A look at a house that needs enlarging, located in the Miami suburb of Kendall, Florida. Architect Laurinda Spear offers some ideas with a tropical theme.
Bob Vila inspects the Miami work site to determine the impact of the tropical climate on building methods.
The walls are constructed by stacking styrofoam forms and filling them with concrete.
The work on the roof is checked and plans for the garden are reviewed. Also: preparations are made for applying stucco to the wall of the addition.
A stucco finish is chosen for the exterior and the old interior walls are demolished. Also: a tour of a Spanish monastery transported stone by stone to Florida by William Randolph Hearst.
The new floor is integrated with the old and work is begun on a family-room partition. Also: the installation of a new air-conditioning unit and roof insulation.
After the exterior demolition, host Bob Vila helps install a glass-block window between the lanai and the bathroom. Also: he tours a restaurant kitchen at a local Cuban-American eatery.
A spa is installed on the lanai and the partition is given a wood-grain finish. Also: fabricating a stained-glass window shaped like a slice of tropical fruit.
Bob Vila helps install tile with a coral look on the lanai deck, while mosaic tile goes indoors. Also: using a finishing sander.
Bob Vila oversees the planting of palm trees, then shows how to protect work surfaces when using adhesives.
Painting stucco walls and finding the right workbench.
A shelf system is installed in the pantry and new sod is laid in the yard. Also: special blades for tablesaws.
Work on the home is completed. Host Bob Vila displays the family room, kitchen and outdoor spa. Also: tips on using radial saws for bevels, rip cuts and specialty work.
A new project, the remodeling of a Colonial Revival home, begins in Newton, MA. The owners' goal is to increase their living space while keeping to a strict budget.
Building a foundation including forming, cement pouring, inspection, sill work and backfilling. Also: Bob Vila visits a cement firm to see how the material is made to order for the job.
A course in framing partitions (including layout, measuring, cutting and assembling) as the second floor takes shape at the project in Newton, MA.
A demonstration of the way to install roofing shingles around a skylight to avoid leaks. Also: a new gutter is attached to the roof of the Newton addition.
Bob Vila discusses the appropriate way to sweat a copper joint. Also: breaking through a wall to create a door as well as correct window installation.
Work continues on the family room ceiling, and host Bob Vila demonstrates how to apply skimcoat plaster. Also: tips on attaching red cedar shingles to exterior walls.
Making the cuts for interior baseboard molding and window trim, plus constructing the steps and porch for a new entry. Also: a visit to a contractor's workshop to see how specialty molding is milled.
To save money, Bob Vila uses sections of an old deck to build a new one.
Constructing shelves, installing a window seat, and adding a sliding door.
Tips on interior painting and a visit to a paint factory to see how paint is made. Also: installing bathroom tile and pressure-washing a deck.
Low-cost landscaping, carpet installation, and choosing flooring for a family room. Also: last-minute details on the Newton project.
A look at the finished family room and master bedroom suite.