This Old House Hour — Season 16
## The Acton House & The Napa Valley House: Season Overview Prepare to be swept away by two captivating stories unfolding within stunning estates – *The Acton House* and *The Napa Valley House*. This season delves into the lives of families grappling with secrets, ambition, and the enduring power of legacy. *The Acton House* introduces us to a prominent Boston family whose carefully constructed world begins to unravel as long-buried truths surface, threatening to shatter their reputation and expose hidden vulnerabilities. As old alliances are tested and new rivalries ignite, the family must confront uncomfortable realities and fight to protect what remains of their empire. Meanwhile, in the sun-drenched vineyards of Napa Valley, *The Napa Valley House* explores a close-knit clan whose passion for winemaking masks simmering tensions and complex relationships. When unexpected challenges arise within the family business and personal lives intertwine, loyalties are questioned, and the future of their cherished estate hangs precariously in the balance. Both houses promise a season filled with compelling characters, breathtaking scenery, and dramatic twists as these families navigate love, loss, and the enduring weight of expectation.
The season opens with a visit to the Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts, the oldest surviving wood-frame dwelling in the country, constructed in 1636. Next, we travel to the season’s primary project: a 1710 colonial in Action, Massach…
Dawn finds the crew relocating the aging milk shed to a new location on the grounds. Inside, Richard Trethewey has conducted an energy audit, concluding that the existing heating system can adequately serve the expanded space with the addit…
Terry Maitland, the homeowner, felled a tree to prepare the site for the new foundation. Meanwhile, the crew carefully marked the excavation lines with a compact laser level. Excavation contractor Herb Brockert arrived to begin digging, whi…
We explore the recently demolished rear sections of the house, noting the inadequacy of their original framing. Ahead of the new foundation, the crew secures the gable end of the old structure with engineered lumber "pins," braced from both…
The lumber – both traditional and engineered varieties – has now arrived on the property, and the crew commences attaching the sill to the foundation. Terry Maitland lays down fiberboard to safeguard his existing floors during the renovatio…
The construction crew presses on with the addition, carefully lowering a substantial steel beam into position to support the upper floor. A carpenter demonstrates a pneumatic tool used for securing metal hangers to the framing. Meanwhile, t…
The addition's lightweight construction is evident, appearing to harmonize well with the existing structure. Inside, Tom Silva demonstrates the installation of lightweight steel partition walls, while Sima Maitland examines the new windows …
The addition begins to take shape, clad in redwood clapboards – finger-jointed and preprimed – as our general contractor demonstrates a technique using a "story pole" to ensure even spacing. Our master carpenter outlines the complexities of…
Considering new windows for the historic building, our master carpenter suggests that restoring the aged clapboard siding on the front might be a more practical approach than adapting the window trim to fit the existing wood. On the western…
Tom Silva documents the advancement of the roof replacement, beginning with the removal of the old shingles and plywood sheathing, followed by the installation of new shingles and ridge vent. At ground level, the original clapboard siding h…
Terry and Sima Maitland contemplated exterior paint choices, ultimately deciding on a pumpkin hue for the field and cream for the trim. They considered a few details of the farmer's porch that might require further thought: a post abutting …
Tom Silva assesses the custom v-gutter he crafted for the front porch before leading us through the house, detailing his preparations for the spray-in insulation. Many of these are standard for any insulation project: vent chutes to maintai…
Terry diligently caulked the weathered clapboards of the west gable, preparing for the final coat of paint. Painter George Hourihan applied a glossy latex topcoat to the body and trim. We followed mason Lenny Belleveau as he dismantled and …
A propane tank has been installed for cooking and drying purposes. Inside, the wallboard is complete, and plasterwork is underway on the ceiling. Tom Silva demonstrates a new vacuum sander, expertly smoothing the taped seams of the drywall.…
We found Jeff Hosking there, installing salvaged floorboards he’d unearthed from a yard in New Hampshire. He spoke of the difficulties inherent in working with such reclaimed material, demonstrating a stationary double-drum sander he employ…
The team installs the new front door. Kitchen designer Glenn Berger offers a tour of the renovated kitchen, and our host journeys to the Bath, Maine showroom and workshop where it was crafted. There, Glenn examines the restaurant-style rang…
The host found installer Michael Griffiths carefully positioning a carpet for the master suite. Crafted from recycled soda bottles, the flooring was a testament to sustainable design. Inside, he met Tom Silva, who gestured towards the dinin…
The project nears completion. We find the telephone company installing a new multi-pair line into the house, freeing the west gable from overhead wires. Landscape architect Tom Wirth uses a scale model to assist Terry Maitland in determinin…
The journey takes them west, to California's Napa Valley and a farmhouse dating back to around 1906, owned by Dennis Duffy. Largely preserved from the last few decades, the house requires a significant update: a new, larger, and more lumino…
Construction has commenced on the Duffy residence, with Jim Nolan's crew dismantling the back porch using a backhoe. We then visit architect Jon Lail's office to examine the planned kitchen addition, experiencing a "virtual reality" walkthr…
Following days of relentless rain and flooding, Napa Valley—and the construction site itself—lies in a sodden state. The program begins in downtown Napa, protected by sandbags, before moving to the job. There, foreman Jeff Castille and his …
The program opens with a visit to Trefethen Vineyards, Napa Valley's oldest winery, distinguished by its historic wooden structure and gravity-fed production. There, our master carpenter meets plumber George Biter, who demonstrates his work…
Before proceeding to a bustling construction site, we paused to observe the mustard plants flourishing in a vineyard adjacent to the farmhouse. There, contractor Jim Nolan explained the extensive efforts required to preserve the old front p…
The construction site shows remarkable advancement, and we take a tour of the exterior with Jim Nolan. We observe fir decking, refined trim details, classic redwood siding, and a synthetic stone facing for the foundation. Elsewhere, our mas…
The program begins at Clos Pegase, a winery conceived by the renowned architect Michael Graves. Despite persistent rain, work continues on the property. The master carpenter completes the installation of the solid-surface countertop, while …
The final day dawns on a vista, the first clear sky in a week revealing the progress made. Here, painters apply the final coat to the exterior, while carpenters meticulously cut the last trim pieces. Architect Jon Lail is present, overseein…
