Season 45 - Lexington Modern
This 1960s home with disjointed additions gets a modern update so the whole family can enjoy it together.
Customizing Accessibility Features at the Lexington Modern Project
Here’s how the Lexington project house owners are customizing accessibility features to support their son’s needs now—and in the future.
Installing a Geothermal Heat-Pump System at the Lexington Modern Project
At the Lexington Modern project, the crew installs the geothermal heat-pump system that will heat and cool the house.
Unveiling an Energy-Efficient, Fully Accessible Home in Lexington, MA
This Old House season 45’s Lexington Modern project wraps up in style, giving a family of five an energy-efficient, open-plan house with a renewed mid-century modern aesthetic and full accessibility.
S45 E16: Accessible Made Modern
Construction is complete on the renovation of a 1960 mid-century modern home made accessible for a family whose son has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The crew is back to check out the transformation.
Installing a Load Management Panel
Host Kevin O’Connor gets the lowdown on load management panels from master electrician Heath Eastman. These handy devices can keep electrical panels from overloading despite how much energy the home draws. Here’s what you need to know.
S45 E15: Judgement Day
A final review of the geothermal system in the newly completed mechanical room is done. Accessible kitchen appliances and a fire-rated door are installed. A blower door test is performed.
S45 E14: All in the Family
The homeowners sit down for an interview about their son's diagnosis with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The new metal staircase with floating oak treads is installed. The landscape is planted.
S45 E13: Install with Care
The new mechanical room is revealed. In-wall lights are installed at the front ramp. Inside, an offset drain and grab bars are installed in the son’s bathroom. A glass-blowing studio is visited.
S45 E12: Upcycled
Progress continues on the project house in Lexington. The elevator cab is built, and the kitchen island gets a decorative modern finish. Audio-visual technologies are explored for accessibility.
S45 E11: Electrical Bond
Bonding is installed for the therapy pool. The interior designer talks tile selections, and the entrance ramp is completed. Electrical work for the elevator begins. The therapy pool is craned in.
S45 E10: Seven Layer Floors
The interior subfloor is insulated with rigid foam. The homeowner goes shopping for door hardware. A single tile prep and waterproofing system and a motorized multi-slide door are installed.
S45 E9: Phased Out
The renovation has reached the halfway point. A lesson on stucco is given. The kitchen cabinet finish is revealed, the nickel gap siding is installed, and drainage for the back patio is addressed.
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S45 E8: Drop in the Gutter
A custom gutter is recessed into the roof overhang. The neighbor's house, one of three designed and built by the same original architect, is toured. New energy-efficient windows are installed.
S45 E7: Ramping Up
Repairs are made to the 1960 brick, including matching the original color and texture of the mortar. A DIY ramp is built, and nearby, a modern accessible house is toured. The roof trim is replaced.
S45 E6: Reworked and Rewired
Geothermal pipes are run into the house. Wood blocking is installed for the future mounting of assistive devices. The old receptacle boxes in the original brick walls are replaced without damage.
S45 E5: Gone Geo
Framing begins for a new zero-threshold sliding glass door. The geothermal heating and cooling system is explained and wells for the system begin at the house. The entrance gets a steel focal point.
S45 E4: Engineered for Accessibility
A lally column is removed and a larger ridge beam is installed to create an open kitchen and dining area. The homeowners choose hardscape finishes based on a 3D landscape design.
S45 E3: The Big Dig
A new mechanical space is being created out front and will be connected to the old mechanical space by a new concrete block wall. HVAC ducts are installed considering the new energy code.
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A Modern Home with a Mission: Exclusive Interview with Lexington Homeowners
Join the This Old House team as we follow an extensive renovation to make life easier for one young boy and his family. The team aims to make their home safer, more accessible, and easier to navigate for anyone with a mobility challenge, and the transformation of this modern midcentury home will be life-changing.
S45 E2: Shore We Can
Construction begins on the Lexington Modern project. The new architectural plan prioritizes accessibility. An accessibility solution showroom is toured. A new energy code affects the construction.
S45 E1: On a Mission
The crew starts a new project in Lexington, MA to renovate a home to be accessible for a young boy who has Muscular Dystrophy. They meet the homeowners and tour the project.
Modernizing a Mid-century House in Lexington, MA
A family turns to TOH to renovate a 1960 house that had been awkwardly expanded over time. Their goal: to create a contemporary, energy-efficient, open-plan home that is fully accessible for a son with mobility issues.
Lexington Modern | Front Exterior
Watch our 1960s modern project home in Lexington, MA get a much-needed update. See the work happening on the home's front exterior—in real time!