Coach House

Chicago, IL

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With the Chicago greystone apartments completed, Bob tackles the coach house out back. This 13 episode project requires more work: gutting and rebuilding the interior structure, finishing the basement, and adding a roof dormer. The brick exterior is power-washed to remove several layers of old paint. General contractor Ron Gan demonstrate how to build a simple winder staircase. On a side trip Bob checks out a new Chicago apartment project specially adapted for the physically challenged. Back on site, do-it-yourself "cobblewood" flooring makes a stunning impression in the kitchen. To get a better perspective on Chicago's architectural history, Bob tours a restored Victorian era mansion and visits prairie architect Frank Lloyd Wright's studio and sees some of the homes he designed in the Oak Park neighborhood. Finally, artists Rita Miller and Bill Waggoner show Bob how to give the newly renovated home some panache with a creative, Chicago-style decorating approach and some amazing faux-finish painting techniques.

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	Show Information:	View all videos from this project

	Coach House Tour (HA0127) Dates Aired: March 4-10, 1991 \| June 3-9, 1991 Bob and contractor Ron Gan venture a look around our next project--the old deserted "coach house" out back. They find several clues in the basement and the first floor as ... View show summary
	Plans Discussed and Demolition Begins (HA0128) Dates Aired: March 11-17, 1991 \| June 10-16, 1991 Bob discusses plans for the coach house with our architect, Mike Morgan, and with contractor Ron Gan; demolition begins. Brick worker Dan Webb explains how the brick facade is power-washed ... View show summary
	Excavation Begins (HA0129) Dates Aired: March 18-24, 1991 \| June 17-23, 1991 Bob tours famous prairie architect Frank Lloyd Wright's studio with director Gloria Garfolo and sees some of the houses Wright designed in the Oak Park neighborhood of Chicago. Back at ... View show summary
	Ceiling and Stairs (HA0130) Dates Aired: March 25-31, 1991 \| June 24-30, 1991 Contractor Ron Gan explains how a ledger board is attached to the masonry wall to support ceiling joists; he and carpenter John Pringle demonstrate a simple way to build a ... View show summary
	Roof Demolition (HA0131) Dates Aired: April 1-7, 1991 \| July 1-7, 1991 The Eagle roofing crew strips several ancient layers of old roofing, and a section of the roof is removed to make room for a new dormer. Bob explains how the ... View show summary
	Windows Installed (HA0132) Dates Aired: April 8-14, 1991 \| July 8-14, 1991 Bob helps carpenter John Sheehan install a new vinyl window, and takes a tour of the Republic window factory with vice-president Ron Spielman to find out how they're made, right ... View show summary
	Fireplace and Staircase (HA0133) Dates Aired: April 15-21, 1991 \| July 15-21, 1991 Bob tours the Hill Arboretum, a new apartment project adapted for the physically challenged, with project developer Don Gustavson. Back at the coach house, fireplace dealer Kris Renier explains how ... View show summary
	Drywall Work (HA0134) Dates Aired: April 22-28, 1991 \| July 22-28, 1991 The Jaramillo brothers use "bazookas" and "mudboxes" to put up drywall; Bob tours the Georgia-Pacific drywall factory in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. He also takes a visit to Midwest Mica in ... View show summary
	Plumbing and Doors (HA0135) Dates Aired: April 29-May 5, 1991 \| July 29-August 4, 1991 Bob visits K & B Galleries, a plumbing fixture showroom in Chicago's Merchandise Mart; back at the coach house plumber Dan Macias installs a bathroom sink. Bob and carpenter John ... View show summary
	Lighting and Flooring (HA0136) Dates Aired: May 6-12, 1991 \| August 5-11, 1991 An unusual "cobblewood" floor, developed by flooring specialist Birger Jewell, is laid in the coach house kitchen. Bob tours a beautifully-restored H.H. Richardson Victorian mansion, to get an idea of ... View show summary
	Project Status, Cabinets and Whirlpool Tub Installed (HA0137) Dates Aired: May 13-19, 1991 \| August 12-18, 1991 Bob shows us around the completed living room and dining room of the coach house, then takes us down into the basement to see the work that's been done on ... View show summary
	Finishing Touches and Landscaping (HA0138) Dates Aired: May 20-26, 1991 \| August 19-25, 1991 Bob installs some interesting finishing touches in the coach house kitchen, including some galvanized steel features. We go outside to plant a tree and landscape the little garden outside our ... View show summary
	House Tour (HA0139) Dates Aired: May 27-June 2, 1991 \| August 26-1, 1991 Bob takes the grand tour of the finished coach house exterior with Ron, our contractor; we go inside to see the decorating job that the team of Rita Miller and ... View show summary