"TOH: Dorchester" (1979) All 13 Episodes

The series premiere opens with Bob Vila welcoming the viewers to This Old House. The series will reveal the many steps involved in rehabbing an old house into a family home. Rehabbing is a combination of restoring and renovating, from demolition to decoration. This single-family residence was built around 1860 in a style that was very popular in the Victorian era. Real estate appraiser John Hewitt helps Bob appraise the house. They survey the condition of the exterior, including the mansard roof, clapboards, windows, gutters, garage, and foundation. They assess whether or not the features are worth repairing or replacing. The house is situated on a quarter acre of land next to Saint Peter's church, which was built in 1870, and across the street from the first meetinghouse of Boston. Thirty years ago, the owner, a doctor, built a new entrance, which is in good shape. Inside, they look at the condition of each room. The ceilings are in poor shape and will need to be replaced. The fireplaces can be cleaned and repaired. The woodwork all matches in the old entryway and can be kept. The kitchen is a good size but will need a complete makeover. The bedrooms on the second floor are large and sunny. The bathroom is a disaster. The third floor is partly redone, and a caretaker will occupy it while the home is being rehabbed. John appraises the home for $16,000 to $17,000 in its current condition. Real estate broker John Crosby describes the home's biggest selling points as well as the weaknesses. Down in the basement, John Hewett assesses the condition of the copper pipes and a crawl space under the kitchen. The electrical box needs a major update for safety. The heating system needs to be replaced.

Bob Vila talks with Norm Abram, who makes his first appearance on This Old House, talking about rot in the eaves. The gutters were improperly installed and allowed water to get into the house. The brackets are also water damaged because water got into the soffit. On the roof, boards near the edge will need to be replaced, and new shingles must be added. Bonnie Shatsky Hammer, This Old House associate producer, discusses the history of the house. John Parks originally owned the land in 1818. The house ownership traces back to 1861, to Eliza T. Clapp, a writer. The Clapp family developed a large portion of Dorchester. In 1932, during the depression, the house was taken over by the bank. In 1937, the bank sold it to Arthur T. Ronen, a prominent surgeon, who lived there until 1965. Bonnie and Bob look at an old image of the house and determine when renovations were completed. Back outside, Bob takes a look at the exterior demolition work. Inside, Bob tells us about the plans for the kitchen. When planning a kitchen it is important to take into account traffic patterns and workspace area. He proposes combining the kitchen with the existing dining room, and turning one of the parlor rooms into a formal dining room. We take a look at the blueprints. Ross McDonald, an energy auditor, talks about the gross energy deficiencies of the building. He recommends adding insulation and closing leaks. The main problems are heat loss and a lack of heat supply. Fifty percent of the heat produced is being lost. Ross recommends speaking with a heat engineer and retrofitting for energy efficiency. There is a lot of demolition to be done at this old house. Bob talks about renting a dumpster for a large demo job. To do the demo work yourself, Bob recommends a few key tools: gloves, hat, facemask, claw hammer, sledgehammer, flat bar, and a crow bar. Bob tackles the demolition of the small downstairs powder room.

