Master carpenter Norm Abram welcomes new host Kevin O'Connor aboard with a visit to one of the most ambitious This Old House jobs to date, the Manchester-by-the-Sea project. Wanting to tackle a big job like this on his first time out, Kevin instead ends up in historic Concord, Massachusetts, with a small (but sweet) 20 x 26 foot garden shed that homeowners Jeff and Janet Bernard want to convert into an in-law cottage for Janet's retired parents. Protected by local zoning laws, the shed can't be torn down and rebuilt, so general contractor Tom Silva will reframe the c. 1894 building from the inside out, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey will face the challenges of bringing in water, sewer, and gas lines to the building for the first time ever. The cottage is one of the smallest projects in This Old House history, but everyone agrees that although there's not a lot to work with, there's still a lot to do. Janet takes Kevin to see the inspiration for her project, a small g

Work can't begin at the jobsite until permits are issued, so host Kevin O'Connor takes homeowner Janet Bernard to meet Concord building commissioner, John Minty, to see what potential roadblocks she's facing in trying to turn an accessory building into a full-time residence. Then, Kevin meets local architect Holly Cratsley to see a new home she designed to look like an old home, and an accompanying timber frame barn. Meanwhile, with flashlights, ladders, and archival photographs, master carpenter Norm Abram and preservation architect Leonard Baum reconstruct the architectural history of the shed, learning that the building started out as a one-story chicken coop with a hip roof, and that it is indeed older than the zoning law itself - a finding that's essential to moving forward with the town.

Host Kevin O'Connor arrives to find the newly issued building permit affixed to the building, and work is finally getting underway. Architect Holly Cratsley is officially on board, and Kevin pays a visit to her office to see the first pass at floor plans, elevations, and a scale model of the cottage. Zoning laws only allow for a modest increase in overall volume, so the new one-bedroom cottage will be less than a 1,000-square-feet when it's done. Master carpenter Norm Abram and general contractor Tom Silva prepare to brace a bowed wall, but find a completely rotted sill that needs replacing before they can proceed. They put Kevin to work building two temporary walls, and then driving them into place, taking the weight off the compromised outside wall. The rotted sill comes out, and a new, pressure treated sill goes in. Then, Kevin visits a converted carriage house in Winchester, Massachusetts, that's full of great ideas for the project. Unexpected rain postpones the excavation for the

General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O'Connor the progress on the new utility trench - a time-consuming and expensive undertaking that (with several thousand dollars in permit fees) has already eaten up $30,000 of the budget. Concrete cutting contractor Peter Dami is on site to make way for the final connections, using a diamond plated coring drill to bore holes through the 10" foundation wall. Kevin finally meets the most important person on the job -homeowner Janet Bernard's mom, Jacqueline Buckley, who will actually live in the cottage with her husband Len. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey takes Kevin to visit master carpenter Norm Abram at the New Yankee Workshop to see how the shop is heated and cooled - he's thinking of using some of the same solutions (radiant heat, baseboard, and/or split system A/C) at the Concord cottage. Looking for an interior designer who knows how to work with small spaces, Kevin meets Tricia McDonagh in Boston's South End to see how

Master electrician Allen Gallant installs PVC conduit 2 feet below the surface of the driveway to allow the 200-amp service to reach the cottage. Using a "mouse," a string, a pull rope, and a vacuum (known to the trade as a "fishing system"), his crew hauls the heavy electrical lines underground from the street to the cottage, a span of over 200 feet. Architect Sarah Susanka shows host Kevin O'Connor a 3,000-square-foot house that illustrates the fundamental design principles outlined in her best-selling book, The Not So Big House. On the second floor of the cottage, carpenter Jason Wood sisters new two-by-eights to the existing two-by-four rafters, and cuts a hole in the roof to accommodate the new dormer. Master carpenter Norm Abram and general contractor Tom Silva push the old roof section out, and let the light in upstairs for the first time in almost 100 years.

