This Old House

Work begins on a 300-year-old farmstead.

The crew transplantis shrubs and plants to a safe place until the job is complete. They also clear small trees and overgrowth that are in the way of the new family room addition.

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.

Framing up the new roof that will overlay the existing roof; repairing the exterior chimney; weaving in bricks.

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 family room addition is framed up and sheathed. The crew installs new post supports in the kitchen accommodate a new stove vent hood and repairs the window sash.

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

General contractor Tom Silva replaces a rotted post. Window restoration specialist Alison Hardy reinstalls the restored historic window sashes. Host Kevin O'Connor finds electrician Allen Gallant upgrading the electrical service in the garage. Interior designers Dee Elms and Andrew Terrat show Kevin the house that inspired our kitchen. Tom and Kevin remove strip flooring to reveal historic boards.

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 O'Connor how he's solving a rough plumbing problem by using a wet vent in the powder room.

Tom and Norm rebuild the front door surround to eliminate rot. Roger oversees deep root injections to amend and aerate soil. Kevin tours the new space design and sees how it blends modern and rustic elements.

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.

The crew installs decorative timbers in the new family room along with an A/C condenser. Tom and Kevin fasten mahogany boards to the front entry deck and install a garden shed.

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 restores the panel front door with flexible epoxy and new paint. The new marble island top hides a secret feature, a hole in the top concealing a compost bin. Rich works on the upgrades to the ducted HVAC system. Norm uses two old doors to make sliding barn entry doors.

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.

Roger installs new and old plant material. The crew puts the finishing touches on the kitchen by installing ceramic backsplash tile and brightens up the parlor and dining room .

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

The crew prepares the house for Hurricane Irene and begins framing the second floor.

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

Exterior shingles; hydronic system integrated with a solar hot water system on the roof.

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

The Brazilian hardwood garapa is installed on the new deck; red cedar shingles. Red oak flooring and decorative polyurethane brackets are installed.

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

Retractable awning; Saratoga soapstone; light fixtures; electric floor warming system.

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

Advanced programmable thermostat; solar shades; dividing the master closet into his and hers spaces; girl's room includes timeless pieces and colors.