Bob talks about the demolition work that has taken place and the problems they have encountered so far. The roof has significant rot damage and will cost more time and money. He explains the plan to make the porch look like it did originally 100 years ago—before the doctor's office entrance was added. As a guide, they can look at a house across the street that is a similar style and was built at the same time. That house gives them an idea of what a simple façade the project house once had. Another problem has been freezing pipes due to the cold weather in Boston. The house is six feet higher than the street level and the water main. The plumber hasn't been able to dislodge the ice in the pipes, so they might have to dig down into the ground. A lead pipe will have to be replaced. Bob goes inside to look at the progress of the demolition work. The "box" or the doctor's office entrance will eventually be removed and a new wall and window will replace it. All the demolition inside is completed. The only structural problem encountered is underneath the upstairs bathroom. The indoor plumbing ruined the rafters underneath it. In the kitchen area, Bob shows us where a new first floor bathroom will be located. He shows us where a wall will be removed between the kitchen and current dining room to create a family kitchen dining area. The kitchen is full of problems. It was an addition to the house and has structural issues with the walls, including surface rot on the studs. The previous exterior door will be closed off and they are creating a new door. Temporary roof supports were put in place to support the roof while they remove the wall. Norm Abram and the crew take the wall down and dump them. Bob takes a look at the new wall that has already been built. Norm and the crew move the new wall into place. A new wooden deck will eventually be installed in the area outside the kitchen. Douglass Shand-Tucci, an expert on Victorian architecture, talks more about the history of Dorchester, Massachusetts. We learn about the meetinghouse and St. Peter's church. The project house is situated between the two landmarks. Upstairs, Bob discusses the plan to convert the current bathroom into a master bathroom. They will also add a bathroom and laundry room into an existing bedroom that is too small to function as a bedroom.

Bob shares the updates on the changes to the renovation plans. Bob talks with Dave Novice, insulation contractor with Con-Serv, about the insulation plan. They have already insulated the roof and today they are blowing in cellulose insulation into the cavities in the Mansard roof area. They take a look at the machine that will be used and the insulation material—recycled newsprint. Rodents and insects do not like this material because of the print and chemicals used on it. Cellulose is a better buy than fiberglass. The soffit area will remain empty so they will need to install midget vents to move moisture out. Bob makes his way down to the kitchen to discuss the plan changes. All the walls in the kitchen addition are now new. They must add more support to the ceiling where the old archway used to be. This changes the original plan slightly and now the fridge and stove areas will be swapped. He shows where a kitchen island will now be built. Bob knocks down a piece of a wall, creating a doorway that will connect the kitchen family area to a new formal dining area. We move on into the living room where Norm shows us a new wall they built and how the old wall is out of alignment. They move outside to see how the mismatched walls are very visible outside. Norm shows Bob how they will use a pulley to crank the old wall back into position, about an inch and a half. Ron Trethewey shows Bob how they need to remove the old furnace and what the new heating system will be: a gas fire boiler. They look at the new cast-iron, energy-saving unit. The whole house will be forced hot water with gas. There will be four heating zones in the house instead of only one. The plumbing crew knocks the old, heavy boiler out of place and it will be broken up in pieces to be removed. Ron shows Bob where a utility sink will be added. They look at the pipes and how they will need to rearrange the plumbing and install new PVC piping. Bob and Ron move upstairs to the kitchen and look at the area where the new half bath will be. There will be no window in this half bath, so it will need a light fan unit with a vent to the outside. In the kitchen, the sink and dishwasher will be on the outside wall under a window and above an unheated crawl space. Bob is worried about frozen pipes, but Ron shows him how the water piping will be protected outside the finished wall. They also discuss the water supply needed for the fridge and the gas line for the new range. Ron also looks at the plans for the upstairs bathrooms. There will be a completely new drainage system including a floor drain to protect the floor from a potential overflow on the laundry area. Ron gives an estimate of 12 days and $3,500 just for labor to complete the upstairs bathroom work.

Bob shares a circa-1922 to 1938 photo of the house's front exterior sent in by a former resident. It shows that several elements considered original were added on later, including a triple window and bathroom window. Inside, John explains why a plumbing waystack won't fit inside living room walls, as planned. Bob shows how an additional coat closet will hide the pipe and provide storage space for guests. Then, Bob demonstrates how the crew will level uneven framing before installing new ceilings. Bob walks through the layout of kitchen elements, lighting, and wiring. Then, he heads outside to help Norm and Greg replace an old bulkhead doorframe with a new waterproof, steel frame. Bob answers questions from reader mail.

