Episode Overview
In our 20th season of public television, we kick things off with the restoration of a Victorian home from 1886, which features a sizable addition from around 1915, located in Watertown, Massachusetts. This house, largely unchanged since its construction, has recently been acquired by a young couple, Christian Noen and Susan Denny, who fell in love with the charming neighborhood, spacious yard, and the affordability of the area. Together with the This Old House crew and designers Sandra and Tony Fairbank, they set out to tackle various issues, including a soggy basement, overgrown backyard, paint-covered siding, deteriorating chimneys, outdated heating and electrical systems, and a confusing floor plan that hides the home's impressive 5,000 square feet. The episode begins with the team exploring a potential project they ultimately decided against: a circa 1720 colonial that suffered extensive damage from a chimney fire. They investigate the remnants, highlighting the devastating impact of fire on a structure while discussing