Previous episode: S42 E14 | Next episode: S42 E16 In this episode: It’s almost time to wrap the project, but there is still much to be done. This week the crew spends time helping out in the kitchen starting with the crown molding. Kevin O’Connor and Tom Silva tackle the last stretch of molding before it’s time to surrender the project to the homeowners. A unique feature of this particular kitchen is the pantry....
Even if you live in a cozy apartment, working from home doesn’t mean you have to settle for a subpar office space—there are plenty of ways you can transform your home to meet your professional needs. These small home office tips will help you create the workspace of your dreams. Make the Room Look Bigger When designing a small office, you’ll want to choose furniture that isn’t bulky and can be tucked away against walls....
The mid-century-modern house that the TOH team is tackling in Brookline has a flat overhanging roof, an architectural element typical of the style, but one that can be prone to dry rot caused by standing water on the roof. For the renovation, the homeowners and their architect chose a low-maintenance rubber roof. TOH general contractor Tom Silva and home builder Charlie Silva made sure the PVC roofing was installed properly at every step of the way—including a drip edge and PVC soffits and fascia—to minimize the chance of water ever causing a problem....
Roofs are considered one of the most critical components of your house. They shed the water that would otherwise cause every other part of your house to fail. As important as roofs are, they rarely see a close inspection, either by building inspectors during construction or by home inspectors prior to a sale. Inspectors generally don’t venture onto roofs but instead look at them from the ground. That means whoever does the work needs the know-how and the integrity to do the job right....
America’s Test Kitchen reviews kitchen equipment and ingredients with the same rigor and curiosity that drive its recipe development process. The full-time editors on its tastings and testings team write only about products they’ve tested themselves. They don’t accept advertising or freebies, and their reviews are 100 percent unbiased in order to bypass the marketing hype and promote the best quality products. 1. Toddy Cold Brew System Get a coffeehouse-style coffee or tea served steaming hot or iced cold in the comfort of your home—and for much less than signature coffee drinks....
Hand Built Successful do-it-yourselfers share an important trait: a steadfast confidence that whatever they put their hand to will turn out well in the end—even if it takes a few attempts to get it just right. It’s an attitude that Jaime Costiglio has embraced since the first time she lowered the blade on her miter saw, 10 years ago. “That’s the great thing about DIY,” she says. “You always have the chance to do it over to get it exactly the way you want it....
During the mechanical phase of our Brookline project, Richard Trethewey met up with sewer and drain expert Charlie Brennick to explore the condition of the home’s existing drain line between the house and the city’s sewer main. In this case, because of the scope of the project, the local municipality required a full inspection of existing sewer line. Brennick uses specialty inspection equipment that records everything in high-definition. The camera has a self-leveling head and is equipped with a monitoring element that allows him to locate the head from above ground....
Professional home stagers know how to play up your house’s strengths, hide its flaws, and make it appealing to just about everyone. We talked to several pros across the country to get their tips for freshening up the rooms in your home without breaking your budget. 11 DIY Home Decorating Tips 1. Set The Tone at The Front Door If you want your house to make a great first impression, paint the front door a fun, glossy hue....
Adding an outlet to a room can be done without damage to your walls. In many cases, it’s much safer to add additional outlets to a room instead of using a power strip. As shown in this video, having a power strip in the room and any wires running under a carpet can be a hazard. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Do I Need an Electrician to Add an Outlet?...
Though not considered a precious metal, beautiful copper is of enormous value around the house—especially for the way it handles heat. Copper is an excellent insulator, and it expands and contracts minimally in response to fluctuating temperatures, making it well suited to plumbing and cooking. But as anyone who’s ever seen an old penny knows, copper’s rich orange-gold gleam can easily turn dull and dark, even taking on a chalky greenish cast, when exposed to oxygen and the elements....
