This Old House celebrated its 20th season by tackling a property worthy of an anniversary: a sprawling Victorian that looked stately from the street while quietly collecting moisture, termites, awkward hallways, and other renovation party favors.
The Watertown House occupied the first 19 episodes of Season 20, originally airing from September 26, 1998, through January 30, 1999. The project followed the transformation of an 1886 Queen Anne-style Victorian with a large early-20th-century rear addition in Watertown, Massachusetts.
More than a simple before-and-after reveal, the episodes form a detailed lesson in historic home renovation. The crew had to correct drainage, replace insect-damaged framing, rebuild porches, reorganize the floor plan, modernize the mechanical systems, and preserve original materials wherever practical. Fancy tile eventually arrived, but first came the glamorous world of sump pumps and sill repair.
Why the Watertown House Was an Ideal Anniversary Project
The approximately 5,000-square-foot house offered plenty of space, but its layout was divided by three staircases, narrow halls, and poorly connected rooms. Homeowners Christian Nolen and Susan “Sue” Denny wanted fewer, larger rooms and a more logical path through the building.
The project also had serious physical problems. The basement and yard were wet, the chimneys were deteriorating, the siding was buried under old paint, the heating and electrical systems needed upgrading, and sections of the house concealed rot, carpenter ants, and termites. The challenge was to make the house function like a modern home without stripping away its Victorian personality.
That personality was unmistakably Queen Anne. The style is associated with asymmetrical forms, decorative shingles, varied exterior textures, elaborate porches, and interior plans often organized around a prominent staircase. Those characteristics would guide many of the season’s most important design decisions.
Watertown House Project at a Glance
- Original construction: Circa 1886
- Later addition: Approximately 1915
- Architectural style: Queen Anne Victorian
- Location: Watertown, Massachusetts
- Homeowners: Christian Nolen and Susan Denny
- Main project architect: Sandra Fairbank
- Broadcast run: Season 20, Episodes 1–19
Season 20 Watertown House Episodes: Complete Guide
Episodes 1–3: Planning a New Life for an Old House
-
Episode 1 The Watertown House: Part 1:
The crew tours the property and identifies its wet basement, outdated systems, failing chimneys, paint-covered exterior, and confusing floor plan. The episode establishes the owners’ goal of making the large house feel more comfortable and connected. -
Episode 2 The Watertown House: Part 2:
Exterior paint-removal tests begin, Richard Trethewey evaluates the oversized heating equipment, and the design team studies a more efficient layout. A visit to the former Watertown Arsenal supplies a little local history before the demolition dust starts flying. -
Episode 3 The Watertown House: Part 3:
The new floor plan calls for removing all three staircases and relocating the best oak staircase to the center of the house. Professional asbestos removal begins, and the crew carefully dismantles the staircase in large sections for reuse.
The central staircase becomes the organizing feature of the renovation. Instead of preserving an impractical layout simply because it was old, the team preserves the most valuable element and gives it a better location.
Episodes 4–6: Scaffolding, Landscaping, and Structural Work
-
Episode 4 The Watertown House: Part 4:
Professional scaffolding reaches the roof, landscape architect Clarissa Rowe studies the poorly drained yard, and the crew salvages bathroom fixtures and tile before removing the old floor. -
Episode 5 The Watertown House: Part 5:
Roger Cook and arborist Matt Foti begin pruning and removing trees. Inside, the oak staircase starts taking shape in its new location, while a small camera reveals the condition of the chimney flues. -
Episode 6 The Watertown House: Part 6:
Engineered lumber creates wide, open spans around the future kitchen. Christian shops for professional-grade appliances, and Sue reviews a structured wiring system designed for future television, audio, and data services.
The technology segments now serve as a charming late-1990s time capsule. The framing solutions remained useful for decades; some of the supposedly “futureproof” electronics had a shorter social life.
Episodes 7–10: Rot, Termites, Water, and Expanding Costs
-
Episode 7 The Watertown House: Part 7:
Opening a water-damaged corner exposes rot, carpenter ants, and termites. The heating and cooling plan develops, while a preservation specialist explains the house’s Queen Anne features and original colors. -
Episode 8 The Watertown House: Part 8:
Roger’s crew begins excavating a large backyard drywell. Severe termite damage at the front sill requires the balloon-framed wall to be jacked up while the ruined wood is replaced. -
Episode 9 The Watertown House: Part 9:
A pest-control specialist explains the infestation, the new drainage system is inspected, and the crew attempts to replace the galvanized water service by pulling a new copper pipe through the existing route. -
Episode 10 The Watertown House: Part 10:
Large evergreens provide backyard screening, all three porches are added to the reconstruction list, and thousands of cedar shingles begin receiving their finish colors. New pink granite is prepared for the exposed foundation.
