This Old House

1 Jan 1979

Our host, a Boston designer and builder, tours the dilapidated turn-of the-century house in Dorchester, Massachusetts, that will completely renovated in the next 13 weeks. Our host talks with a realtor and a house appraiser to determine the condition and problems of the property.

1 Feb 1979

Renovation has begun and the carpenter has find rot in the eaves. The kitchen, one of the hardest remodeling jobs, gets some attention, and we look into the history of the home.

15 Feb 1979

Work on the house has uncovered some unforeseen problems from the roof to the plumbing, and at a moment, the dream kitchen is a nightmare. But our host has some solutions.

28 Feb 1979

It's time to insulate the house, remove the old furnace, and replace it with a new-energy-efficient heating system.

1 Mar 1979

This week the ceilings are leveled and renovated. The bulkhead is repaired and renewed. Our hosts talks about the kitchen lighting and answers some viewer questions.

15 Mar 1979

How are we going to heat the house? This week our host talks with a heating specialist about baseboard heating, the heating plant in the basement and the water heater. We take a look at the bedroom closets and a new kitchen skylight.

1 Apr 1979

Plasters, roofers, and carpenters are hard at work. The kitchen walls are plastered, the chimney get some attention, and works starts on the crumbling front porch.

1 May 1979

The insulation and plasterwork are completed. The new kitchen windows are trimmed and finished. A historic preservation consultant traces the changes made in the past century in the house's exterior paint.

15 May 1979

Work on the deck and its foundation is underway. Our host offers some hints on paint stripping and introduces an alternative to ceramic wall tile around a bathtub.

30 May 1979

Our hosts walks through the grounds with a landscape designer and considers the gardening possibilities. The carpenters put on new red cedar clapboards, and the Mayor of Boston, Kevin White, pays a visit to the house.

1 Jun 1979

Our host demostrates how to lay a parquet kitchen floor. He speaks to a marble expert about the dining room fireplace. The bathroom tile floor is installed, and we consider home security systems.

15 Jun 1979

The house painter demonstrates how to apply primer. Our host talks about installing an oak floor and sanding floors. A stonemason repairs the stone wall around the house, and the yard gets two new trees.

30 Jun 1979

A look at the nearly finished product, inside and out. And the finishing touches are put on the picket fence, the deck and yard.