This Old House

The season’s second project finds Norm and Kevin back on Cape Ann, in Essex, Massachusetts. John and Julie Corcoran hope to turn their 1935 English-style cottage into an accessible in-law residence.

The last details come together for the Cambridge project finale: Granite posts set off the landscape and the revived vintage doorbell crowns the foyer. Designers Dee Elms and Andrew Terrat make the sleek, white Scandinavian modern interior come alive. Homeowners Sally Peterson and John Stone, and the crew give a final salute!

Finishing touches are coming together: the driveway, walk-in closets, home automation and some remarkable wallpaper. Norm Abram visits local glass artist Carrie Gustafson, and Tom Silva’s helping homeowner John Stone build a workbench.

Roger Cook is getting the plants in; the hearth and woodbox are lined with sandstone. Norm Abram visits Paul Grothouse who’s fabricating the huge butcher block countertop. Richard Trethewey installs wall-mounted lavatory faucets.

Kevin O’Connor helps Roger Cook install plastic drywells to keep the yard from flooding and checks out the new cabinets with kitchen designer Kathy Marshall. We learn about programmable thermostats and ipe deck tiles that go right over an old deck.

Roger Cook installs granite steps, and Kevin O’Connor helps Tom Silva build a window seat and MDF doors disguised as wainscoting. Norm Abram works on the treads and newel cap on the stairs. Pine ceiling accents get whitewashed and lacquered.

Tom Silva shows Kevin O’Connor how he’s installing Southern yellow pine board accents in key spots to coordinate with the maple flooring that Norm Abram is installing. Tile is set the master bath, and the roof deck gets PVC porch boards and custom rail.

Kevin O’Connor and Norm Abram find the painters spraying the house a sunny yellow, while Tom Silva trims out the windows. Copper gutters and wood-burning fireplace go in, and homeowner Sally Peterson explores commercial-grade cooking appliances.

Kevin O’Connor meets plasterer Vito Bucco. Norm Abram and Tom Silva match the old shingle pattern. Kevin visits interior designers Andrew Terrat and Dee Elms. Radiant heat and the boiler are going in.

Roger replaces the front walk. Tom shows Kevin the replacement windows. A tile contractor uses a shower waterproofing system. Kevin sees a modern home in Brookline. A painting contractor starts prep.

A mason repoints the foundation. Norm and Tom repair the front porch. Kevin visits Community Rowing. Spray foam insulation begins in our balloon frame house.

Kevin joins Cambridge locals biking to work. An architect presents a plan for the yard. Tom removes steps to the roof deck. Roger tackles the stump from the maple. Plumbers use pipe to dull sound.

Tom works on the ceiling and fits a skylight. Kevin learns about our house's style in Fairfield. Norm shows the framing progress on the second floor. Richard arrives with ductwork.

Kevin visits an "eco" resale store in Springfield. Arborist Jack Kelly removes a sick maple. The architects show Kevin the plan, then visit a house down the street for design ideas.

This season, TOH turns a dark, divided 1887 two-family into an open, Scandinavian-style one-family.

Take a walk around This Old House TV's finished remodel in Barrington, Rhode Island

Norm and Kevin congratulate Andy on a job well done. Richard shares an advanced programmable thermostat. Solar shades are installed while the master closet now accommodates both his and hers space. Interior designer Lisa Newman Paratore shows off the final decor choices.

Light green grout is used with the glass tile backsplash. The garage gets an insulated steel door and storage system. A cable railing system is installed. A gas stove is installed in the living room. The new lighting design is shown.

A retractable awning is installed. Soapstone countertops get sealed with wax. Andy dresses the half-walls with oak caps and scotia molding. Light fixtures are made by New England blacksmiths. Floor warming goes in the master bath. Richard explains the ERV unit.

New concrete pavers are installed in the driveway. Norm visits a custom cabinetshop. The refrigerator panel is scribed to fit. The new soaking tub is set in plaster. The painting contractor tries out a "full spectrum" paint.

Brazilian hardwood garapa for the new deck; Red cedar shingles in a wave pattern; Kevin meets designer Lisa Newman Paratore at her shop. Norm sees the exterior decorative brackets and learns why polyurethane is a better choice than PVC.

A sustainable coastal landscape uses native plants and local sod. Metalsmiths install copper gutter and scupper. Ross Trethewey takes Kevin O’Connor to a lighthouse that’s also an off-the-grid bed and breakfast. Richard Trethewey sees the solar hot water system.

Andy Tiplady shows Kevin the red cedar shingles and flair. Richard Trethewey shows Kevin a hydronic system integrated with a solar hot water system. Solar panels provide electricity. Norm tours one of Newport’s famous mansions.

Builder Andy Tiplady shows Norm Abram the custom copper pan for flashing for the windows. Kevin visits the Hurricane Research Lab at the University of Florida. A clambake down on the beach.

New foundation is in place, and framing is underway. Andy and his crew prepare for Hurricane Irene. The neighborhood takes a hit. Kevin meets the Executive Director of the Coastal Resources Management Council, Grover Fugate.