Host Kevin O'Connor arrives at the project house fresh from a jog around the track at Emerson Field - several acres of playgrounds, tennis courts, and ball fields - right in the Bernard's backyard. Homeowner Janet Bernard asks general contractor Tom Silva to relocate the porch stairs on the main house, which now seem too close to the future parking court, and too imposing. Tom suggests some options, but advises Janet to consult her architect, Holly Cratsley, before they proceed. Landscape contractor Roger Cook shows Kevin a 100-year-old Concord grape vine that's growing right in the middle of the work zone. Chances of the vine surviving a transplant are slim, so Roger opts to leave the vine as is, protect it, and propagate it in place. Out back by the future sunroom, master carpenter Norm Abram shows Kevin how to set 2 x 6 foot pressure treated sills squarely on the new foundation using sill seal foam insulation and fasteners. In nearby Lincoln, Massachusetts, Kevin meets park ranger L

Host Kevin O'Connor visits the Concord Museum, which houses one of the oldest collections of Americana in the country - including one of the lanterns that hung in the church on the night of Paul Revere's ride, and several items relating to the life of local Concord resident Sam Staples, the man who built our project house. General contractor Tom Silva and master plumber Ron Coldwell show Kevin the progress on the rough plumbing and how adding a shower at the last minute affected the layout of the first floor powder room. In search of more elegant small spaces, Kevin travels to Nantucket, Massachusetts, to meet homeowner Harvey Jones for a look at his charming North Wharf boathouse, and two recently renovated guest cottages near the center of town. Back at the Concord Cottage, master carpenter Norm Abram discovers that the stairs to the second floor are too steep for older residents to navigate, and that headroom is tight on the landing. Tom suggests eliminating a step to reduce the ris

Master carpenter Norm Abram finds general contractor Tom Silva installing exterior trim that looks like wood, but is actually cellular PVC and therefore resistant to rot. Inside, host Kevin O' Connor finds homeowner Jeff Bernard finalizing the lighting plan with master electrician Allen Gallant. In the future sunroom, Kevin lends Norm and Tom a hand installing the new clad windows that look just like homeowner Janet Bernard's traditional wood windows on the main house. At a Menomonie, Wisconsin, facility that produces more than 550 tons of glass per day, float glass expert Al Slavich shows Kevin how residential window glass is manufactured using state-of-the-art technology. Back at the Concord Cottage, with the rough plumbing complete and inspected, it's time to infill the slab. To cut costs, Tom shows Kevin how to make concrete from scratch - 3 parts gravel, 2 parts sand, 1 part cement - mixing it on site with a portable concrete mixer.

General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O'Connor how the red cedar sidewall shingles are installed in decorative courses, designed by architect Holly Cratsley, in a classic turn-of-the-century pattern. Tom shows Kevin the most complicated part of the job, braiding the shingles to cover both the outside and inside corners. Master carpenter Norm Abram uses a template and router to cut holes in the old barn door for the new windows. Kevin lends him a hand reinforcing the back of the door, and then setting the first window, which is inserted from the back, in order to maintain a low front profile. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin the compact wall-mounted condensing boiler that will save space, energy, and virtually eliminate boiler noise - it's quieter than most refrigerators. In Spring Green, Wisconsin, insulating glass expert Tom Kaiser shows Kevin how residential window glass is coated with silver for energy efficiency, then sandwiched together and injecte

On one of the first cool days of autumn, host Kevin O'Connor arrives to find landscape contractor Roger Cook excavating the jobsite in preparation for the hardscape install. Roofing contractor Alex Alpert shows Kevin how his crew is installing a standing seam copper roof on the new addition. General contractor Tom Silva gives Kevin a progress tour of the interior spaces, showing how the first floor can be transformed to accommodate one-floor living, should it become necessary for the homeowners, Jackie and Len Buckley. On the second floor, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin the new 5-foot cast iron whirlpool tub, a European towel warmer that will also serve as the room's main source of heat, and a split-type air conditioner that will keep the entire second floor cool during the summer. With the new window already set in the center of the old hayloft door, master carpenter Norm Abram shows Kevin how he's making a false exterior door out of medium density overlay.

Host Kevin O'Connor finds landscape contractor Roger Cook inspecting a new shipment of select bluestone from Pennsylvania and cobblestones imported from India. Out back, Roger shows Kevin the right way to lay a bluestone patio using stone dust and cement over 3-feet of pack for drainage. Inside the cottage, general contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin how wallboard contractor Paul Landry is hanging wallboard - it' s a new product that's non-combustible, moisture resistant, and mold resistant - an important innovation as mold problems continue to plague the building industry. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin the air-to-air heat exchanger that will bring fresh air into the building and a new radiant heat system, installed in the outside walls going up the stairs. Kevin meets up with homeowner Janet Bernard and interior designer Tricia McDonagh for a preview of her design choices for the cottage. Architect Holly Cratsley takes Kevin to Acton, Massachusetts, to see the

