This Old House Hour Season 15 Episode 17 This Old House: Rebuilding Motor City; Ask This Old House: Kentucky Lawn; Chandelier

In this episode of This Old House Hour, the team travels to Detroit to take on some massive reconstruction work with “This Old House: Rebuilding Motor City.” The city, once the epicenter of American auto manufacturing, has been hit hard by the economic recession and a tide of bankruptcies and foreclosures. Now, the This Old House team is stepping in to help rebuild some of the city’s most damaged homes.

The episode begins with the team taking a tour of one of the homes they plan to reconstruct. It’s a grand old mansion that has fallen into disrepair after being abandoned for years. Lead contractor Tom Silva and his crew will have their work cut out for them. They’ll need to repair the failing foundation, replace the crumbling plaster walls, and bring the neglected electrical and plumbing systems up to code.

As they get to work, the team is met with some unexpected challenges. They discover that the original builders had used an unusual technique to construct the foundation, which has led to some serious structural issues. They’ll need to get creative to solve the problem and keep the project moving forward.

Meanwhile, back in the Ask This Old House segment, landscape contractor Roger Cook is in Kentucky to help a homeowner with his lawn. Despite the homeowner’s best efforts, the grass just won’t grow in certain areas. Roger investigates and discovers that the culprit is poor soil quality. He recommends aerating the lawn and adding compost to improve drainage and add nutrients.

Finally, in the last segment of the episode, the This Old House team takes on a small interior design project, installing a chandelier in a dining room. Contractor Kevin O’Connor and electrician Heath Eastman walk the homeowners through the installation process, explaining each step along the way.

Throughout the episode, viewers get a glimpse into the complex, labor-intensive work of home renovation and reconstruction. From resurrecting a grand old mansion to diagnosing and solving lawn issues, the experts of This Old House Hour demonstrate that there’s always a solution to even the toughest problems.