again in the 1960s. Today hes reburying it 18 inches down with PVC conduit that follows the contour of the land thanks to a PVC heater. At the end of the day, Kevin finds the drilling rig still on site as renewable energy specialist Ross Trethewey explains why this is an ideal site for geothermal heating and cooling and how it will work.

Kevin and Roger dig the Essex clamming scene out on the flats, then are regaled with some world-famous fried clams where they were invented a century ago: Woodmans of Essex. Norm drives up to the project house to find the infrastructure work (finally) settling down outside, and reminds us that were designing for one-level living. Inside, on the day before spray foam insulation, he reviews the floor plan while Richard provides an update on rough plumbing and ductwork progress. Challenges include running vents to the backside of the house and getting ducts up into the steeply pitched roof spaces. Radiant floor panels are going down on second floor. Back outside, Norm finds roofer Dennis Gannet and his daughter Sarah Gannet installing the standing seam metal roof. Back on the front side of the house, Kevin finds Roger halfway through the front walk.

Norm visits the last shipyard still located in Essex, Mass. A home that was restored with accessible retrofits is toured. At the cottage shiplap barn-board walls are installed; the mantel is built; Roger finishes the yard; and Kevin checks on the reclaimed tile hearth.

Completing the geothermal system; installing reclaimed marble tile and hand-painted border tile. Exploring a two-story accessible design in the Seattle home of architect Emory Baldwin.

For the first time, This Old House takes on three homes at the same time. The team meets the homeowners and discusses rebuilding stronger, smarter, and safer.

The Mantoloking home is examined from a new angle while the Bay Head house begins framing. The team learns about a innovative foundation to be used on the Point Pleasant home. And the shows visits a business in Bay Head that has already successfully rebuilt.

The windows are installed at the Bay Head house. At Point Pleasant a new dinning room is installed in place of the garage. And the modular home arrives on site in Manasquan.

Footings are added in Bay Head home. Point Pleasant gets stone veneer, fiber-cement siding and composite decking. Manasquan project is finished. Pro surfer Sam Hammer visits the show. And marine biologist Chris Wojcik talks about the bay.

The crew begins work on Italianate-style home originally dating to 1872.

Kevin, Norm, Tom, and mason Mark McCullough replace the substandard foundation by pouring a new slab and curb, all while preserving the antique fieldstone foundation. The crew also finds headroom and original plaster details in the living room.

Leveling the ceiling in the kitchen and the floor in the finished basement is explained. An opening for a new window is cut. Landscape architect Cricket Beauregard explains what to do with a shady front yard.

Selective tree pruning occurs in the yard. Inside, Richard explains the choice between PEX and copper for water supply lines. Kevin tours an 1872 Stick Style home.

A "Deadliest Catch" star drops by to help with plaster cracks. Making the second floor railing safer.

A hydrangea that is damaging the foundation is removed. Painting with red paint. How to keep the basement dry.

A sidewalk is prepared. Custom moldings are installed. Tiles are picked by the homeowner. New doors and countertops are installed.

Installing a custom PVC fence and arbor; creating a marble herringbone pattern in the powder room; grout options for the faux slate floor in the mudroom; building a sliding barn door; alternatives to the usual shade plants.

A truckload of fresh sod is rolled out; a replica ceiling medallion made with a 3D printer and a custom copper vent hood are installed; a garbage disposer is selected; a pedestal sink is installed in the powder room; and storage space in the master closet is maximized. Also: a lesson in crown molding.

Season 36 opens in Boston, where an 1850s-era Greek Revival house is to be upgraded. The homeowner would like to improve the kitchen and the third floor, where the master suite is located. The retaining walls also need work.

How the old chimney will be modified for gas fireplace units. The framing progress is also spotlighted, including in the breakfast area and the third-floor master suite; and rebuilding the backyard retaining walls commences. Also: a chat with a structural engineer about one of Charlestowns most iconic structures, the Zakim Bridge; and a visit to a salvage yard that has architectural elements from the Greek Revival period.