This middle section delivers the season’s biggest reality check. Once exterior walls and sills are opened, cosmetic plans become structural repairs. Water and insects do not care that custom appliances have already been selected.
Episodes 11–14: Windows, Insulation, Fireplaces, and Mechanical Systems
-
Episode 11 The Watertown House: Part 11:
The crew installs a compact fireplace with a cast-iron firebox. Historic windows are rehabilitated, decorative gable details are stripped, structured wiring continues, and the custom kitchen design moves forward. -
Episode 12 The Watertown House: Part 12:
Deck construction, spray-foam insulation, chimney lining, mantel stripping, stair-panel fabrication, and foundation work occur simultaneously. It is the renovation equivalent of directing airport traffic, except the arrivals are made of oak and granite. -
Episode 13 The Watertown House: Part 13:
Exterior painting advances, a cedar fence and trellis appear, and the kitchen receives an epoxy-based terrazzo floor. A perimeter drain and sump system are installed to manage basement flooding. -
Episode 14 The Watertown House: Part 14:
Richard tours the upgraded plumbing, boilers, ductwork, humidification, and air filtration. The terrazzo is polished, a composite replacement window is demonstrated, and fiber-optic lighting enters the design plan.
Most of the old windows were repaired rather than discarded. Brass weatherstripping, durable sash components, and careful restoration allowed original material to remain in service, while only selected openings received newer composite units. Current preservation guidance similarly recommends inspecting historic wooden windows before automatically replacing them.
Episodes 15–17: Porches, Copper, Oak, and Custom Cabinets
-
Episode 15 The Watertown House: Part 15:
A front-yard drywell receives water from the basement sump. Fireplaces are improved, Sue strips old oak doors, and Tom Silva and Norm Abram reproduce the porches’ fluted posts and curved railing details. -
Episode 16 The Watertown House: Part 16:
Copper gutters and downspouts are installed, expensive mosaic tile is rescued from the dumpster, original quartersawn oak floors are restored, and new oak work is matched to the old material. -
Episode 17 The Watertown House: Part 17:
The exterior nears completion as paths and a formal herb garden appear. Custom kitchen cabinets arrive, old and new oak receive matching shellac tones, and patterned marble installation begins in the primary shower.
The preservation strategy extended far beyond the staircase. Doors, trim, flooring, plumbing fixtures, mantels, and other reusable pieces were removed carefully and stored for later installation. Matching historic profiles can be difficult and expensive, so yesterday’s trim pile may be tomorrow’s architectural treasure.
Episodes 18–19: Decorative Finishes and the Final Reveal
-
Episode 18 The Watertown House: Part 18:
Sod covers the front yard, the kitchen receives its commercial hood, decorative wall finishes are applied, an Italian closet system is installed, and fiber-optic stair lighting is connected. -
Episode 19 The Watertown House: Part 19:
The finale tours the completed kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, office, stained glass, wallpaper, and lighting. Sue demonstrates a high-speed cable modem, the media system is completed, and a wrap party closes the project.
The finished house combines Victorian references with unmistakable late-1990s luxury: commercial appliances, faux wall treatments, custom cabinetry, centralized media wiring, marble mosaics, fiber optics, and a cable-connected office. Some features remain timeless. Others politely introduce themselves as being from 1999.
What Made the Watertown Renovation Memorable?
The Staircase Became the Design Backbone
Relocating the staircase did more than improve circulation. It gave the house a clear center and allowed rooms on both main floors to connect logically. Original components, new quartersawn oak paneling, carefully matched finishes, and subtle lighting transformed a practical feature into the project’s visual centerpiece.
The Exterior Regained Its Victorian Character
Reconstructed porches, copper roofs and gutters, cedar shingles, decorative woodwork, granite, and a layered paint scheme restored the exterior’s depth. Queen Anne architecture depends on visual variation, so flattening everything beneath one neutral color would have removed much of its personality.
The Fundamentals Came Before the Finishes
The project devoted extensive time to drainage, framing, chimneys, insulation, wiring, plumbing, heating, and pest treatment. Modern building-science guidance continues to emphasize water control, air sealing, and insulation because comfort and durability begin with the building envelope, not the countertop.
The Budget Told Its Own Story
The homeowners initially hoped to spend approximately $300,000. The official project retrospective reported that the renovation eventually exceeded that target by about $250,000, in addition to an estimated $150,000 in donated or discounted products and services.
The increase came from hidden damage, structural changes, premium systems, and ambitious finishes. No single faucet destroyed the budget. The faucets simply formed a committee.