Host Kevin O'Connor and master carpenter Norm Abram arrive at the jobsite to find the base coat of the driveway down, and the new fancy cut shingles finally up on the gable end of the cottage. Landscape contractor Roger Cook shows Kevin how he's laid out the new brick walkway, and raised the grade by the front door to allow for a comfortable 6-inch stair rise. The homeowners have already secured permission to add a ramp for increased accessibility, should it become necessary in the future. In the kitchen, Kevin's surprised to find there's no outside cabinet company on this job - the kitchen's so small that general contractor Tom Silva's crew is building everything on site. Tom and Norm build the base cabinet for the pantry out of veneer plywood, while Roger takes Kevin to see a recently renovated garden center that's currently growing plants on more than 650 acres. They meet owner Wayne Mezitt to select, tag, and dig some of the plants for the Concord project, including Japanese tree l

Master carpenter Norm Abram arrives at the Concord Cottage during the first snow of the season, and finds the bad weather slowing down both the landscaping and the exterior painting. In the future dining room, Norm and general contractor Tom Silva show host Kevin O'Connor how they're creating decorative wall panels by applying chair rail, baseboard, and surface applied mouldings directly to the plaster. In Walpole, Massachusetts, fencing specialist Mark Bushway helps homeowner Janet Bernard pick the right size shed in a style that will compliment the cottage, and back in Concord, Kevin helps Mark put the shed together on site. With the base cabinets complete in the kitchen, Norm and Tom show Kevin a simple way to fabricate the face frames using a pocket hole cutter. In the parking court, landscape contractor Roger Cook shows Kevin how to layout and set regulation size cobblestones in a setting bed of stone dust and cement to achieve a flush finish, and minimize cuts.

Host Kevin O'Connor arrives just in time to see the installation of the new fence, trellis, and gate. Then, landscape architect Stephanie Hubbard gives Kevin an update on the landscape plan, explaining how new plantings will help conceal the utility shed in the back corner of the Cottage. Kevin surveys the progress on the first floor and finds a new custom front door in place, as well as a built-in hutch in the dining room made off-site by local cabinetmaker Jon Sammis. General contractor Tom Silva shows Kevin coping techniques -traditional and new-fangled - as he works to build, and fit a cap for the crown molding in the dining room. Kevin stops off at the historic Noah Brooks Tavern in Lincoln, Massachusetts, to see the Junior League of Boston's Show House - an annual event that brings in more than 30,000 visitors to see the work of some of the best interior designers in Boston. Then, Kevin makes a trip to The New Yankee Workshop to see master carpenter Norm Abram's progress on the f

It is wall-to-wall subs today. Everyone from the tile guy, to the fireplace guy, to the painter, to the granite-pillar guy - that would be landscape contractor Roger Cook - are at the Concord Cottage. Host Kevin O'Connor checks out Roger's latest project: installing granite bollards in front of the barn door to prevent vehicles from accidentally backing into the barn, while also adding lots of old time character. In the front hall, tile contractor Joe Ferrante is prepping the radiant deck for tile with thin set first then cement board. In the living room, chimney specialist Mark Schaub shows Kevin the new remote controlled gas fireplace that can be vented up or straight out, via an exterior wall, and installs in about one hour. At Boston's Design Center, Kevin meets interior designers Tricia McDonagh and Charles Spada to see the antiques they've selected, and are still considering, for the cottage. Then back at the site, Kevin lends master carpenter Norm Abram a hand installing the sli

Despite a cold winter chill, today's the day for sod - 12,000-square-feet of it to be exact. Landscape contractor Roger Cook shows host Kevin O'Connor the unloading and installation of the 48 62-foot long rolls of sod. Then, Kevin meets landscape architect Stephanie Hubbard and homeowner Janet Bernard to learn how the new plants will grow in over the years to create a lush cottage garden. Inside, Kevin finds tile contractor Joe Ferrante laying out and laying down 16 x 24 foot distressed Irish limestone tiles, and finds that general contractor Tom Silva is relying on a team from a local home center to install the engineered maple floor. Meanwhile, master carpenter Norm Abram meets plant manager John Tappan at a factory in Danville, Virginia, to see how engineered flooring is manufactured. In the master suite of the cottage, screen fabricator and installer Steve Primack shows Kevin how he can create a custom retractable screen for the balcony door on site in about one hour. In the living