The ductwork for the new direct vent gas fireplace units is worked on; subtle Greek Revival details are added to the interior window trim; and the exterior window trim is painted. Also: Sullivan Square Community Garden; and Beacon Hills hidden gardens.

A basement door is concealed; the new Cararra marble island top is spotlighted; a PVC fence is installed on top of the retaining wall; the front steps are given new life with a grinder, a router, epoxy and non-slip exterior paint; and the salvaged marble mantel and surround are installed in the sitting room. Also: the transformation of a Boston lighthouses into a summer home.

This Old House kicks off the second project of the season: an addition to a 1966 Colonial in historic Lexington, Mass.

The second floors front gable wall is in place; the roof framing is underway; and the framing of the new farmers porch is spotlighted. Also: a tour of Lexingtons historic district with architect Frank Shirley highlights the front porches on colonial-style homes; and a look at how the homeowners are getting by without a kitchen.

How a small stream in the backyard affects the entire yard. Also: trees are removed; shade plants are relocated to a new bed in the side yard; a five-foot section of wall is cut away to connect the kitchen to the great room; and the kitchens plumbing conditions are discussed.

Rough mechanical and rough framing inspections are discussed; reinforced fiberglass columns to support the farmers porch are installed; how an arched doorway is being turned into one thats squared off; and the storm window system being using to enclose the screen porch is spotlighted.

Progress on the mud room and kitchen

The bluestone front walk is started despite significant grade challenges; porcelain tile made to look like slate is installed in the screen porch; and the vanity project is recapped. Also: selecting and fabricating antique granite for the front walk and custom house marker.

New plants are added to the landscaping plan; and a wrought-iron chandelier with 52 bulbs is installed. Also: the radiators being used in the garage and upstairs sitting room; the upstairs laundry room; and the insulated steel garage doors that should help keep the heat inside the garage.

The transformation of the 1966 Garrison Colonial is reviewed. Included: the technology built into the new kitchen; the customization of the spaces over the garage; and the updates made to the older parts of the house.

Kevin learns that Matt DeWitt’s disability doesn’t limit his cycling passion. Richard sees some of the 150 ADA approved requirements in the home. Kevin meets HFOT recipients Alex and Holly Dillmann. Richard learns about touchless faucet technology. Norm sees an ADA-compliant shower threshold and automatic door openers. Kevin meets Cat to discuss how life will be more manageable for Matt.

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.

Tommy replaces rotten lally columns in the basement. Norm removes the marble sink and claw-foot tub from the guest bath to restore. Richard discovers an historic house with 19th Century air conditioning and plumbing. Tommy saves hardwood floors.

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. They head to Lindas showroom to see the cabinet and counter selections. Kevin helps Tommy and his crew frame in the new closet and bathroom for the master suite. On the third floor, in order to fix the ice damage throughout the house, Tommy must first remove all of the old fiberglass insulation. To do this he uses a giant vacuum. Back on the second floor, Norm and Tommy resize an existing door to fit in the smaller opening for the kids bath.

Kevin meets Richard in the basement and learns about the plan to keep the existing boiler but add a ducted system and a condenser for air conditioning. Tommys excavation crew replaces the old steel main water line at the front of the house. Kevin learns how mason Mark McCullough lays brick for the new porch piers. Kevin finds Tommy pouring a concrete "rat slab," which will protect the mudroom against moisture and critters. Richard visits the tile showroom where homeowner Katherine and designer Amanda Reid are making final selections for the bathrooms.

Kevin arrives at the back of house to see Tommy framing the new mudroom. He then finds the homeowners meeting with architect Mat Cummings, who 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 in the master suite. Tommy uses a custom-made knife to shape new molding that matches the existing exterior molding.

Tommy converts a glass-paneled storm door into a custom mudroom-porch window. Interior designer Amanda Reid and homeowners Katherine and Murat select Victorian-inspired paint colors for the main living areas. Tommy shows Kevin how he 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.

Treehouse; installing refurbished windows; installing wainscoting in the front entryway; restoring the parquet flooring.

