Carpenter Nathan Gilbert helps a homeowner create new access to their big backyard. With two kids and no way to get them out from the back of the house, the homeowners ask Nathan for help installing a door. After locating a double window that would be ideal for replacing with a sliding door, the three get to work. By the end of the project, they’ve installed a sliding patio door and a low-maintenance deck to allow the kids to slip in and out safely.
In the midst of the project, we head back to the shop to talk to the Ask This Old House team about house-buying deal breakers. The crew puts their years of experience together to highlight concerns, such as buying without inspection, foundation cracks, sloping walls, lead paint, and weakened plumbing. But even with those challenges, the team says your dream home isn’t necessarily a nightmare, you just need to budget for its faults.
How to Convert a Window to a Door
Carpenter Nathan Gilbert helps a pair of homeowners provide safe passage to the backyard for their children by replacing a double window with a sliding patio door and building a beautiful, low-maintenance deck.
What good is a beautiful backyard if you don’t have a way to get into it? That’s what a pair of homeowners were facing when they called the Ask This Old House team for help. Their beautiful home has a fenced-in backyard, but to gain access, the couple’s children would have to walk out the front of the home and through a garden gate.
Carpenter Nathan Gilbert Knew just how to help. He located a double window on the backside of the house that would be perfect for converting to a door. With the couple’s help, Nathan removed the old windows, wall paneling, and even some framing to make way so he could install a new sliding patio door. Here’s how he did it.
Where to find it?
If you have questions about your DIY door and window projects, speak with an associate at The Home Depot
through the Home Depot’s Millwork Virtual Apron program for expert help and advice.
Products and Services provided by F.D. Sterritt Lumber Company and MP Doors.
Ask This Old House’s House Hunting Deal Breakers
Host Kevin O’Connor asks the team at Ask This Old House about the red flags that they might consider deal breakers in today’s real estate market. From foundations to rooflines, they list their top concerns.
Today’s real estate market is a tough one.
Inventory is low and moving quickly, so many buyers have resorted to full (or above) asking price offers while foregoing inspections. That’s not ideal, so host Kevin O’Connor asked the team at Ask This Old House what they would consider deal breakers if they were shopping for homes today.
Resources
The team discusses a few items house hunters might discover in a home that could cost them
thousands of dollars to repair. Do your research when selecting a licensed and highly recommended home inspector.
Original Air Date: Jan 11, 2023, Season 22; Ep. 10 23:42
Products and services from this episode
Expert assistance:
Home Depot’s Millwork Virtual Apron program
F.D. Sterritt Lumber Company
MP Doors