Host Kevin O'Connor meets architect Holly Cratsley for a look at the exterior details of the Concord Cottage - including a pressure treated southern yellow pine roof shingle that carries a 30-year warranty. In the kitchen, Kevin meets countertop installer Dimitri Kampouris to see the new honed `Black Zimbabwe' granite countertops going in. Upstairs, Kevin finds a crew from a local home center installing a stain resistant carpet that is both durable and soft -a combination that's tough to create. Downstairs in the living room, lead carpenter Jason Wood shows Kevin a few tricks to installing hardware on a rail and stile closet door. Then, Kevin meets stained glass artist Jim Anderson to see the custom windows he's created for the cottage, including one small design that bears an important date - that of the original barn - 1894. Upstairs, Kevin meets John Jawarski, owner of an online custom closet company that lets homeowners design and install their own closet systems. As the day winds

It's the big day, and host Kevin O'Connor arrives at the completed cottage in style (circa 1894) on a horse named "Daisy." Landscape contractor Roger Cook and master carpenter Norm Abram help him tie up at the new hitching post. Then Kevin catches up with homeowner Janet Bernard for a brief reflection on why the end of the project is bittersweet for her family, and is now more important than ever. Upstairs in the laundry area, home economist Lucinda Ottusch shows Kevin the latest in laundry technology: a washer that can sense how dirty the clothes are while handling 16 pair of jeans at once. Kevin meets lighting designer Susan Arnold to see her interior and exterior lighting choices and to get a demo of a new high-tech radio frequency lighting control system. Plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey shows Norm the finished bathrooms and mechanical room, including a central vacuum system that will help keep the air clean inside the house. Window treatment specialist Kara Robert

With their course set for historic and sunny Bermuda, host Kevin O' Connor and master carpenter Norm Abram set sail aboard the Island Raider in search of a winter project house. Once on shore, they zip through the narrow cobblestone streets of St. George on mopeds and arrive at Aunt Nea's Inn where they meet potential This Old House homeowners Andrea Dismont and Delaey Robinson - local innkeepers who want to fix up "Harbour View," a vacant and dilapidated circa 1805 Georgian-style home on their property. The house needs a lot of work, so Kevin meets up with local architect Colin Campbell at a recently renovated home in Pembroke to see if he thinks the project is viable. Meanwhile, Norm tracks down general contractor Alan Burland at a commercial job he's running in Hamilton, and Alan, an eleventh-generation Bermudian, assures Norm that he can handle the job. After weighing the pros and cons of working on a remote island 680 miles out at sea, Norm and Kevin tell Andrea and Delaey that al

Host Kevin O'Connor and master carpenter Norm Abram open the show in Southampton at Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, the highest point in Bermuda. Back in St. George, Kevin meets architect Colin Campbell to review his design plans for the renovation and expansion of Harbour View. Norm meets fourth generation quarry man Jonathan Cumberbatch in Smith's parish to see how native limestone is quarried and cut into roofing tiles known as "slate." At the project house, lead mason Dilton Cann shows Norm how he's using the slate, mortar, and cement wash to repair the extensive roof damage caused by hurricane Fabian. General contractor Alan Burland and job foreman John Richardson give Norm a progress tour: the former kitchen and second floor bath have been removed, the cedar roof rafters have been exposed and reinforced, excavation for the new addition is complete, and the window frames are being replaced. Homeowners Andrea Dismont and Delaey Robinson begin stripping their old Bermuda cedar window sash by

Host Kevin O'Connor and master carpenter Norm Abram welcome plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey to Bermuda in front of St. Peter's Church in St. George. Next door at Aunt Nea's Inn, Norm and Kevin meet homeowner Delaey Robinson to talk about the building permit and the budget. Across the street at Harbour View, general contractor Alan Burland shows Norm how he's using a steel beam to pick up the second floor load, while lead mason Dilton Cann shows Kevin how he's building new walls of the addition out of concrete block. To see how charming an old renovated Bermuda home can be, Alan shows Norm his carefully restored circa 1750 farmhouse in Somerset. Back at the project house, master plumber Gerald Smith shows Richard how two existing cisterns or "tanks" will collect rainwater from the roof to supply the house with drinking water. Kevin meets master electrician Noel Vanputten to see how the electrical rough-in is progressing on the old house (Bermuda stone) and the new addition