Norm finds kitchen designer Linda Cloutier overseeing the kitchen countertop installation, and discovers her unique idea for the kitchen sink. Norm helps Tommy build a columned divider between the eating area and the mudroom, which will help separate the spaces and provide ample storage. Richard reviews all the changes to the mechanical systems in the house. Painter Mauro Henrique applies a special primer to one wall in the kitchen that will magnetize the wall, allowing the homeowners to use it for messages and notes. Interior designer Amanda Reid shows Kevin how shes using window treatments to create certain looks throughout the house. Kevin finds Tommy walking through the house with the homeowners, going through his final punch list.

On the North Shore of Massachusetts, homeowners Bill and April Harb begin building their dream home on a plot of raw land. The traditional farmhouse will look like its been there for 200 years, but the building methods are at the forefront of innovation. Bill shows Kevin and Roger the site plan and walks them 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. Back at the site, Kevin meets general contractor Erik Kaminski, who is leading the tree-removal process. Richard meets town official Brendhan Zubricki, whos performing a perc test to assess the soil.

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. The first shipment of precut framing lumber arrives on-site via multiple flatbed trucks. Landscape architect Kim Turner explains her landscape plan to Richard and the homeowners, with a focus on 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.

Erik lays red cedar shingles on the roof. Kevin visits a reproduction first-period colonial home a few miles away 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.

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.

Erik Kaminski finishes the staircase with a maple newel post. Kevin works with 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 shows Kevin how to install the crown jewel of the cupola: a reproduction lantern. Roger finds Kim in front of the house, turning the muddy pit into a beautiful front yard

Homeowners plan to restore and expand their early English-style Arts and Crafts Home; plans for mechanical and plumbing systems.

Installing a new steal beam; removing an oil tank; digging a new foundation; visits to other English-style Arts and Crafts houses.

Following steel beams from fabrication to installation; working on the HVAC plan for the second and third floors; sizing a firebox.

Custom range hood; rebuilding the original chimney; options for the first floor; including the living room panels.

Kevin finds Tommy framing a new front porch using custom cut and assembled rafters. Richard travels to the largest underground quarry. Color selection

Burying electrical cables. Building porch base columns. New brick patio. Installing kitchen cabinets. Trimming the front gable.

There are many new decorative elements on the outside of the house - including a small roof detail supported by two brackets on the side of the house. Tommy assembles the roof on the ground first, doubling up the fascia for extra support. After he installs the second bracket, a lift helps to raise the roof into place. Upstairs on the second floor, Emily and painter Rosemary Dewees introduce Kevin to the technique of Lazure painting – a watercolor style of painting interior walls. Using multiple brushes and buckets, Kevin finds that it’s not as easy as it looks. The beautiful front door has seen better days. The homeowners ask master restorer Wayne Towle for help refinishing the oak veneer. Kevin visits his shop to see how it’s done. Downstairs, Tommy installs wood paneling in a corner of the living room that once housed a bookshelf. Even though it’s being painted white, he uses solid oak to match the existing wood grain paneling.

The kitchen island countertop is installed; work commences on a fieldstone wall in the front yard; wallpaper covers a new secret door in the upstairs foyer; and the finished heating, cooling and ventilation system is examined.

A couple plan to renovate an abandoned home themselves, beginning with the leaky roof.

Richard snakes a camera down a drain to look for damaged pipes. Tommy repairs a leaky parapet.

At the Russell Woods project, Tommy repairs crumbling decorative molding with a plastic replica created by a 3D printer; Frank and Tamiko head to Kohler, Wisconsin to look at plumbing fixtures, while Richard gets a tour of the nearby factory. Back at the house, Richard and Frank repair some compromised joists in the upstairs bathroom; Tommy teaches Frank and his friends how to install kitchen ceiling strapping; and Kevin heads to the project in Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood to see the efforts to repair the foundation.

Repairing damaged oak flooring with a clever fix; repairing front steps; tile studio in Detroit.

Interior painting; repairing decorative molding with a putty knife; installing interior doors; revitalizing a fireplace.

A new season begins with a focus on the next Generation. Homeowner inherits her childhood home but make changes with husband to accommodate their children and in-laws. Mike Rowe visits to discuss the need for a new generation of skilled tradespeople.

