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Season 2 -

Building an Addition for an Elderly Parent

Norwell, MA
More and more homeowners are converting their houses into multi-generational homes for themselves, their children, and their aging parents. In this fourth project of season two of Bob Vila, a Norwell couple decides to add on to make room for their mother who wants to move closer to family and to help should she need it. The walls and floor of the addition will be built of energy-efficient Reddi-Form insulated concrete forms (ICFs). ICFs work like building blocks to make ...

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	Innovative Concrete Forms and Wetland Protection Video Clips (BV0221) View show summary

	Expanding a Home to Create an In-Law Suite More and more baby boomers are looking to expand space in their homes to make room for aging parents. Bob talks with Howard Brickman, an old friend of the show, ... Watch video and view full description
	Protecting Local Wetlands Steve Ivas, an environmental consultant, helped guide the homeowners through the process of securing permits for the house expansion. Neighboring Black Pond Bog is an endangered ecosystem owned by the ... Watch video and view full description
	Using Insulated Polystyrene Forms for Foundation Footings Bob talks with Howard Brickman about the challenging soil conditions on this project, where a high water table and impermeable soils must be considered for the foundation. To alleviate these ... Watch video and view full description
	Preparing Insulated Moisture Barrier and Forms for Foundation Pour The Norwell home is getting ready for the foundation pour. It will be a monolithic or single pour as they create the slab and frost walls. Todd LaBarge of LaBarge ... Watch video and view full description
	Pouring the Concrete Foundation The slab was poured at the same time as the footing, saving a lot of steps. The process was very streamlined. Insul-Tarp, a combination insulation and a vapor barrier from ... Watch video and view full description
	Building with ReddiForm ICFs Bob talks with Ron Ardres of ReddiForm about the ReddiForm insulated concrete form (ICF) system that was used for the foundation walls. The ReddiForm blocks are made of expanded polystyrene. ... Watch video and view full description


	ICF Building System for Foundation, Floors, and Walls Video Clips (BV0222) View show summary

	Building with Polystyrene Forms and Concrete The project in Norwell, Massachusetts, involves putting an addition on an existing house to create an in-law suite. A lower-level garage is being built with a spacious suite above. The ... Watch video and view full description
	Building a First-Floor Slab and Walls With Concrete Bob talks with Ron Ardres from ReddiForm about the construction of the home's concrete-slab floor. To build the floor, the walls were constructed using ReddiForm expanded polystyrene foam forms. The ... Watch video and view full description
	Integrating Radiant Heat in a Concrete Floor The PEX tubing is set in the concrete and will circulate hot water used to heat the addition. Jason McKinnon of Viega North America reviews the features of PEX tubing. ... Watch video and view full description
	Pouring the Concrete for the First Floor Slab and Walls Once the PEX tubing is in place, the concrete is poured. Using ReddiForm blocks lets the crew pour the lower walls and the slab all at once. The side walls ... Watch video and view full description
	Pouring the Upper-Story Walls Bob talks with Todd LaBarge of LaBarge Engineering, the contractor on the project, about the concrete pour. The process is a very fast-moving one, with the first-floor walls put ... Watch video and view full description
	Big Energy Savings with Concrete Construction Bob talks with Jim Niehoff of the Portland Cement Association about building homes using concrete. For builders, constructing homes with concrete can save a lot of time and give homeowners ... Watch video and view full description


	Installing Garage Doors, Framing the Interior, and Upper-Floor Decking Video Clips (BV0223) View show summary

	New Insulated Garage Doors The garage doors are being replaced on the Norwell house. Although the project primarily involves adding an in-law suite to the home, homeowner Howard Brickman is replacing the original garage ... Watch video and view full description
	Installing the New Garage Doors Bob talks with Robert Rainey of PJ Overhead Door as the garage door panels and tracks are installed on the Norwell home. The installation of the springs for the garage ... Watch video and view full description
	Reviewing the Footprint of the New Addition Bob talks with homeowner Howard Brickman about the footprint of the new addition. The new space is 36 feet deep by 42 feet, five inches. There is a master bedroom ... Watch video and view full description
	Laying Down the Second-Story Floor Bob and Howard Brickman, the homeowner, move to the upper floor of the new addition. When completed, the new roof will match the line of the existing home's roof exactly. ... Watch video and view full description
	Stamped Steep Carriage House Style Garage Doors for the Addition The new Amarr Classica 3000 garage doors have been installed. These new steel doors are stamped with three panels and look like wooden carriage-house doors. Watch video and view full description


