This Old House

This Old House
Show name	This Old House
Genre	Home improvement
Creator	Russell Morash
Starring	See Hosts and Notable Contributors
Narrated	Bob Vila (1979–1989)
Country	United States
Language	English
Num seasons	45+
Producer	WGBH Boston
Runtime	26–60 minutes
Network	PBS, later PBS and syndication

This Old House is an American home improvement television series focusing on renovation, remodeling, restoration, and DIY techniques. The program broadly addresses residential construction, preservation, and design, featuring craftsmen, architects, and tradespeople who perform projects on real houses while explaining techniques and materials. The series influenced public television programming, nonprofit renovation organizations, trade publishing, and commercial home improvement retail.

Overview

This Old House presents step-by-step renovation projects with detailed demonstrations of carpentry, plumbing, electrical, masonry, roofing, and landscaping by skilled professionals and specialty contractors. Episodes combine on-site construction with commentary from project managers, architects, and designers to explain decisions about materials, structural systems, and aesthetics. The format emphasizes collaboration among hosts, tradespeople, and suppliers, and showcases interactions with municipal building departments, preservation commissions, and neighborhood associations. Over decades the series intersected with broadcast partners and institutions such as WGBH, PBS, public television stations, syndicators, and production companies.

History and Development

The series originated in the late 1970s amid a growing interest in hands-on home renovation and historic preservation; its early seasons reflected influences from regional public media, nonprofit cultural organizations, and community development programs. The producer Russell Morash drew on expertise from local craftsmen, academic architecture departments, and building trade unions to create a demonstrative model for consumer audiences. As the series matured it expanded partnerships with trade associations, preservation societies, and manufacturing firms in the construction industry. Milestones include expansions into syndicated programming, collaborations with major retailers and manufacturers, and the creation of branded publications and instructional materials.

Format and Production

Each project season typically follows selection of a house, project planning with architects and structural engineers, selection of contractors and subcontractors, and phased on-site work that is edited into episodes. Production involves location crews, field producers, editors, and technical specialists who coordinate with municipal permitting offices and historical commissions when applicable. The show integrates design consultations, structural assessments, and systems upgrades such as HVAC, insulation retrofits, and energy-efficiency installations, often referencing building codes, zoning regulations, and product standards. Production workflows include preconstruction meetings, safety plans, material procurement with suppliers, and post-construction inspections with local authorities.

Hosts and Notable Contributors

Key on-camera figures and contributors have included master carpenters, general contractors, designers, and television personalities whose careers intersected with broadcasting, publishing, and trade education. Notable participants have professional ties to institutions and individuals across media and construction sectors, and many contributors migrated to related programs, authored books, founded companies, or taught at vocational schools and universities. The program’s ensemble approach featured collaborations among contractors, restoration specialists, landscape architects, mechanical engineers, and trade union apprentices from regional chapters. Contributors frequently engaged with professional associations, certification bodies, and nonprofit workforce development programs.

Impact and Legacy

The series shaped public perceptions of renovation, historic preservation, and vocational trades, influencing viewers, vocational schools, and workforce pipelines tied to construction, architecture, and design. It helped popularize DIY culture and informed consumer decisions about materials, energy-efficient systems, and accessibility renovations; ripple effects reached trade publishing, retail home centers, building-material manufacturers, and certification programs. The program’s legacy includes influences on subsequent broadcast series, online instructional media, instructional curricula at technical colleges, and partnerships with nonprofit housing organizations. Awards and recognitions acknowledged contributions to broadcasting, education, and historic preservation.

International and Spin-off Series

The program model inspired international adaptations, regional versions, and multiple spin-offs that localized the renovation format for audiences in various countries and markets. Spin-offs and affiliated productions expanded into specialty themes such as small-space design, landscaping, and professional trades training, integrating local craftspeople, design firms, and municipal building departments. Franchised productions and format licenses led to collaborations with public broadcasters and commercial networks abroad, spawning instructional series that mirrored the original’s focus on renovation, craftsmanship, and community revitalization.

Category:American television series Category:Home improvement television series Category:Public broadcasting in the United States