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This Old House Season 31 Episodes

26 Episodes 2009 - 2010

Episode 1

Welcome to Newton Centre

Sat, Oct 10, 2009 27 mins

Season 31 opens with work on a planned addition for a 1915 Dutch Colonial revival, whose owners want a new kitchen, home office and family room. Included: a similar house in the neighborhood that was also expanded. Also: building a backyard campfire; installing a combination range hood and microwave oven over a kitchen stovetop.

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Episode 2

Newton Centre: Quality, Not Quantity

Sat, Oct 17, 2009 27 mins

The vinyl siding is removed from the exterior of the 1915 Dutch Colonial, revealing the original wood clapboards beneath and the repair work that needs to be done; a preview of the modest kitchen expansion. Also: architect-author Sarah Susanka ("The Not So Big" book series) on restrained remodels.

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Episode 3

Work Begins, Homeowners Decide to Stay

Sat, Oct 24, 2009 27 mins

The kitchen of the 1915 Dutch Colonial Revival is gutted and the heating system is removed. Also: the discovery of water-damaged electrical components means that almost 90 percent of the house will have to be rewired; the homeowners' decision to stay in the house while the construction goes on is discussed.

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Episode 4

Origins of the Dutch Colonial Revival

Sat, Oct 31, 2009 27 mins

Inadequate framing in the old kitchen ceiling is reinforced and leveled; the first-floor platform is framed for the new addition. Also: the origins of the home's Dutch Colonial Revival style are discussed with architect Russell Versaci.

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Episode 5

New Gambrel Addition Takes Shape

Sat, Nov 7, 2009 27 mins

Progress on the Newton Centre project is gauged, as the first-floor family room is framed in and the gable wall for the addition is in progress. Also: preparing the electrical system for upgrading; running new lines to the old radiators using a composite pipe made from PEX and aluminum.

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Episode 6

Making Room for New Windows

Sat, Nov 14, 2009 27 mins

Work on the Dutch Colonial Revival's kitchen includes reframing the walls to accommodate new door and window openings; a paper mock-up of the kitchen helps the homeowner visualize it; former "This Old House" architect Treff LaFleche's green-friendly renovation of his 1906 Gambrel-style Victorian.

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Episode 7

Pruning Hemlocks and Checking in on This Old House Austin

Sat, Nov 21, 2009 27 mins

Trees are pruned; a fan is installed in the powder room; a visit to the show's first certified green-building project, a 1920s bungalow in Austin.

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Episode 8

Father and Son Lend a Hand

Sat, Nov 28, 2009 27 mins

Replicating the old exterior trim around the new windows includes using cellular PVC, which won't rot; installing the pre-hung Douglas-fir exterior door for the back entry; removing the old bookshelves and plaster wall to gain entry into the new library addition. Also: a tour of a renovated Dutch Colonial Revival.

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Episode 9

Radiant Heat, Two Ways

Sat, Dec 5, 2009 27 mins

Fabricating a decorative bracket to support the rear porch roof; piping the old radiators to provide heat to the new kitchen; patching the old exterior siding at the back of the house. Also: a kitchen and home office-library in a renovated church are examined.

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Episode 10

Inspired Openings and Insulating the House

Sat, Dec 12, 2009 27 mins

Building a new stairway to the basement; choosing a quality faucet; making a vaulted ceiling in the hallway that connects the front of the house to the new addition; installing spray-foam insulation in the new addition.

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Episode 11

Never Paint Again

Sat, Dec 19, 2009 27 mins

Preparing for the exterior paint job; installing custom copper half-round gutters; adding a base of veneer plaster to the wallboard. Also: the homeowners decide to have the garage rebuilt.

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Episode 12

Stone, Tile and Oak Finishes

Sat, Dec 26, 2009 27 mins

A small deck is built to connect the kitchen to the patio; new oak flooring that matches the home's existing flooring is installed. Also: the tile options available for the kitchen backsplash.