	Metal Roofing, Solar Roof Panels, Siding, and Trim Video Clips (BV0224) View show summary

	Preparing Surface for Installation of Galvalume Metal Roof Bob makes his fourth visit to the home in Norwell, Massachusetts, where an addition is being put on a Colonial home. The project has involved the use of insulated concrete ... Watch video and view full description
	Installing Solar Panels to Generate Electricity Photovoltaic panels are being installed on the roof. Bob talks with Jeff Wolf from groSolar about the photovoltaic panels. As sunlight hits the panels, electricity is generated from the photons. ... Watch video and view full description
	Pella Energy Star Rated Fiberglass Windows and Sliding Glass Patio Doors Once the roof is in place, the windows and sliding patio door in the back can be installed. The windows are from a new fiberglass window line from Pella, which ... Watch video and view full description
	Drying Out Construction Materials To Prevent Mold Growth Once all the windows are in place, drying out the interior of the addition can be addressed. This drying-out process has become a concern for builders all over the country ... Watch video and view full description
	Determining Moisture Content in Concrete Floors Bob talks with homeowner Howard Brickman about drying out of the new addition. Concrete can pose problems for the wood-floor installation business. Brickman's consulting business created a device that measures ... Watch video and view full description
	Installing Fiber-Cement Siding While the house is being dried out, the siding can be put in place. The furring strips are attached to the foam exterior with an adhesive foam. Fasteners are ... Watch video and view full description
	Fiber-Cement Siding Hardiplank, a product made of fiber cement, will be used for the siding. The planks are made of a mix of wood fiber and cement, which work well together. The ... Watch video and view full description
	Installing the Cellular PVC Trim on the New Addition The trim in New England houses has traditionally been made from pine or cedar. Bob talks with Kristen Baer of Azek Trimboards about their product, a cellular PVC trim made ... Watch video and view full description


	Cedar Porch, Hydro-Air System, Fireplace, and Stone Veneer Video Clips (BV0225) View show summary

	Western Red Cedar for the Porch The Norwell home will have a big farmer's porch with a roof over it, running the whole width of the house. Western red cedar is being used for the construction ... Watch video and view full description
	Hydro-Air Heat, Partially Solar-fed Indirect Domestic Hot Water, and In-Floor Radiant Bob talks with Tim Cutler from TJ's Plumbing and Heating about the Viessmann boiler. The boiler is heating the domestic hot water, the radiant floor heating, and the hydro-air heating ... Watch video and view full description
	Blown-in Dense-Packed Cellulose Insulation for the Roof The roof of the new addition is being insulated to retain all the heat generated from the radiant heating system. Paul Johnson of Alpine Insulators reviews the installation process. The ... Watch video and view full description
	Installing Mold-Resistant Drywall Georgia Pacific DensArmor drywall is being used throughout the addition. The face of this drywall is made of fiberglass so there is no danger of hosting any sort of mold ... Watch video and view full description
	Putting in a New Fireplace The walls in the new addition to the home are just about ready for paint. The new fireplace will make this new in-law suite very cozy. Malcolm Gurney of The ... Watch video and view full description
	Trimming the Chimney with Fieldstone The structure for the fireplace is now being trimmed out with real stone. Bob talks with John Nadler of Plymouth Quarries about the stone being used. In this case, real ... Watch video and view full description
	Interior Painting Tips Bob talks with Brian Miller of Miller & Sons Painting about the painting being done. One of the painters is cutting a straight line where the two surfaces meet. Whenever ... Watch video and view full description
	Installing Hardwood Floors Howard Brickman, the homeowner, is busy setting up the interior doors for installation in the new addition. Upstairs, the Bellawood prefinished red oak floors are being put down. The floorboards ... Watch video and view full description
	Installing Shaker-Style Engineered Doors Bob talks with Dean Stewart of Woodport Doors about the interior door being installed. The door is a four-panel contemporary door with mission sticking, commonly referred to as a Shaker-style ... Watch video and view full description

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Building an Addition for an Elderly Parent

Innovative Concrete Forms and Wetland Protection Video Clips

ICF Building System for Foundation, Floors, and Walls Video Clips

Installing Garage Doors, Framing the Interior, and Upper-Floor Decking Video Clips

Metal Roofing, Solar Roof Panels, Siding, and Trim Video Clips

Cedar Porch, Hydro-Air System, Fireplace, and Stone Veneer Video Clips