Inside our Essex cottage, insulation is in and drywall is going up. Tom shows Kevin the progress and they meet drywall installer Brian Jones to see his method for boarding…

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: Woodman’s of Essex….

Norm arrives to find the new windows on site and largely installed. Tom shows him how they matched the original casement details and the operation features. Exterior trim is also…

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….

With the main framing complete, Tom shows Kevin where water infiltration has damaged the house, what he’s doing to repair it, and how he’ll prevent it from happening again. Landscape…

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…

The second project of the season finds Norm and Kevin back on Cape Ann, this time in the scenic riverside town of Essex, Massachusetts. Not far from the antique shops…

Granite posts; vintage doorbell in the foyer.

Finishing the driveway, walk-in closets, home automation, and wallpaper; building a workbench.

Kevin arrives to find Roger putting in the plants before the weather turns. He’s using a mixture of traditional plants and modern grasses to achieve the same mix of old…

Kevin meets proprietor Jack Woker at his record store in Porter Square to see why people still love and appreciate vintage vinyl. Back at the house, Roger shows Kevin how…

In the side yard, Roger installs two new sets of granite steps to access the old deck. Tom shows Kevin how he’s making a new window seat fit into an…

Norm drives up to find the paint job and the gutters complete, and the effect of the yellow, white and black with the copper is fresh, and decidedly Swedish. Inside,…

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,…

After a taste of the local Japan Town, host Kevin O’Connor meets Vito Bucco, a 60-year veteran of the plastering trade. Master carpenter Norm Abram and general contractor Tom Silva…

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

Exterior Improvements. Repointing the old brick foundation; repairing the front porch; rebuilding the rotted historic porch railing; spray foam insulation.

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

Ceiling work on the first floor; Swedish style; Skylight for the master suite.

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

Removing a central chimney brick by brick; eco-resale store; removing a sick Norway maple.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 .

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…

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…

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 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…

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.

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…

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…