Season 45 kicks off with a new project in the town of Lexington, MA. An old town not just rich with history—most notably the beginning of the American Revolution—but also rich with modern-day amenities, including ADA (American Disabilities Act) accessible features to welcome visitors and residents.

With a quarter of Americans having some form of disability, half of those having mobility issues, and an aging population, there is a need for accessibility not just in the community but also in residential homes.

This need brings the crew to a 1960 mid-century modern home that will be made accessible for an active family of five with a young son who has a progressive muscle-wasting disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

The crew meets homeowners Billy and Michelle at their house to learn about the disease, the challenges the current house setup poses for their son Caffrey, and how they can solve them. The goal is for Caffrey to have equal access to the house like everyone else, allowing them to be more connected as a family.

Tom Silva and Billy discuss the current architecture—a piecemeal of additions to the original mid-century modern house resulting in a disjointed appearance.

Kevin O’Connor gets a tour of the interior common spaces from Michelle. Though spacious, the layout with a narrow galley kitchen, narrow hallways, staircases, and the long distance between the primary bedroom and Caffrey’s room is relatively inefficient. The kids give a tour of their bedrooms.

Richard Trethewey shares his plan for a more efficient mechanical system, and Jenn Nawada gets a head start on the landscape.

This project is a race against time for Charlie Silva to turn around what should be a 14-month construction in 10 months to get the family back in their home as soon as possible, but the crew is up for the challenge.

Original Air Date: Sep 28, 2023, Season 45; Ep. 1 23:42

Products and resources from this episode

• Shuttle bus: Lexpress
• Lexington side trip: Town Manager’s Office, Town of Lexington