From This Old House. Landscaping contractor Roger Cook shows host Kevin O’Connor a few helpful techniques for mowing a lawn. Then, general contractor Tom Silva helps two homeowners begin building the backyard deck of their dreams. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Where to find it? Lawnmower: Cub Cadet (model #999ES) [http://www.cubcadet.com] Deck plans: Punch…

From This Old House. Host Kevin O’Connor arrives to find the wood island top being installed, and fabricator Paul Grothouse is on hand to show how he achieved the distressed finish. General contractor Tom Silva installs the "his and hers" closet systems that were designed online by interior designer Melissa Gulley and picked up at…

From This Old House. A focal point of the new addition will be a gas fireplace, which will be delivered late in the construction schedule as finishes are going in. To jump on things and keep the schedule moving, Jason Whitbeck and Mark McCullough install a slate hearth. It needs to meet code and the…

From This Old House. In this video, Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada helps a homeowner transform her erosion-prone sloped front yard into a low-maintenance landscape with improved drainage and year-round curb appeal. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. A steep front yard can be difficult to maintain. Grass is hard to mow, soil washes away during…

From This Old House. In this video, Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows host Kevin O’Connor the most common issues with modern toilet tanks. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Toilets have come a long way over the last 100 years or so. What were once tanks mounted high on the wall that relied…

From This Old House. In this video, Carpenter Nathan Gilbert helps a homeowner block her tiny watchdog’s view outside by installing top-down, bottom-up cellular shades, offering privacy without sacrificing natural light. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Traditional shades force you to choose between privacy and daylight. Top-down, bottom-up shades solve that problem by allowing…

From This Old House. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner install a second sink into an existing bathroom vanity. Next, landscaping contractor Roger Cook shares a viewer tip that makes yard clean-up a little easier. Then general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner repair a large crack in his concrete-block foundation. SUBSCRIBE…

From This Old House. Host Kevin O’Connor arrives to find pergola contractor Mark Bushway and his crew installing the new custom pergola in front of the house. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Inside, general contractor Tom Silva modifies the turnouts at the base of the main staircase, which are now too large given the…

From This Old House. It’s utility day, so the 1864 Dutch Colonial in Saratoga is about to get another significant upgrade. Kevin O’Connor finds Richard Trethewey in the street, where excavation is well underway. Richard explains that locating and upgrading major systems like water and sewer lines requires careful planning and coordination of multiple parties.…

From This Old House. In this video, mason Mark McCullough helps some homeowners add space to relax and watch their children play with an affordable pea gravel patio. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Backyard landscaping can add up quickly. Having some trees removed, the ground leveled, and just a few small touches can cost…

From This Old House. In this video, paint expert Mauro Henrique helps a homeowner create a soothing accent wall for her baby, complete with hand-sketched arches. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Accent walls can be more than just a solid color that contrasts with the rest of the room. When a homeowner wanted help…

From This Old House. In this video, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada teaches host Kevin O’Connor about common household plant myths. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. While household plants certainly have their benefits, some of their “superpowers” have been overstated over time. Studies that show a plant’s compounds may create a specific effect are often…

From This Old House. Landscaping contractor Roger Cook and chainsaw expert Tim Ard demonstrate safe chainsaw use and a brand new way to sharpen chains. Then, general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner with a leaky rain gutter. Back in the workshop, Roger and Tom, along with host Kevin O’Connor and plumbing and heating expert…

From This Old House. Host Kevin O’Connor arrives to find landscape contractor Roger Cook getting ready to install nine tons of rustic Pennsylvania fieldstone for the new entry walkway. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Inside, general contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin how to recognize a quality cabinet, and they assemble the kitchen island sent…

From This Old House. Bringing the third floor of the Saratoga house into compliance with local building codes includes installing fire sprinklers throughout the home. Richard Trethewey met up with Albany Fire Protection designer Scott Kelly to learn about the requirements for this system and how it will operate. Kelly explains the reason for the…

