This Old House

The crew travels to Atlanta to begin work on an 1890s Victorian.

Unsafe structures are uncovered and demolished; building a lending library; saving an oak tree.

Touring the Atlanta BeltLine; replacing the existing footings with a stem wall; adding a vapor barrier to a crawl space; a lesson on HVAC installation; touring an outdoor learning center.

Putting up new framing; installing ductwork; exploring native fruit trees; cardboard boxes make for a real kitchen feel; restoring old windows.

Progress is made on the interior and exterior of the house; bevel pine siding is woven into the old; touring Tyler Perry Studios; adding lightning and surge protection; the Dracut Centre School restoration is completed.

The old details of the home are respected; new porch columns are made to match the old; a bathroom gets a concrete-like finish; installing a reclaimed front door; visiting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home.

Planting a medicinal garden; cleaning and preparing the front door for paint; repairing the front steps; installing a water heater; building custom shelves; installing wallpaper.

The renovation of the 1890s Victorian is completed; the family of the former owner meets the homeowners; touring the new spaces; mounting the lending library.

A new project begins in the middle-class town of Newburyport, Mass.

Disconnecting the main power; the old bump out is demoed; the bathroom is tested for asbestos; a carpenter talks about working with Parkinson's disease; the removal of the vinyl siding reveals the original clapboards.

Pouring new foundations; a winding staircase replaces an old steep one; building a retaining wall; replacing the old water lines.

Installing roof shingles and exterior window trims; modifying the original staircase balusters and railings; the homeowners meet with an interior designer.

The yard gets planted; a custom home office is built from off-the-shelf materials; old floors are reused on the second floor; installing an EV charger; the front door gets a high-sheen finish.

The homeowners and crew take part in the town's annual bed race before calling it a wrap on the project; touring the finished house.

The crew starts one of its oldest projects yet -- a first period home in Ipswich, Mass.; salvaging the old floorboards before demo begins.

The architect explains his vision for the property; exploratory demo; a lesson on first period homes; the team hopes to uncover the original timber frame during demo.

Preparation begins for the new foundation; a centuries-old cistern is uncovered; assessing the original timber frame structure; the original floorboards and roof sheathing are salvaged for later use; inspecting the sill for water damage.

Dismantling the timber frame structure in the ell; a new fireplace is considered for the original house; exploring landscape and hardscape ideas; touring a family-run lumber mill; the homeowner chooses a roof shingle.

Demolishing the old fireplace firebox; restoring the timber frame; running plumbing for a below grade bathroom; preparing a steel beam for installation; clamming.

The restored timber frame structure is reassembled on site; a Rumford fireplace is installed; the steel ridge beam is craned in place; selecting a kitchen countertop.

Installing a warm roof; new framing poses plumbing challenges; rot is discovered on the original sill; exploring options to light the new ell.

Repairing rotted sills; the challenge of ducting a first period home is solved; old material disguises a new repair; repairing an original gunstock post; installing new clapboards.

Installing a rainwater harvesting system; touring a handmade lighting factory; assembling a new boathouse on site; plants are heeled in for the winter.

Installing a granite veneer water table; installing the old roof boards on the ceiling of the new ell; building a dry laid stone wall; plumbing manifold; a carpenter talks about leaving his corporate job.