Tom’s crew and intern install a beam to support a new opening to the kitchen. The homeowners start making decisions with their interiorselect finishes with their interior designer. Three apprentices arrive and build the essentialget new tool belts. Their first job is to tackle the front porch.

The apprentices learn the basics of framing a deck while around the corner the chimney gets demo’ed. The homeowners work with their interior designer to create a custom pattern for their tile floor. The flue for the wood burning stove gets installed.

Flooring from the dining room is used to make a barn door. Roger teaches a horticulture class in the field. Tommy and Charlie break through the basement foundation wall to find uninsulated crawl space. Garage floor gets radiant heat. New columns on front porch.

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.

Tommy trims the rough interior columns. Liz makes a stained glass window. Kevin tours a flooring factory in Pennsylvania. Richard visits a voc-tech school plumbing class. Norm shows Kevin a few new 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.

Kevin finds Tommy and Charlie installing a fireback on a kitchen wall. Roger returns the roses and lilacs he saved and brings in some new plants. The island countertop goes on. Kevin watches a crew install a garage door. The wood stove finally arrives.

A new series begins in Charleston, SC, where Kevin and the team introduce two projects: a brick 1840s “single house” – unique to Charleston’s historic downtown district – and a multi-generational 1890s home in a nearby transitioning neighborhood.

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 while Tommy and Judith look at flooring options.

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 and Tommy talks termites.

The old piazza columns get restored off site. The iron gate is fabricated by blacksmith students at a local college for the building arts. Modern light fixtures are selected for an old house. New siding mixes with old to meet historic district codes.

The pergola goes up in the garden of the single house. Ross Trethewey takes a look at the latest in smart home technology. Ultra-modern cabinets are installed in the kitchen. A local craftsman puts the finishing touches on a dining table made of old cypress; At the Elliotborough house, Richard checks out the HVAC plan while repointing begins on the original fireplaces.

The fortieth season begins with Kevin outside The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island – a magnificent mansion once owned by the Vanderbilt family. Tommy picks him up in the truck and they drive across the bridge to Jamestown to this season’s first project – a 1920s bungalow.

Jeff shows Kevin how hes framing the net zero house, and Richard demonstrates heat loss and gain to design a balanced HVAC system.

Insulation is crucial to a net zero house. Kevin finds Jeff and the apprentices starting the work. Dana shops for efficient yet decorative lighting. Tom and Jeff work with the apprentices to build false rafter tails and then they install them.

The electrician installs a load center at the Idea House. Tom teaches the apprentices the correct application of cedar roof shingles. Kevin and Jeff add insulation to the basement. Tom shows Mary how to block behind walls with future cabinets and wall fixtures. A pre-cut post and beam barn gets raised.

Reviewing design samples; heating pump; applying stone veneer; installing a wall-hung toilet tank; building a vanity.

Sod farm; HVAC installation; adding a gas fireplace to the living room; attaching screens to the side porch; digging a well.

The net zero house is complete; touring the yard, barn and upstairs; checking out the main floor; reviewing mechanicals.

Asbestos and tree removal; a visit to the first "This Old House" project in Dorchester, Mass.

Pouring a buttress; revisiting the 2001 Manchester by the Sea project; solving a ductwork problem; installing a PVC trim overhang.

Selecting patio pavers; installing a skylight in the bathroom; repairing the foundation.

Installing rafters for a cantilevered roof; solving a venting problem for the kitchen sink; fixing AC ductwork; installing snow cleats on the roof.

Manufacturing plate glass and windows; cold weather painting; installing radiant heat under the driveway while the patio is installed out front.

Installing closet systems, modern baseboards and a linear wall drain in the master shower; selecting door hardware; installing floating bathroom vanities.

Salvage and demo begin in the transformation of a 1940s Rhode Island ranch to a Dutch Colonial; a look at architect renderings; visiting California ranch style homes.

