In this episode:
The project house is an 1864 Dutch Colonial in Saratoga Springs, NY—a town attractive for its springs.
A new attraction was built just a year before the house was built and has been a hit ever since—the Saratoga Racecourse. Kevin O’Connor visits the course and gets a tour from Glen Kozak to learn more about the track and its history.
With demolition comes discoveries. At the house, newspapers from 1918 were found stuffed between the wall framing for insulation. Another discovery was the armored shield cabling used instead of knob and tube wiring. Electrician Stephen Ristau and his crew will remove the armored shield and replace it with nonmetallic cabling.
Tom Silva and builder Matt Whitbeck walk through the evolution of the house’s framing—from the original balloon framing to the new platform framing.
While the demo continues, work for the new construction has begun. Kevin assists in framing a partition wall, and Matt builds a buttress wall in the basement in preparation for a new foundation.
Homeowner Evan’s mother, Susan, cannot remain in her apartment during the renovation.
Original Air Date: May 12, 2022, Season 43; Ep. 29 23:42
Products and Services from this Episode
- Side trips:
NYRA
Peter Goulet, Saratoga Springs, NY
Pat McKenna - Expert assistance:
Tom Durkin
Glen Kozak - Vintage Saratoga images: Library of Congress
- Electrical contractor: Auselect Electrical Contractors
- Building contractor: Whitbeck Construction