Master carpenter Norm Abram and host Kevin O'Connor open the show 120 feet below ground exploring the Crystal Caves of Bermuda. Back at Harbour View, Kevin finds project manager Alex DeCouto overseeing the prep and pour of the second floor deck on the addition. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey meets civil engineer Keith Claridge on a neighborhood roof to see how 95% of Bermudians obtain drinking water - by collecting rainwater in roof catchments and cisterns known as "tanks." They visit a massive military fort turned catchment, as well as a modern reverse osmosis plant to see how the government supplements the water supply. Two weeks of rain might be good for the tank levels, but it's bad for the construction schedule, so foreman John Richardson shows Norm and Kevin how work has progressed on the interior of the house, despite the rain. Then, Norm visits the general contractor's mill shop and volunteers to help out by building a cedar mantel for Harbour View's dining room

Master carpenter Norm Abram welcomes general contractor Tom Silva to the island by getting him properly outfitted in the "full Bermuda." Host Kevin O'Connor meets homeowners Delaey Robinson and Andrea Dismont at Aunt Nea's Inn to see how they are managing the renovation while operating the circa 1780 guest house and raising two young boys. They show Kevin the historic mantel they'd like Norm to replicate for their new home. Across the street at the jobsite, Kevin finds foreman John Richardson and lead mason Dilton Cann pouring the bond beam that will unify the structure of the new addition and bear the load of the new stone roof. While measuring for the job, Norm and Tom decide that the firebox needs to be rebuilt to accommodate the new mantle. Worried about time and resources, project manager Alex DeCouto reluctantly agrees to add the masonry work to his list. Kevin meets curator Hugh Davidson for a tour of Verdmont, a house that has not been altered in 300 years, that features an ext

There are only three weeks left on the job, and any materials and products not already aboard a ship to Bermuda are not going to make it in time. So master carpenter Norm Abram and host Kevin O'Connor head down to the docks of Hamilton to greet the "Bermuda Islander" container ship, just in from New Jersey. Back at Harbour View, Kevin meets project manager Alex DeCouto for an update: landscaping has begun in the south court, the verandah is framed in, and the second floor walls are up. In the basement, Norm finds HVAC contractor Steven Cardoza installing a new high-efficiency heating and cooling system that uses an environmentally responsible refrigerant that won' t deplete the ozone layer. Up in the kitchen, Kevin meets interior designer Michele Smith for a preview of the kitchen elevations. Then, homeowner Andrea Dismont and job foreman John Richardson show Kevin their recently discovered treasure - an 1884 gold sovereign found beneath the dining room floor. Kevin meets Dr. Ed Harris

After welcoming landscape contractor Roger Cook to Bermuda, host Kevin O'Connor and master carpenter Norm Abram meet with project manager Alex DeCouto in the North court to see the scaffolding down, the old building painted and the landscaping well underway. Inside, Alex shows Norm the new cedar French doors and oiled bronze hardware - an ideal combination for this seaside location. Kevin finds kitchen contractor Mark Henneberger finishing up the countertop install - it' s a new quartz material that is non-porous, two times stronger than granite, maintenance free, and carries a 10-year warranty. In the upstairs hall, Kevin finds interiors specialist Jennifra Gray installing a faux Bermuda stone - it's closed cell polymer that gives the look of natural limestone without the maintenance issues or cost. Then, Alex and Norm meet tiling contractor Gene Aitkin to see his work in the boys' bathroom, and the progress on the master bath, which has been slow due to last-minute changes and additi

It's the day before the wrap, and host Kevin O'Connor finds homeowner Delaey Robinson believing in miracles, standing in his new state-of-the-art kitchen, which was a water-damaged storage room only four short months ago. He shows Kevin a stainless steel task sink, professional style range, and 48" refrigerator, as well as a snap-together indoor/outdoor hardwood floor for the entryway. Upstairs, Kevin finds homeowner Andrea Dismont setting up a custom closet system in the master suite. Then, she shows Kevin another space saver - a stackable front-loading washer and dryer in the new laundry closet. Master carpenter Norm Abram meets exterior shutter expert Fritz Brenner to see the new pulltruded fiberglass Bermuda shutters -they're custom made, factory-finished, and resistant to rot. Window treatment installer JC Lehren shows Kevin the interior plantation shutters going up in the master bedroom. Then, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows Kevin the progress in the master ba