The crew places a center beam in the old ranch house to support the second story. A hole is cut in the original foundation for a new basement window. Kevin visits an engineered lumber factory in Canada. Back at the project, Tommy and Jeff raise the end gables.

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. Richard Trethewey and Jeff look for a path for the drain stacks.

Building a section of a coffered ceiling; cutting granite; septic system; how interior doors are built; installing a door.

Installing a floating oak mantel; paneling the playroom using knotty pine boards; timber framing school; using Westerly granite for the steps.

Mounting televisions and installing curtains; water heater; installing outdoor lighting; refurbishing a flagpole.

Three families rebuild after they lost their homes to a wildfire.

A visit to a fire testing lab; adding roof shingles; installing a stone veneer; touring farms; an architect designs a town memorial.

Homeowners John and Molly plan to put the history back into their 1890s shingle-style home. They’ll remove ‘70s carpet, repair cracking balusters and transform the front entry, restoring the home’s original beauty and updating it for modern living.

Tom and Charlie Silva create a cathedral ceiling while Mark McCullough breaks through the foundation to make space for mechanicals. Kevin O’Connor learns about sun tunnels and Richard creates a plan for cooling.

In this episode, Tom and Charlie Silva install rounded-top windows in the breakfast room, and an easy-install roof shingle goes down. Roger Cook and Kevin O’Connor go fishing while Tom adds a custom diamond detail with the siding. Radiant heat goes in somewhere unexpected: the ceiling.

In this episode, the original leaded glass windows are repaired, and Jenn and Fred plant a bed of perennials along the new driveway. Mini splits solve a ductwork problem, and homeowner Molly and her designer Shelby make design decisions. Then, Tom tackles tricky original trim.

A brass handrail is created. Mauro paints a chalkboard finish, and repaired balusters get reinstalled. Richard gives a lesson in make-up air, and work begins on a custom table. Heath talks smart electricity.

We take a tour of kitchens – from fireplaces used for cooking in colonial times to marble counters of modern days. Follow the evolution of appliances from white to avocado to stainless, as well as cabinet finishes from natural to painted, as we uncover favorite kitchen scenes from long ago.

Featuring talented makers who make beautiful household items we meet a lumberjack who sources his own cypress from the bottom of a river and turns it into a unique table. In Detroit, a stained-glass artist restores original window panels. A family run business creates a metal stovetop hood. A painter shows a Lazure technique for the walls of a bedroom. Blacksmithing students forge an iron gate.

Kevin, Richard and Tommy set the stage for the restoration of our 1887 Queen Anne Seaside Victorian Cottage. The homeowners were excited about renovating a historic home in this oceanside community. Kevin met them to hear about their plans to preserve the historic details while updating the interior space for modern living and creating a new wing for a garage and master suite.

The original chimney bricks from the Queen Ann Victorian are cleaned and repurposed for a new, straight chimney. Staggered shingles are reapplied to match the original shingle pattern. Steel is brought in to support an open floor plan. Kevin O’Connor learns about the unique glass orbs hidden on Block Island. Richard Trethewey finds the plumber installing a new kind of shower drain.

The original Seaside Victorian home had Yankee Gutters and the Historic District Committee wants the restored house to have them too. The Generation Next initiative continues with an apprentice learning from Jeff Sweenor’s electrician Ben Giles. Richard Trethewey and plumber Josh Jordan show how a tankless hot water system will never run out of hot water. Tom Silva and Jeff install porch corbels.

Kevin OConnor and Tom Silva watch a technology expert hide sound speakers in the living room ceiling. Richard Trethewey discusses the efficient updates on outdoor condensers with the HVAC contractor. The garage doors are installed with side mounts. A prefabricated pool gets lowered into the ground. The interior designer and homeowner show Kevin their choices on design elements for the kitchen.

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.

Hanging the pantry door; finishing up the tiling and backsplash; creating a custom surround for the gas fireplace.

"This Old House" returns to Dorchester, Mass., to follow the renovation of a triple decker that was burned due to illegal fireworks.

The original back porches on the triple decker are brought up to code. Ice blasting is used to get rid of the char and fire odor. New vinyl siding is installed on the entire house while homeowner Carol considers accent trim colors to coordinate with the siding. Framing begins inside.