From This Old House. In this video, Carpenter Nathan Gilbert calls on a local expert to help a pair of homeowners replace their shutters in historic New Orleans. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. When a pair of homeowners in New Orleans wanted to replace their shutters, they needed a historically accurate solution that the…

From This Old House. In this video, Landscape contractors Jenn Nawada and Lee Gilliam teach host Kevin O’Connor everything a homeowner should know about lawn and plant fertilizer. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Fertilizer is full of nutrients that break down and soak into the soil where plants and grass can use them to…

From This Old House. In this video, Master electrician Heath Eastman helps a homeowner upgrade outdated battery-operated smoke detectors to a safer hardwired, interconnected system. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Smoke alarms are one of the most important safety devices in any home. While older battery-powered detectors can still provide protection, many homes today…

From This Old House. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a pair of homeowners reduce their utility bills by installing a new forced-air furnace and air conditioning system. Then, general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner repair damage to her oak flooring that was caused by a leaky radiator. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House:…

From This Old House. Is luxury paint actually worth the splurge, or are you just paying for branding? This week, we dig into what really separates high-end paint from the rest, from durability and scrub-ability to the chemistry inside the can. Then, CNN anchor Jake Tapper takes us to his quiet A-frame lake house in…

From This Old House. With expert guidance from Zack and Camille Dettmore and a team of pros, families tackle everything from bidding to demo. Experience the real ups and downs of buying a home in today’s market. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Looking for more step by step guidance on how to complete projects…

From This Old House. On-site at the Auburndale project, the transformation of the back of the house is almost complete. Up on the deck, general contractor Tom Silva is putting down a new generation of composite decking—it is made from the same recycled plastic bits and wood waste we’ve used before, but this time it…

From This Old House. With expert guidance from Zack and Camille Dettmore and a team of pros, families tackle everything from bidding to demo. Experience the real ups and downs of buying a home in today’s market. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Looking for more step by step guidance on how to complete projects…

From This Old House. We often talk about the skilled trade gap and how fewer young people are being exposed to the trades. The BOCES Career and Technical Training program in New York has been addressing this issue for decades. The school serves 23 local high schools, including one where the Saratoga homeowner, Evan teaches.…

From This Old House. In this video, mason Mark McCullough helps a homeowner address sloped fire pit access by installing granite steps, proper drainage, and a gravel path in the yard. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. In a perfect world, every homeowner’s yard would be flat and ideal for hosting. But when a homeowner…

From This Old House. In this video, heating and plumbing expert Richard Trethewey shows host Kevin O’Connor how sink clogs usually form and how a few simple habits can prevent them. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Most sink clogs don’t happen overnight. Instead, they build slowly as grease, soap scum, hair, and debris collect…

From This Old House. In this video, paint expert Mauro Henrique shows host Kevin O’Connor two practical methods for testing lead-based paint so you can keep your home and projects safe. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Lead paint is a common but dangerous substance found in many older homes. When disturbed, it can create…

From This Old House. General contractor Tom Silva helps an old friend repair the loose carpeting on his staircase. Then, landscaping contractor Roger Cook shows host Kevin O’Connor several types of shovels and other digging tools. Afterward, Kevin heads to Pasadena, California, where he and a local electrician help a homeowner install recessed lights in…

From This Old House. Host Kevin O’Connor arrives to find landscape contractor Roger Cook overseeing the crew that is setting the footings for the new pergola, while also preparing to give the concrete stoop a makeover using fieldstone veneer on the riser and a bluestone cap on the top. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse.…

From This Old House. Kevin O’Connor finds Matt Whitbeck on the roof of the Saratoga house, inspecting the ridge as the roofing crew works below them. Kevin notes an atypical detail: underlayment covering the ridge. Matt explains how roofs are typically vented (a “cold roof”) and why. He also points out that there will be…

From This Old House. Kevin O’Connor meets up with Master Electrician Stephen Ristau, who is upgrading the electrical service at the Saratoga house. Stephen explains that the old service is inadequate for the renovation’s new demands. To meet these demands, he’s bumping the 200-amp service to 400 amps. The changeover occurs at the weatherhead, where…