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Episode 13

Newton Centre: The New Kitchen is Coming Together

Sat, Jan 2, 2010 27 mins

Laying a new asphalt driveway; installing kitchen cabinets and trimming out the windows; stripping two layers of wallpaper from the front entry hall. Also: a look at energy-efficient LED lights

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Episode 14

Newton Centre: Interior Painting Primer and Fabricating Our New Countertops

Sat, Jan 9, 2010 27 mins

The dining room is prepped and painted; the living room's built-in bookshelves are constructed. Also: countertops, including how they're fabricated by machine and by hand.

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Episode 15

Newton Centre: Is the Island Too Big?

Sat, Jan 16, 2010 27 mins

The finished countertops arrive; the clearances around the kitchen island are reviewed and tops are permanently installed; the subway tile backsplash is installed and grouted.

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Episode 16

Newton Centre: The Finished Project

Sat, Jan 23, 2010 27 mins

The conclusion of the Newton Centre Project. Included: laying sod around the patio; prepping the new oak floors; and installing LED under-cabinet lights. Also: a tour of the house.

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Episode 17

Roxbury; Project with Purpose Begins

Sat, Jan 30, 2010 27 mins

A new project commences: transforming an abandoned and foreclosed 1870s two-family home in Roxbury, Mass., into affordable housing. The endeavor begins with the demolition of a dilapidated rear extension and the removal of a tree. Also: two young carpenters from Youthbuild Boston are selected to work on the project as apprentices.

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Episode 18

Roxbury; Mounting Challenges

Sat, Feb 6, 2010 27 mins

The buyer of the Roxbury house, who won the opportunity in a public lottery, is introduced. Also: problems encountered, which include engineering challenges and a month of rain; Roxbury's past and present; what's been done to shore up the house's structure.

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Episode 19

Roxbury; More Trouble than We Thought

Sat, Feb 13, 2010 27 mins

Progress on the Roxbury renovation is gauged; concrete footing for the front entry is poured; architectural shingles that look like slate are used for the new roof; new siding is installed; a color scheme that's historically accurate is created.

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Episode 20

Roxbury; Coming Together

Sat, Feb 20, 2010 30 mins

Boston's foreclosure problems are compared with those in other parts of the country. Also: landscape work begins; the rear entrance decks are dressed up with PVC decking and prefabricated railings; the hot-air system is highlighted; the interior-design selections are showcased.

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Episode 21

Roxbury; Help From Our Friends

Sat, Feb 27, 2010 27 mins

Soil is spread and sod put down in the backyard; a PVC privacy fence is installed; custom casings and paneling are added to the bay-window area; the house's existing plaster ceiling medallions, which are beyond repair, are replicated.

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Episode 22

Roxbury; Oak Doors, Fireplace Surround

Sat, Mar 6, 2010 27 mins

Installing plaster crown molding in the front parlor; painting an accent wall in the back bedroom; searching for a marble fireplace surround. Also: how the slabs for the oak front doors and sidelights are machined and installed.

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Episode 23

Roxbury; Custom Details

Sat, Mar 13, 2010 27 mins

Progress on the retaining walls and front entrances is spotlighted; how the arches for the front of the house are being made. Also: a decorative marble fireplace surround and mantel are installed; the solid-birch floor is laid.

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Episode 24

Roxbury; Roxbury Past and Present

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 27 mins

The landscape apprentices help spread soil in the front yard, and plant ground cover and a dogwood tree; progress at the front entry and in the second unit's kitchen is checked. Also: a demonstration of how to remove stains from marble countertops; the installation of a tankless hot-water heater in the basement.

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Episode 25

Roxbury; Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Sat, Mar 27, 2010 27 mins

Meshed white subway tiles with a rail cap are installed for the kitchen backsplash; the stair treads and newel post for the new stairs are customized and installed; a visit to the nonprofit Washington, D.C., project house introduces the family living there.

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Episode 26

Roxbury; One Less Foreclosure in Boston

Sat, Apr 3, 2010 27 mins

Boston mayor Thomas Menino stops by as the Roxbury project is completed. The YouthBuild apprentices plant the final tree and spread mulch in the front yard; an entry gate is installed in the backyard fence; the final light fixtures and window treatments are installed inside the house.

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