Tom Silva works with the new apprentices on the front door to allow it to properly open and close. The apprentices, who hail from YouthBuild, tell Kevin OConnor about themselves, and the President of YouthBuild gives Kevin background on the program. Homeowner Carol looks at kitchen cabinets and countertop options. Richard Trethewey works with James Bouchard on the three separate HVAC systems.

On the first floor, Tom Silva and Kevin OConnor reinstall the upper cabinets that survived the fire. Tom teaches the apprentices to trim a window in the kitchen. HVAC contractor James Bouchard shows Richard Trethewey the plan for hot water and heating. Kevin joins Carol and her sister Willie to shop for appliances for all three levels. Mark Ferrante is tiling the first of three bathrooms.

Kevin OConnor checks out whats left to do in the triple decker before the move in. Mark McCullough is working at the front steps. Inside Heath Eastman shows Kevin a surge protector hes installing. Ronnette Taylor is putting in a toilet in the first floor bathroom, while the original hardwood floors are getting refinished in the rest of the house. Jenn Nawada and crew are installing fences.

This Old House follows the renovation of a Cambridge, Massachusetts 1887 two-family house becoming a bright, open Scandinavian-style one-family. In this Summer special we compress the efforts to restore this beauty into one episode. Follow the action as our team takes this old house from rundown to remarkable.

A family sets out to restore a derelict house in a Detroit neighborhood.

This 1880 Country Cape started as a small house on a large piece of land but was added on to over time. The crew meets the new homeowners and their architect and gets a tour both inside and outside to learn about their future plans.

The old foundation gets modified for the new basement with an opening for a doorway, and the new foundation has to be tied into the old. On the first floor, the crew installs a beam in order to remove some of the wall that abuts the front staircase.

Kevin helps Tom to adjust where the old house is out of level with new addition. Then he meets Mark to look at stone veneer. Charlie needs to raise the rafters on the back dormer for more headroom. Kevin and the homeowner and designer look at tile.

Kevin and Mark cut a slot in the chimney for flashing to keep moisture out. Homeowners get a tiling lesson. The Silva crew transitions from old to new floor and hide the evidence. Kevin finds Charlie and the kitchen designer laying out the kitchen.

Kevin finds walls going up at the addition. Tom shows the evolution of framing hammers and guns. Richard and crew dismantle the old boiler. Heath plans for electric panels and inspects new light fixtures. A new ridge beam supports the addition.

Kevin and Tommy install a skylight. Richard talks about ducts. The homeowners mother shares her craft for the house. Kevin tours a range factory in Pennsylvania established 1880. Charlie and Tom repair the original wood gutters on the house.

Kevin talks about the Dracut School Project and visits Alison Hardy at her shop to discuss her work of repairing windows on the historic building. Richard finds Abe Bilo and his crew as they dismantle the old boiler system and prepare for a new.

Only one more week to go and the house is busy with activity. Electrical fixtures are installed, as are the kitchen counters and shelves. Painting is happening everywhere, and the large bathroom receives a unique Tadelakt treatment.

A small town in a big city, West Roxbury, MA is the home of our new project-an 1890s Victorian once a single family turned multi-family and back to a single family. Our crew meets the homeowners and builder and discuss future plans for this gem.

Elms are subject to Dutch Elm Disease; but not the one purchased from a local nursery for our home. Back at the house, new window trim and fiberboard siding is installed. Moving plumbing drain could be a puzzle. Possible solutions are discussed.

The front porch gets a new set of granite stairs and a brick walkway. A new backdoor seals the house. The homeowners decide on a finish for the floors. A cable rail system is installed on the back stairs. A trade school in Philadelphia is visited.

Aluminum gutters that mimic wood are beginning to get installed. Inside, trim goes around the new back door and the existing wood flooring is patched. Upstairs the master shower is waterproofed and prepped for a linear drain.

A quartz countertop and hidden receptacles are installed in the new modern kitchen, while original crown molding is matched in the dining room. Its time to hang the interior doors. Hardware installation marks the beginning of the finishing details.

