14 replies to this topic

[monsoon]

[Allan]

I happened upon the Charleston Rowhouse Project when I was in Boston, but that was just because we got lost.  LOL.  It was interesting to see in real life after seeing it on TV.

[tocoto]

The Boston PBS station WGBH, is one of the oldest and best endowed PBS stations.  It started the "this old house program".  Originally, it was hosted by Bob Villa, but he moved on to commercial TV, and is still at it today.  That's why a lot of the shows are around Boston.  They have done shows all around the country at one time or another.

I have never seen one of the shows in the making.

[monsoon]

[Allan]

The problem is that This Old House will not give out the addresses to their projects to protect the owners' privacy.  So if you want to find them, you'll have to do some searching.  They do give clues in the shows a lot of times, you just have to keep you eye out for them.

The closest thing I've ever seen to a show in the making is their online webcam of the current project.

[Allan]

monsoon, on Jan 18 2004, 02:05 PM, said:

Thanks,  I always wondered if the places gained some noteriety once complete.

Actually since they remodeled that bungalow in Santa Barbara back in the 80s, the house has been featured on walking tours of the town.  So the projects do seem to get quite a bit of local recognition.

[Scott]

There is a house right up the street from me. I'll have to get a picture tomorrow.

[monsoon]

[Cotuit]

They did a house in Milton that was available to view for a while. It was something they auctioned off, or their was a contest. I don't remember. But there wasn't a home owner. Channel 2 bought the house, the crew redid it, and then someone got it somehow.

ETA: Back with some research so I don't sound like such a fool! Channel 2 bought it, the team renovated it, then they sold it off for $1.5 million.

The Milton House

[Allan]

monsoon, on Jan 19 2004, 07:16 PM, said:

That would be great Scott.  I would like to see it.   I don't regularly watch the show anymore, but I do remember the Santa Barbara episode mentioned above.   Also I remember the very first season that Steve Thomas came onboard and they did that timber frame house somewhere in Mass.  I think.  Are any of you familiar with that one?

Yep.  Well, actually I've seen ever single episode ever.  My parents had me watching the show since I was a baby.  In fact, there are some episodes I've seen probably 5 or 6 times.  I wonder how some of the project houses have changed over the years.

[monsoon]

[Allan]

monsoon, on Jan 20 2004, 08:14 PM, said:

Cotuit, I remember that particular house also.  One of the things that turned me away from the show is they started project that became way too large (IMO) for any homeowner to do.  Or out of reach of most people such as the apartment in London.

The projects have gotten so huge.  Like the $2 million renovation of the "summer cottage" in Manchester-by-the-Sea a year or two ago.  That was insane.  The projects don't seem to have budgets anymore.  I could see how it would turn people away from the show.

[Allan]

These days the word "budget" isn't in anyone on the show's vocabulary.  Whatever happened to an average homeowner doing a renovation?  Years ago budget was always a concern, but now the show has gotten to the point where money is no object at all.  Even the current project (the Concord Cottage) cost more than my entire 2300 sqft house on one acre of land does!  I realize that they spend a lot of attention to detail, and make sure everything is done just right; however, in doing so they have completely lost touch with the average person who is looking for ideas about building or remodeling a house, simply because the average person doesn't have limitless amounts of cash at their disposal like the people on the show seem to have.

[monsoon]