The 35th anniversary season of This Old House TV concludes with a special project, as the crew partners with Homes for Our Troops (HFOT) to build and outfit a house in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, for a wounded Iraq War veteran. A nonprofit organization, HFOT is dedicated to building specially adapted, mortgage-free houses for severely injured veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2004, the organization has built 168 houses for veterans and their families.
The project house, to be built on an empty lot, will be a single-story ranch-style home for Staff Sergeant Matt DeWitt and his family. Matt sustained combat injuries in Iraq that required the amputation of both arms below the elbow.
Although Matt doesn’t require or use a wheelchair, the house will be built with universal access in mind, in keeping with the mission of HFOT. The living spaces will feature large rooms, hardwood and tile flooring throughout, and wide, saddle-free thresholds.
Pro Tip: To make the front entry truly barrier-free, builder Mike noted that the walkway is poured flush with the threshold rather than ramped up to it: “In order to avoid any step or ramp up, we actually pour the concrete flush with the threshold and then taper it out.” The exterior doors also use a true 36-inch clear opening—wider than a typical 34- or 35-inch door—and are outfitted with automatic openers Matt can operate from a key fob.
The home is being built in partnership with Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), a nonprofit that has long worked alongside This Old House on these missions. As Richard Trethewey put it, “We build the home, but we also try to help them rebuild their lives.” The organization currently has more than 38 homes in some state of build, with many more veterans on the waiting list.
The master bath will be outfitted with a shower featuring a flush threshold; a touchless toilet and faucet; and digital temperature controls, to prevent burns. Matt, the father of two, is looking forward to being able to give the kids their baths, a task that would be nearly impossible in a conventional bathroom.
Pro Tip: On a similar accessible bath project, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey highlighted why a combination toilet/bidet is a smart pick for anyone with mobility challenges: “For anybody with mobility issues, this is really a way to extend your independence for a longer period of time. This will be great. They’re terrific for anybody actually.”
The This Old House TV crew will chip in on a variety of projects, including the installation of an accessible closet system for Matt and his wife, Cat, in a space that also doubles as a “safe room.” They’ll also construct a high tunnel greenhouse so that Matt and his wife, both avid gardeners, can grow food for the family. And master carpenter Norm Abram and host Kevin O’Connor will use reclaimed barn boards to build a custom table for the family’s new dining room.
When Kevin O’Connor and master carpenter Norm Abram first asked Matt and Cat what they most wanted, the answer came quickly. As Kevin recalled on the show: “Early on at this project, we asked Matt and Cat if there was anything special we could build for them. And they knew right away what they wanted—a new dining room table, where they could entertain their friends and family.” The reclaimed timber for the build came from a friend’s lumberyard in New Hampshire that specializes in salvaged wood.
New episodes of the DeWitt House project will begin airing in the spring of 2015 on PBS stations and www.thisoldhouse.com. Check local listings for the dates and times in your area. Join the conversation with @thisoldhouse on Twitter using #ThisOldHouse4TROOPS.
