This Old House Season 18 Episode 3 The Nantucket House - 3

The show starts with a visit to Nantucket's Unitarian Universalist church, a beautiful showcase of restrained New England architecture and trompe l'oeil painting built in 1809. At 3 Milk Street, we catch up with general contractor Bruce Killen, who has his building permit and is well into a gut job on the building. Reasons for this dramatic course include the fact that the building will need insulation, upgraded wiring and plumbing, new windows and trim, and a notable change of floor plan; it will also get rid of the bulk of lead paint. Outside, mason Dan Kissell is accepting a load of concrete for the new addition's footings. Our master carpenter takes a trip to an island plant to see where the concrete is mixed. We hear designer Jock Gifford's report on the Historic District Commission's judgment: the additions were approved, but any exterior details will have to be proven to have been on the building originally. To that end, Syd Conway, who grew up in the house, drops by to share some old family photos, one of which reveals a very Victorian entrance, with double doors and bracketed roof; the current Colonial door went on in the 1930s. Sure enough, homeowner Craig Bentley, while cleaning out the crawlspace, finds the double doors, complete with etched glass.