This Old House

Roxbury; Coming Together (31x20)

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Host Kevin O'Connor arrives to find the construction trailer leaving the site, making way for the landscape work to begin. The roofing and siding of the house have been completed and the paneling on the front bay window has been recreated to resemble what might have been there originally. In the basement, plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey reviews the waste and water configuration of the two-family house, and meets HVAC contractor Abdul Barrie to see the new, high-efficiency two-stage hot air system he's installing. Throughout the house, spray foam insulation has been installed to keep that warm air inside. Host Kevin O'Connor visits the Fort Myers area in Florida and realizes that while foreclosures are still on the rise in Boston, the city is better off than many others in the country. Real estate agent Mark Joseph gives Kevin a look at one of the country's most foreclosure-ravaged communities, and explains how the houses there are selling quickly, but often at half their former market value. Back in Roxbury, Kevin catches up with our new homeowner, Lanita Tolentino, to see the progress she's made on selecting flooring and kitchen cabinet finishes with the help of interior designer Tricia McDonagh. Out back, master carpenter Norm Abram and general contractor David Lopes use low maintenance PVC decking and prefabricated railings to dress up the rear entrance decks.