Craft first
Written with respect for the work.
Every recap starts from genuine appreciation for the skill on screen—and a homeowner's eye for what actually transfers off television.
Independent · Unofficial · Deeply invested
About This Old Recap
A passion project for people who watch This Old House with a notebook nearby—and then go look for the useful detail again later.
Why this site exists
The useful moment, findable later.
Growing up in Australia, I never watched This Old House as a kid—the show wasn't available there. It wasn't until my 30s that I stumbled onto the free TOH channel and found this incredible resource. My dad was a true DIYer who could fix anything from neighbors' lawnmowers and broken TVs to full-house renovations, all before YouTube guides existed. He would've loved This Old House. I know because I love learning from it.
Now living in Los Angeles with my wife and two daughters, I watch the show so much that my daughter calls it the “Fixing Show” and actually sits through it with me. There's something durable about watching ordinary houses become extraordinary homes, and about the way Tom Silva, Norm Abram, Richard Trethewey, and the crew make complex work feel learnable.
As I started tackling my own projects, I kept chasing episodes I'd already seen. Didn't Tom show a technique for that in Season 32? Which episode was Richard explaining that plumbing issue? There wasn't a clean place that cataloged the useful knowledge across hundreds of episodes.
That's when This Old Recap started: detailed recaps of the seasons I was actively watching, practical techniques, and enough context to find the useful moment again later. The archive is still growing. The goal is not to pretend every episode is already here; it is to make every recap that is here genuinely worth returning to.
Practical notes
Built to be used later.
Tools, materials, building-science context, and DIY confidence notes so the episode remains useful after the credits.
Independent
Unofficial, and clear about it.
Not affiliated with This Old House or GBH. Just a fan with a notebook, trying to keep the good details findable.
Transparency
About affiliate links
You may notice affiliate links when I recommend tools, materials, or products featured in an episode. I want that to be completely clear.
This site takes real time and money to maintain. Each recap needs research, writing, and fact-checking. Hosting, domain fees, and hours add up.
Purchases through affiliate links help cover those costs and keep the site going. I only recommend products I believe are relevant and that were actually shown or discussed on the show. Your trust is worth more than any commission.
Say hello
Favorite episode? Useful correction?
Have a technique you'd like covered, or something I got wrong? I'd rather hear it.