Blue board and cast-iron bathtubs are delivered with the help of a boom truck. Norm shows Bob weatherproofing techniques on the mansard roof, including a metal drip edge and rolled roofing to prevent ice buildup beneath shingles. We get a closer look at refurbished medallions and new trim along the eave line. Inside, Bob and Adam talk about plans to turn two bedroom closets into one with a pair of space saving bypass doors. Joe walks Bob through the heating plan for the house, and shows him the water heater and heating plant in the basement. Bob revisits the roof and helps Norm install an insulated skylight over the kitchen. Back inside, Bob checks up on the closet construction in the bedroom. Then Bob answers some reader mail.

Plasterers, roofers, and carpenters are hard at work on the jobsite. Bob visits the top-tier roof, where Dave shows him how patching a damage section of the tar-and-gravel roof saves the crew from replacing the top section of roof. He also points out that the brick chimney will be repointed instead of replaced. Bob climbs down to the kitchen roof, where Mike explains the reroofing process. In the kitchen, the blue board is installed and joints are beaded and scratched. Sal shows Bob the proper technique for plastering the walls and ceilings, and Bob gives plastering a try. Outside, Bob takes a look at the framed front porch and demonstrates installing Fir boards for the decking. He discusses options for building a foundation beneath the porch, which will be determined by budget. While he's outside, Bob explains that the old lead water line cannot be dug up with machines because of rocky soil. Instead, it will have to be hand dug and the process will require tearing up a concrete walkway and brick steps leading to the sidewalk. Back on the kitchen roof, Mike and his crew are installing the flashing, applying hot tar, and spreading gravel.

Bob visits the brick standalone garage in an area of the yard that we haven't previously seen this season. He talks about plans to update the windows and doors. Inside the garage, he shows that there is room for a car and workshop. At the back of the house, Bob shows the existing back deck and reveals the plans for a two-level deck. Then, Dave shows Bob how the crew is removing exterior clapboards to make room for drilling holes where they will blow cellulose insulation into the bathroom wall cavity. In the crawl space beneath the kitchen, a crew member installs fiberglass batting between kitchen floor joists. That installation and a layer of polyethylene sheeting on the bare ground will keep the kitchen above dry and safe from dirt and humidity. In the kitchen, Bob admires the complete plasterwork on the walls and ceilings. Norm walks Bob through window trim installation on a kitchen window. Judy shows Bob her technique for determining original paint colors and shares her findings for the project house. Then, Bob addresses a viewer letter about safety concerns.

Bob tours the town of Dorchester beginning in Ronan Park, a spacious recreation area with views of Dorchester Bay. Carl drives Bob around the neighborhood to see various styles homes, including turn of the century triple decker, multi-family homes and single family Cape Codes, Victorians, and Queen Anne-style houses. Bob and Carl arrive at the Dorchester house to find that work on the deck and its foundation is underway. Norm explains how the deck supports are built and the concrete footings are poured. The wood framework for the two-level deck is just beginning. Bob heads to the front of the home to discuss how the crew safely strips lead paint from the exterior of the project house, outlining the precautions that need to be taken. He demonstrated how to scrap and sand the paint from the wood clapboards. Inside, we take a look at how the old window sashes are being repaired. In the bathroom Paul is finished the installation for the master bathroom tub surround. He introduces us to an alternative to ceramic wall tile and his brother Tom demonstrates the installation.

In the tenth week of construction new clapboards are going up on the house exterior in place of damages ones. Norm installs red cedar boards and explains how to replace split boards. Bob joins Phyllis Anderson, a landscape designer, on a tour of the exterior lot. They determine which existing trees and shrubs can be salvaged and which need to be removed. Phyllis talks about plans to raise a wood fence around the perimeter of the grounds. Inside, new kitchen cabinets are going in. Bob walks us through the layout for the kitchen. He and Norm screw in the top row of cabinets. The Mayor of Boston, Kevin White, pays a visit to the house. He discussed taxes, crime, and home affordability in the city of Boston.