Practical Lessons for Renovating an Old House
Investigate Before Ordering Custom Materials
Pest inspections, chimney cameras, moisture evaluation, hazardous-material testing, and selective demolition should influence the design. A beautiful kitchen plan cannot negotiate with a rotted sill or flooded basement.
Control Water Before Decorating
The Watertown project required perimeter drainage, sump equipment, multiple drywells, grading changes, and a redesigned yard. Water ignored outside eventually sends an invoice inside, often through damaged framing, mold, or insect activity.
Build Full-Scale Mock-Ups
The kitchen mock-up allowed circulation, seating, appliances, and clearances to be tested before permanent installation. Cardboard and temporary counters are inexpensive. Moving handmade cabinets afterward is a remarkably efficient way to convert cash into regret.
Label Every Salvaged Piece
Doors, flooring, hardware, sinks, trim, and tile should be photographed, measured, labeled, and stored somewhere dry. Salvage loses much of its value when nobody remembers which room it came from.
Follow Current Safety Requirements
The episodes were filmed in 1998 and 1999. Anyone attempting similar work today must account for current safety regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that sanding, cutting, painting, and window work in pre-1978 houses can create hazardous lead dust. Applicable lead-safe practices should always be followed.
The Experience of Watching the Watertown House Episodes Today
Watching the Watertown House arc today feels different from viewing a modern renovation program constructed around a rapid reveal. The pace is deliberate. A chimney inspection receives time. A drywell receives time. A craftsperson can explain why an original sash deserves repair instead of being replaced during a commercial break.
The season assumes that viewers are interested in process, not merely hungry for a finished kitchen. That patience makes the series feel educational without becoming a lecture delivered by someone holding a clipboard.
The most compelling part of the viewing experience is the gradual change in how the house is perceived. At first, it appears spacious, eccentric, and promising. During the middle episodes, it begins to look almost cursed. Water arrives from neighboring yards, insects have eaten structural wood, porches must be rebuilt, and the budget keeps growing.
Those complications make the finished work more satisfying. The final reveal carries weight because viewers understand what lies beneath the paint, cabinets, and polished floors. The house has not simply been decorated; it has been stabilized.
The conversations between the homeowners and professionals also create useful tension. Christian and Sue want a highly personalized home rather than a cautious resale project. Members of the crew occasionally question the skylight, fireplaces, kitchen arrangement, and elaborate finishes. These discussions make the renovation feel honest.
Real remodeling is rarely a straight line from a brilliant idea to a beautiful room. It is a negotiation among taste, structure, schedule, building codes, and money. Physics usually gets the final vote.
The craftsmanship provides another reason to keep watching. The staircase is dismantled, relocated, reconstructed, paneled, stained, and illuminated over many episodes. Porch components are copied rather than replaced with generic parts. Oak flooring is repaired with matching material. Historic windows receive patient attention, and granite is shaped to blend with the existing foundation.
Because the work is presented in stages, the finished house feels assembled from thousands of informed decisions rather than delivered through television magic.
The technology segments are equally entertaining. Structured wiring, centralized media controls, dimmable fluorescent fixtures, fiber-optic lights, and a cable modem represented a forward-looking home in 1999. Some predictions were directionally correct: homes became increasingly connected and dependent on data. The exact equipment, however, aged faster than anyone expected.
The enduring lesson is to create accessible pathways for changing technology rather than assuming one device will remain futuristic forever. Empty conduit and replaceable components generally age better than confidence in a particular electronic box.
The episodes are easiest to enjoy in small groups. Parts 1–3 establish the plan, 4–6 cover structure and early site work, 7–10 reveal the hidden-condition crisis, 11–14 install the technical backbone, and 15–19 deliver restoration details and finishes.
Most importantly, the season encourages respect for old houses without romanticizing them. Historic charm is real, but so are wet foundations, insect histories, abandoned pipes, altered floor plans, and questionable repairs. The Watertown House succeeds because the renovation preserves visible history while making necessary modern interventions.
Conclusion
Season 20 – The Watertown House Episodes remains one of the most instructive projects in the This Old House archive. Across 19 installments, a sprawling Queen Anne Victorian changes from a confusing and compromised property into a coherent, richly detailed home.
The relocated staircase, restored windows, reconstructed porches, copper work, drainage systems, upgraded mechanicals, custom kitchen, and decorative finishes are impressive. The project’s greater achievement, however, is invisible: water was controlled, damaged framing was repaired, utilities were modernized, and the house received a sound foundation for its beauty.
Note: Episode dates and project details reflect the original 1998–1999 broadcast sequence and official project retrospectives. Modern safety information is included to help present-day readers interpret the renovation responsibly.
