Find quick answers to our most frequently asked questions about the series.
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How does This Old House select project houses?
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This Old House chooses two projects each season.
The fall project is usually located in or around our base of Boston,
so that the crew can stay close to home for a significant part of the
season.
The winter project is generally located in a mild climate where
outdoor work may be undertaken during the winter months.
The renovations are completely funded by the homeowners and not by
This Old House, though the show arranges for product discounts and
donations where possible. All donated items are considered gifts and
the homeowners pay taxes on them.
To submit your project write to us at:
pickmyhouse@timeinc.com
or
Project Proposals
This Old House Productions
PO Box 130
Concord, MA 01742-0130
Your proposal should include the following information:
- current owners
- a few pictures
- a brief description of your house
- what you want to do
- how much you plan to spend
- when you are planning for the work to be done
Do not send videos.
Please note: No responsibility is assumed for proposals that are lost,
damaged, postage-due or misdirected mail and none will be returned.
All submitted materials become the property of This Old House
Ventures, Inc.
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Where can I find information on past This Old House projects?
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To learn more about current and past projects, visit TV House Projects
on this site. You'll find show descriptions, house tours, floor plans,
house resources, and feature articles.
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Can you help me solve a problem with my old house?
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Due to the volume of mail we get, we simply can't provide individual
answers to project questions. We do have a couple of suggestions for
you:
Firstly, try emailing us at Ask This Old House
Also, visit your local hardware store or home center and talk with one
of the sales representatives for help with do-it-yourself projects. If
you need professional help, the store is a good place to get a
referral. You can also talk with the owners of other houses you've
seen under renovation to find out whether they were satisfied with
their contractor. It's always a good idea to check the references of
any candidate thoroughly.
You can also check out our Home Renovators' Forum, where you can pose
your question to other homeowners and do-it-yourselfers and learn tips
and techniques from their experiences.
We also send out a weekly e-mail newsletter with links to articles
that answer frequently asked questions. If you don't currently receive
it, sign up here. It's free, and it's a good way to get news, updates,
and additional tips and advice from us.
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Where can I find an item or supplier I saw on the show?
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Check our online Resource Directory for materials, contractors,
suppliers, and installers for our current and past projects. If you
don't know the house project that featured a resource, then check out
our show descriptions online for detailed descriptions of recent
episodes.
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Can you help me find a contractor, supplier, or architect in my area?
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Unfortunately, we can't respond to requests to recommend contractors,
suppliers, or architects in specific geographic areas. Check our
Resource Directory for manufacturer's names; they can often refer you
to local sources. We also suggest you visit home supply and hardware
stores and lumber yards in your area and talk to other homeowners
nearby who are renovating their homes.
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When does This Old House air in my state?
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Please visit our online TV schedule and select your state on the
pull-down bar to see the day and time that This Old House airs in your
area.
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What is the This Old House theme music?
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This Old House now has its own original theme music, composed by Peter
Bell and called simply "This Old House '97." You'll hear it on PBS
when you're watching episodes of the current project house, or when
you're watching This Old House Classics on one of our syndication
channels. When you watch older episodes of This Old House on PBS
you're hearing our previous theme music, which was the opening bars of
"Louisiana Fairy Tale," written by Haven Gillespie, with lyrics by
Mitchell Parish and J. Fred Coots, and recorded by Fats Waller in
1935.
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Where's Steve Thomas?
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After 14 years as host of This Old House and contributing to the
successful debut of the new series, Ask This Old House, Steve decided
to explore other opportunities and begin a new chapter in his life.
Although we were sorry to see Steve depart in 2003, we're excited for
him and wish him well. His departure was completely voluntary.
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How can I contact the crew? Can I get an autographed photo of them?
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All mail for the crew, including requests for photos and autographs,
should be sent to This Old House, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, New
York, NY 10036.
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Can I visit former This Old House projects?
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We do not give out the address of houses featured on our program. The
houses that This Old House renovates are privately owned and the
owners want to reclaim their privacy after appearing on the show.
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Where can I get information about the Ask This Old House show?
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Visit our list of Frequently Asked Questions about This Old House.
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What is This Old House Online's Privacy Policy?
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Please read our privacy statement.
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How do you decide what questions to answer on the show?
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We check the Ask This Old House mailbox every day which is filled with
an average of 5000 requests. Many homeowners often face similar
household challenges. We try to answer those that are the most
universal and compelling to our national audience. Although we can't
answer every home repair request, your dilemma may be addressed in the
Ask This Old House section of This Old House magazine. (If you're not
a subscriber, you can try two sample issues free.)
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How do you select the House Calls?
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We go on a House Call when a selected problem can't be solved in the
barn loft, such as how to dig a post hole or how to rebuild basement
stairs. When we're on the road we'll announce the cities we'll be
visiting so keep an eye on our site to see if we will be visiting your
area.
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I How Do I submit a Request for Ask This Old House?
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You can email us here
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I sent in a question and didn't get an answer — why not?
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Unfortunately we receive so many questions that we are unable to reply
to everyone personally. We can make some suggestions about where to
find the information you need, but if we don't select your question to
answer, we can't provide you with an individual response.
Remember, the Ask This Old House mailbox is only for home improvement
questions. For all other correspondence, including technical questions
about the Web site, letters to the editor, queries about the TV show
or magazine, or any other comments or questions, please use our
Feedback page.
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If you don't select my question, where can I get the help I need?
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First, try browsing the archive of questions — our experts have
already answered a lot of them, you may find that your problem has
already been addressed.
Next try searching our entire site for an article that might answer
your question — we have thousands of pages of information about
owning, repairing, and improving homes.
You can also try posing your question to other homeowners in our
discussion forums. Someone else has probably faced the same problem
already and may be able to help you. Check out our Home Renovators'
Forum, a place where homeowners and do-it-yourselfers can compare
notes, ask questions, and learn from one another's experiences.
It's helpful to check with your local hardware store or home center
about questions specific to your house. They're familiar with the
kinds of houses in your neighborhood, so it's likely that they've
heard your question or a similar one before.
We also send out a free weekly e-mail newsletter with links to
articles that you may find helpful. If you aren't a subscriber, sign up here.
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I saw a great product on the show — where can I find it?
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Most of the products you see on an episode of Ask This Old House may
be found in the Show Descriptions page for each episode.
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Where's Norm? Why isn't he on Ask This Old House?
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We'd love to have master carpenter Norm Abram on Ask This Old House,
but as you know he's already working on two television series, This
Old House and The New Yankee Workshop. He also serves on the editorial
board of This Old House magazine, where he writes the "Norm's
Notebook" column. As much as he'd like to join us on Ask This Old
House, he just doesn't have time to take on another show.
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How can I contact the crew? Can I get an autographed photo of them?
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All mail for the crew, including requests for photos and autographs,
should be sent to This Old House, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, New
York, NY 10036.
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When does Ask This Old House air in my area?
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A new season begins each year in the fall. You can check the TV
schedule — select your state from the pull-down menu to see the day
and time Ask This Old House airs in your area.
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Where is the loft located?
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The renovated barn loft, which is stuffed with plumbing, carpentry,
painting, and gardening tools, is located in the New England area.
