Season 9

1998-09-07

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

1998-09-14

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.

1998-09-21

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

1998-09-28

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.

1998-09-28

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

1998-10-12

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.

1998-10-19

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

1998-10-26

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

1998-11-02

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.

1998-11-09

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

1998-11-16

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

1998-11-23

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

1998-11-30

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

1998-12-07

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.

1998-12-14

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

1998-12-21

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.

1998-12-28

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

1999-01-04

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.

1999-01-11

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

1999-01-18

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

1999-01-25

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

1999-02-01

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.

1999-02-08

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.

1999-02-15

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.

1999-02-22

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

1999-03-01

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