Kevin O’Connor kicks off Season 48 back in Essex County, New Jersey, joining Zack Dettmore to meet new homeowners Ethan and Harley at their 1893 Dutch Colonial Revival.

The couple, expecting their second child, gives Kevin a tour of the home’s grand original details, from pocket doors to a fine staircase and a stained-glass window Ethan uncovered while demoing a ceiling himself. Upstairs, they walk through plans for a primary suite, a laundry conversion, and a future third-floor bath.

Richard Trethewey then walks Zack through the home’s vintage steam heating system, tracing its evolution from coal to oil and explaining why keeping the existing boiler, rather than ripping it out for pricey heat pumps, makes the most financial sense given the family’s budget and desire to preserve original windows.

Kevin and Zack also drive by two previous New Jersey projects, taking in how the homes look now after their renovations.

Back at the new house, Jenn Nawada tours the yard with Kevin, distinguishing homeowner “wants” from “needs,” starting with a rotting deck that must be rebuilt, while flagging a structurally sound garage that just needs a facelift and shelving bigger dreams like a chicken coop for later in the budget.

Inside, Kevin and Zack examine the kitchen’s messy renovation history, uncovering multiple layers of flooring, ceiling, and mismatched framing that reveal decades of shortcuts. Finally, a dumpster arrives on site, officially marking the start of demolition.

Original Air Date: Oct 1, 2026, Season 48; Ep. 1 23:42

Products and Resources

• Dumpster: Express Recycling & Sanitation