Its off to the races on a new project in Saratoga Springs, NY; but first, the crew gets a history of the bustling city. They meet new homeowners Evan and Whitney and Evans mother Susan. The house has been in Evans family for seven generations.

From no wiring to BX wiring, electrical in the 1864 house is addressed, but first a visit to the tracks. Unfortunate demo discoveries mean changes to framing and living plans. A temporary buttress wall supports the old foundation.

The original foundation needs repointing. A steel beam is installed in the new basement. Trends in plumbing fixtures are explored. A truss system is the solution for the 3rd-floor living space, which leads to a visit to the manufacturer.

Replacing an old flooring system; saving an old porch; exploring tile options; installing steel I-beams and trusses.

The old electrical service is upgrade. Cold weather inverter heat pumps will heat and cool the house. An original window sash becomes an awning window. A vocational student has a welding project for the backyard. Various types of insulation are used.

Vocational school students build a table for the Dracut Centre School. An alternative to wide plank hardwood flooring is used at the project house. An automatic low impact irrigation system is installed. The ICF foundation gets a stucco-like finish.

Its a wrap on the multigenerational 1864 Dutch Colonial. Once a singlefamily, then expanded and cobbled together into a three-family, the home has been reconstructed into a two-family with an open floor plan. The crew gets a tour of the finish.

The Atlanta house is in disrepair, so layers are peeled back to uncover the extent of the damage. The homeowner lends a hand with demolition of unsafe structures. We meet the contractor. A lending library is built. Care is taken to save an oak tree.

New framing replaces the once termite eaten studs. Having an HVAC plan in place, the homeowner begins installing ductwork at the house. Native fruit trees are explored. Cardboard boxes make for a real kitchen feel. Old windows salvaged and restored.

Care is taken in the renovation to respect the old details of the home. New porch columns are made to match the old. A bathroom gets a concrete-like finish. A reclaimed front door is installed. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s birth home is visited.

The renovation of the 1890s Victorian whose former owner was a pillar in the community for civil rights is complete. The family of the former owner meets the current homeowners. The crew gets a tour of the new spaces. The lending library is mounted.

Before demo begins, the main power is disconnected. The old bump out is demoed, and the present bathroom is tested for asbestos. A carpenter talks about working with Parkinsons Disease. The vinyl siding is removed to reveal the original clapboards.

Roof shingles are installed on a challenging roof line. Factory-assembled exterior window trims save time and labor. The original staircase balusters and railings are modified. The homeowners meet with their interior designer and make selections.

With the new two-story addition built and an efficient floor plan on the interior, its time to call it a wrap on the project; but first, the homeowners and the crew take part in a little town fun at the annual bed race. The finished house is toured.

The architect shares his vision for the property, but before plans can be completed, a bit of exploratory demo must take place. A lesson on first period homes is given. The team hopes to uncover the original timber frame during demo.

The timber frame structure in the ell is carefully dismantled. A new fireplace for the original gambrel is considered. Landscape and hardscape ideas are explored. A family run lumber mill is toured. The homeowner decides on a roof shingle style.

The newly restored timber frame structure is reassembled on site. A Rumford fireplace is installed where the old was demolished. The steel ridge beam is craned in place. The homeowner visits a local stone yard to select a kitchen countertop.

Rotted sills are repaired before the new clapboards are installed. The challenge of ducting a first period home is solved. Old material and technique disguise a new repair. An original gunstock post is repaired. The new clapboards are installed.

A granite veneer water table is installed. The old roof boards are installed on the ceiling of the new ell. A dry laid stone wall is built. The plumbing manifold is discussed. A carpenter talks about leaving corporate and returning to the trades.

The modest 1720s gambrel has been restored. From the front, not much has changed; except for the color; but towards the rear, a new ell and barn element make for a dramatic transformation. The crew gets a tour of the changes from homeowners.

The interior is demoed, and rebuilding has begun. The new design and energy code are explained.

