Bob Vila begins a brand new project in the heart of South Carolina's low country where the focus is on community living.

Work continues on the first floor, as the walls are framed throughout. Also: a tour of the Clemson University high-wind test house, built to demonstrate new building techniques for hurricane safety.

Bob tours the neighborhood of I'On, built around a myriad of architectural styles and designs. Meanwhile, construction on the roof of the project house continues.

Masons go to work constructing the fireplace, while columns are put into place on the porch.

With new windows and French doors being installed, Bob Vila helps apply exterior siding and cedar trim.

Custom-made garage doors are installed along with a skylight above the family room.

The framing inspector visits the project site, and contractors put in a pre-built stairway.

Traditional shutters go up on the front porch, and tile work begins in the bathroom.

The plasterer is hard at work and in the dining room, the carpenter is doing the trim. In the garage, insulation is put in.

Landscaping begins and a granite vanity top is installed in the first-floor bathroom. Also: a tour Middleton Place, home to exquisite gardens.

In the the kitchen, cabinets and appliances are installed, while painters work using historically accurate colors upstairs.

Workers install the reclaimed lumber living room floor, hang handmade lanterns on the porch, and install new Energy Star appliances.

Bob Vila tours the completed home, evaluating the landscaping, exterior, and decorated interior, which local designer Carolyn Griffith is on hand to explain.

In the historic Elmwood neighborhood of Providence, RI, Bob talks with Mary Turkel and Bob Major (from the Providence Preservation Cooperative) about the changes taking place in the area. Bob also meets Jane and Luke Driver, whose kitchen renovation is one of the smaller scale projects Bob plans to cover. As demolition work begins, so too does plumbing and electrical. Also to come is a new kitchen floor made from reclaimed Pine.

At the Gothic Carpenter-style home in the Elmwood neighborhood of Providence, RI, plaster and blue board are going up, and the pine floor is going down. In addition to a granite countertop, new Whirlpool appliances are installed. Other new features in the kitchen include Shrock cabinets, a Vermont Castings gas stove, and lighting design (from Markus Earley) that depends on Restoration-style fixtures from Rejuvenation Lamp & Fixture Co. Outside, contractor Brian Wiggin completes the new deck.

Bob visits Pat and Roger Simons, homeowners undertaking a bathroom renovation. The plan is to redesign the layout, but keep some of the original features-- the mosaic tiles in the floor, for example. Bob helps Terry Bates (from Mult-R) with the demolition, and carpenter Bob Ryley is on hand to help with the insulation. A new tub is put in, along with a new stackable washer/dryer. Lighting designer Markus Earley talks about the lighting in the new bathroom, plus an innovative hydronic heating system. Last, Bob goes to Pat's studio, where her daughter, PK, is helping create a beautiful tile mural that will go in the shower.

The third Elmwood project surrounds the addition of a sunroof and hot tub to an eclectic home in the neighborhood, often referred to as as the "castle" or the "haunted house." Homeowners Peter Karczmar and Cathy Lund have been working with restoration contractor Joe Wagner. Joe has done a great deal of work in the sunroom to reinforce the deck above, so it can support a hot tub. (Also, Forester Moulding has created reproductions of the deck's original railings).

Bob joins homeowner Judi Lee for a restoration project involving a side "bench porch" that has been badly damaged by water and decay. Carpenters Bob Ryley and Terry Bates are on site, and, before starting demolition, Terry explains the scope of the job. Next, Bob checks in with Amadeo DiRocco, who is doing some masonry foundation repair. Terry continues work with new shingles, new railings from Forester Moulding, and new Chadsworth's columns. Steps are taken to prevent future water damage to the richly-hued exterior. And last, a new screen door is hung, right as the landscaping (including the installation of a new sprinkler system) gets underway.

At the sixth Elmwood neighborhood project house, Bob meets Berry-Jean Murray and Celeste Duclos, the owners of a Victorian home with a front porch under restoration. Carpenters Bob Ryley and Terry Bates are underway doing demolition work and have removed the porch's old columns. Next, the new decking is installed, along with new columns and railings. New lighting will be put in, as well a new alarm. Plus, landscaping work is being done, and a new sprinkler system being added. Additional information is available about creating custom millwork for your own restoration project. Preventing carpenter ants and controlling termite infestation are also covered.

Bob meets Robert and Krystal Emanuel, owners of a Shingle-style home that needs a new roof, new sidewall shingles, and a renovation of the front porch. The construction team begins by applying the Georgia Pacific roofing shingles, while Bob talks to Homer Earle (from the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau) and Johannes Boonstra (from Sikkens). They discuss sidewall shingles, as carpenter Bob Ryley works at installing them. On the porch, the columns are being stripped, and work on the landscape and hardscape gets underway. Bob takes a tour of the Architectural Brass shop, where the new door fixtures are being fabricated.

Bob joins homeowner Jim Verity, whose front and side porch are under renovation. On the side of the house, Contractor Steve Barnes has begun demolition, and new LVLs and floor joists are going in. Out front, Bob talks with the installer and Bill Hopkins (from Forester Moulding and Lumber) about the new front railing. All the while, landscape work is underway-- hydroseeding and installation of a new sprinkler and security systems.

Paul Stark and Amelia Henderson are the owners of the ninth Elmwood neighborhood project house. They plan to convert the front porch into an outdoor entertainment area. Bob talks with architect Alan Berry about his plans for the porch, and contractor Terry Bates gets demolition underway. Carpenter Bob Ryley helps with the ceiling joists, and he and Bob talk about the new columns that have gone up. The front façade is getting a new paint job, and Randy Withers (from Withers Custom Shutters) and Bob discuss the shutters. Landscape work takes place, including the creation of a cobblestone edgeway and installation of a new sprinkler system. Finally, Bob tours the finished porch with the homeowners. Pier 1 furniture and an outdoor sound system from Sonance are featured. Additional information is available about hydroseeding lawns and creating custom millwork.

The owner of the tenth Elmwood neighborhood project house, Brent Bachelder, wants to turn the home's attic into a recreation space. Bob joins during the demolition process, before new LVLs and windows are installed. Next, a striking new acrylic bathroom wall goes up, followed by plumbing, HVAC work, and floor repair. Finally, Bob learns about the new Surell countertops that are going in and concludes with a tour of the finished space.

Homeowner Don DeSantis wants to create a workout room, complete with a whirlpool tub, in the attic of his home, the eleventh Elmwood neighborhood project house. What was once an apartment will be turned into an open area. Next, Bob learns about the new rubber slate roof, before the hot tub is craned in and placed in the turret area. After a new SpacePak central air conditioning system is installed, Bob talks to Jan Jones (from Mr. Tub) about the new spa.

Bob continues to watch over the conversion of the attic into a workout area, complete with whirlpool tub. Workers from the Melrose Group explain to Bob the difficult process of renovating the turret space. Bob takes a final tour of the finished projects throughout the Elmwood neighborhood. Then, back in the workout room, he takes a look at the finishing touches, including fiber-optic lights, sound system, and Gymsource fitness equipment.