Season 9

Episodes

1. 1

   1. Accessible Home: Housing Project Introduced

   7 Sept 1998

   In a neighborhood outside of Boston, work begins on an affordable housing unit for a person with disabilities. Included: soil decontamination and foundation excavation.

2. 2

   2. Accessible Home: Framing and Shingling

   14 Sept 1998

   Asphalt shingles and flashing are added to the roof, and walls are prepped with special blocking for mounting safety handrails. Also: tips on paneling and working with a culturally diverse crew.

3. 3

   3. Accessible Home: Installing Siding

   21 Sept 1998

   A special weather- and fire-resistant siding is installed. Also: finishing the basement work and running electrical wiring.

4. 4

   4. Accessible Home: Insulation and Door Installation

   28 Sept 1998

   Insulation work is begun and trenches are dug for the new water service. Also: Boston Mayor Thomas Menino stops by to help install the front door.

5. 5

   5. Accessible Home: Designing for the Disabled

   28 Sept 1998

   Bob Vila talks with experts to understand the difference between adaptability and accessibility when designing homes for disabled people.

6. 6

   6. Accessible Home: Building the Railing System

   12 Oct 1998

   The railing system is built and integrated with the front porch columns. Also: a tour of Boston's Roxbury community, making a comeback from urban blight.

7. 7

   7. Accessible Home: Building the Railing System Stairs

   19 Oct 1998

   Landscaping begins, the modular stair system is anchored, and the front porch ramp is built.

8. 8

   8. Accessible Home: Installing a Tankless Water Heater

   26 Oct 1998

   Recessed lighting and a cost-effective tankless water heater are installed. Also: a tour of a lighting manufacturing plant.

9. 9

   9. Accessible Home: Shower Stall and Drywall

   2 Nov 1998

   Drywall goes up and plumbing begins on a shower stall designed for wheelchair users. Included: a field trip to learn about new trends in community living.

10. 10

    10. Accessible Home: Accessible Fixtures and Elevator

    9 Nov 1998

    The elevator is put in, and bathroom fixtures are installed along with hardware specially designed for people with disabilities.

11. 11

    11. Accessible Home: Energy Efficiency Discussion

    16 Nov 1998

    The energy-efficient boiler is installed, and Bob Vila heads to Germany for a tour of the plant where the boiler was made.

12. 12

    12. Accessible Home: Lockset Installation

    23 Nov 1998

    A specially designed lock set is installed, along with an energy-efficient, side-by-side washer-dryer.

13. 13

    13. Accessible Home: Accessible Unit Tour

    30 Nov 1998

    Bob Vila tours the completed unit, paying special attention to the wheelchair-accessible kitchen with energy-efficient appliances.

14. 14

    14. Loft Conversion: Loft Conversion Initial Tour

    7 Dec 1998

    Conversion of an old fur storage building into a residential loft begins in Boston's Leather District. Included: a walking tour of other well-preserved antique commercial buildings in the neighborhood.

15. 15

    15. Loft Conversion: Plumbing, Heating and the 'Big Dig'

    14 Dec 1998

    Installation of plumbing and heating begins. Included: a look at the progress of Boston's famous highway project, the 'Big Dig'.

16. 16

    16. Loft Conversion: Plastering the Loft

    21 Dec 1998

    Plastering is begun on the project, while Bob Vila takes a trip to Cambridge to meet a landscape architect who converted an industrial building into a spacious home and office.

17. 17

    17. Loft Conversion: Elevating the Kitchen and Bedroom

    28 Dec 1998

    A platform is built to raise the kitchen and bedroom above floor level. Included: a visit to a nearby finished loft.

18. 18

    18. Loft Conversion: Paint and Plate Glass Windows

    4 Jan 1999

    The entryway and foyer are painted, and the plate glass windows are replaced throughout. Work on the bathroom begins with shower tile installation and lavatory plumbing.

19. 19

    19. Loft Conversion: Framing a Wall With Built-in Cabinets

    11 Jan 1999

    Bob Vila addresses the challenge of framing and plastering a 48-foot wall with an almost imperceptible curve. Plus, built-in cabinets are constructed.

20. 20

    20. Loft Conversion: Installing Plumbing Fixtures

    18 Jan 1999

    The bathroom progresses with the installation of an electrically powered full-body shower tower, a dual-speed pressurized toilet, and a glass lavatory.

21. 21

    21. Loft Conversion: Installing Stainless Steel Countertops

    25 Jan 1999

    Installation of the restaurant-style kitchen is begun, and Bob Vila tours the fabrication shop where the steel materials being used were custom-made.

22. 22

    22. Loft Conversion: Drywall and Plastering Tips

    1 Feb 1999

    Bob Vila offers tips on installing precision drywall and plastering in tricky places. Plus, a bookshelf nook is built and stainless steel appliances are installed.

23. 23

    23. Loft Conversion: Installing Track Lighting

    8 Feb 1999

    Finishes are installed in the bathroom and elsewhere in the loft, track lighting is put in. Included: a tour of Lightolier's Tech Center to learn about the power of light to change the mood of a space.

24. 24

    24. Loft Conversion: Building a Closet System

    15 Feb 1999

    Architect Greg Rochlin is on-site to oversee the fabrication of the hallway closet system-- a multicolored design pieced together in Formica laminate. Lighting designer Markus Earley returns with some snazzy fixtures and controls, and the stackable Maytag washer/dryer unit is installed in the closet.

25. 25

    25. Loft Conversion: Kitchen Work and Shutters

    22 Feb 1999

    Work on the restaurant-style kitchen continues, as the wire shelving system is built and the stainless steel range hood is installed.

26. 26

    26. Loft Conversion: Loft Conversion Final Tour

    1 Mar 1999

    A tour of the completed conversion project begins with the building's restored facade and ends with the sixth-floor residential loft.