A lally column stands in the way of the new open floor plan. As a solution, it is removed, and the ridge beam is replaced with a trio of engineered beams. The new landscape is previewed in 3D, and tips are shared for creating an accessible bathroom.

The fully framed front of the house is revealed; work continues on the geothermal system; the connection to the interior is made; blocking is installed in the framing; replacing and rewiring old receptacles.

A walking tour of the roof reveals its various pitches; installing a built-in gutter system; rough-in begins on the interior; energy-efficient windows are installed.

The slab-on-grade foundation is built up; accessible AV solutions are explored; prep begins for a curbless shower; installing an automatic zero threshold door.

Building the elevator cab; using leftover flooring to make a modern feature for the kitchen island; exploring AV solutions for accessibility; installing new solar panels.

Landscape planting begins with screen trees and rose bushes; the children pitch in on a painting project; the homeowners discuss Duchenne muscular dystrophy; a modern staircase is installed in the foyer.

The completed renovation of the 1960 mid-century modern home accommodates a family of five, including a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy; the crew returns to go through the changes with the family.

Demo has begun uncovering 150-year-old wine bottles in the walls. A chimney is demolished, and the roof is reframed. The architect shares his inspiration for the project, and the mayor gives a tour of the Boroughs gas lamps. Asbestos is abated.

Installing helical piers for the new porch; prepping new windows for installation; protecting plumbing pipes from cold weather.

Air tightness is taken to the next level with vapor barrier electrical boxes. The homeowner designs a custom lead glass sidelight. Various types of weather-resistant barriers are explored. Drip edge flashing and exterior window trim are installed.

A blower door test reveals the homes airtightness; a baseboard trim gets a radius detail; discussing the boroughs effort to maintain its tree-lined streets; installing a prefab tile niche; prepping interior trim for paint finish.

Renovation of the 1887 Victorian is completed; the builder installs the custom lead glass sidelight; the crew gets a tour from the homeowners.

A 1920s brick cottage is lifted off its foundation and moved to the backyard; the architect discusses the renovation challenges.

Touring the Grand Ole Opry; framing begins at the project house and HVAC plans are revealed; plumbing penetrations on the roof are sealed and covered; a pocket door frame is installed

Country music singer Vince Gill offers a tour of his favorite spots in Nashville, Tenn.; kitchen island legs are fashioned from recycled cedar posts; exterior paint colors are selected.

Renovation of the 1920s brick cottage wraps up; touring the interior and new front yard; the next project location is revealed.

A trip to Switzerland to see how the projects house wrap is made; goals for the design plan; rainwater management system.

Vapour and condensation; touring the James Rose Center; creating a vent that will blend in with the wall in the primary bedroom.

Tile for a curbless shower; installing the kitchen floors; installing a custom-made water feature for the backyard patio.

The renovation of the 1930s colonial revival wraps up; a tour of the house reveals the new back extension and patio with water feature; the location of the next project is revealed.

Restoring the roof to match the original house; insulation issues in old walls; creating a garage in the existing basement.

Restoring the main staircase; a visit to an orchard; installing a roof hatch to the widows walk.

Installing the new siding; using stone to make the addition more cohesive with the house; visiting a trade school in Switzerland.

Painting a room; retiling the fireplace on the second floor and repairing cracks; a visit to Williamson College of the Trades to hear how some graduates are doing.

The renovation of the Westford fire-damaged colonial home is revealed as the crew tours the house.

The builders start putting the homes back together in Asheville; rough-ins begin; meteorologist Stephanie Abrams explains why the storm hit Asheville so hard.

In Swannanoa, Kevin helps Jims brother Bill tile a bathroom. In North Asheville, he joins father and son roofers JD and Jayden. Later in East Asheville, Kevin and builder Will remove rot and replace the damaged area of Paulas deck.

Kevin visits a high school carpentry program thats helping the community; meeting with an electrician in North Asheville; Tommy helps homeowner Paula turn an antique chest into a bathroom vanity.

Kevin takes a tour of the restaurants and breweries that are opening back up after Hurricane Helene; prepping homeowners Jim and Allies house to be painted; Mark installs a fireplace at the North Asheville project.