This Old House master plumber Richard Trethewey once said in an interview, “We plumbers sometimes have a tough job. We get called in to diagnose sounds, smells, noises. And things that happen sometimes, but not all the time. And while you may need a plumber for certain noisy problems, if air is coming out of your water pipes, the fix may not require a house call from Richard. What Does Air in Water Pipes Sound Like?...
Previous episode: S44 E4 | Next episode: S44 E6 In this episode: With the interior demo and framing nearly complete, Kevin O’Connor gives a tour of the progress. The siding is also ready to be installed on the exterior. Kevin and builder Jerry Davis install cementitious siding on the new part of the house. To save as much of the original siding as possible, Tom Silva and siding installer Osvaldo Messias weave in new beveled pine siding on the old part of the house....
Explore our top choices, comprehensive buyer’s guide, and answers to common questions below. Compare the Best Tents Best Water Protection: Coleman Sundome Tent Best For Large Groups: Core Nine-Person Instant Cabin Tent Best Truck Tent: Rightline Gear Truck Tent Most Lightweight Tent: Wakeman Lightweight Two-Person Dome Tent Best Water Protection: Coleman Sundome Tent Pros and Cons ✔ Can withstand wind speeds up to 35 mph✔ Has a sturdy dome structure✔ Includes easy-to-follow instructions that are sewn into the carry bag...
1. DIY Map-Drawer Dresser The DIYer: Jenni Radosevich, a home-improvement fanatic who has been blogging about everything DIY on her website, I Spy DIY, for nearly a decade. The inspiration: “I needed some extra storage for off-season clothes in my guest room,” Jenni says. “I love the look of vintage map drawers, but their cost is crazy expensive.” How she did it: To hack the look of shallow map drawers, Jenni started with a simple white dresser from a big-box store....
Breakfast bars make great additions to kitchens of any size. They’re the perfect place to eat a bowl of cereal before work each morning. They’re handy for kids to get homework help while mom or dad cooks supper. And when friends and family come for a meal, a breakfast bar is the perfect location to lay out the spread, buffet style. Ways to Add a Breakfast Bar to Your Kitchen If you think a breakfast bar would be a bonus in your kitchen, check out these creative ways to add one to your home....
Leaf mold—a type of organic matter, not a fungus—is what you get when leaves are partially or completely decomposed, explains Dawn Pettinelli, a soil scientist and assistant extension educator at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. You use it like compost, but it’s a lot less work, and you don’t need to worry about food scraps attracting critters. Just rake all your leaves into one area of your yard—ideally where it’s not an eyesore, and wind won’t undo your work—and leave them be....
Steps to Replacing Your Sink: Turn the water to the faucet off at the shutoffs under the sink. Open the faucet to ensure the shutoffs hold. If they don’t, turn off the water at the water main. Use an adjustable open-end wrench to remove the supply hoses from the shutoff valves. Use adjustable pliers to disconnect the drain piping from the bottom of the sink. Use a screwdriver to loosen the clips that secure the sink to the countertop....
Previous episode: S42 E22 | Next episode: S42 E24 In this episode: Shortly before the fire, Homeowner Carol and her sister remodeled the three kitchens in the building with new floors, cabinets, appliances, and countertops. Almost all were destroyed in the fire, but the cabinets on the first floor survived. Today host Kevin O’Connor and general contractor Tom Silva are reinstalling them. With board and plaster up, we can start trimming the windows....
The word “varnish” is often used as a generic term for any type of wood finish, including polyurethane, lacquer, and shellac, but it technically refers to a specific combination of resins, oils, and solvents. Varnish has been around for centuries—in the beginning, the formula consisted of wood sap and alcohol—while polyurethane is a relatively modern invention made from synthetics. (Lacquer and shellac contain other ingredients and are generally used to achieve a specific look....
Whether you want to bring some nature into your urban environment or host candlelit soirees, the following ideas will help you to create the perfect vibe for your roof deck location. If you live in an apartment with a shared roof deck, be sure that your planned enhancements conform to your building’s rules before executing on them. 11 Roof Deck Design Ideas Light things up For evening gatherings, amp up the rooftop with lighting....
