This Old House

[Gary J Belch]

Not sure but caught what appears to be the beginning of the 2010 season of TOH on pbs today. New opening to show, Norm was there, Kevin was there but no mention of Tom Silva and his crew. In the opening segment Kevin mentions you will see some new faces this year and did mention a new general contractor. Any ideas as to where Silva and crew have gone...

[Mitchell Andrus]

From the TOH website:

General contractor David Lopes, who has extensive experience with both historic preservation and affordable housing projects, is heading up the Roxbury project.

No mention of Tommy in the show descriptions.
.

[Matt Meiser]

Wow, that's going to be a change if that's what's going on. But I saw this in the description "Working alongside affordable housing nonprofit Nuestra Comunidad, Norm Abram, Tom Silva, and the rest of the TOH TV crew will hammer out the complete renovation of a foreclosed 1870s Second Empire in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood"

Usually the "winter" project is smaller scale and is out-of-town. For example, Austin, New Orleans, DC, etc. And because of location they use a different contractor. I wonder if they did so because of schedule even though this one is in Boston. I'd guess their average project takes longer than 6 months, so maybe Tom is already working on the next season?

We won't start seeing the new ones here for quite a while. They just started painting the Newton house here.

[Joe Leigh]

I hadn't seen TOH in quite a while but did catch it last weekend. Couldn't help but notice that Tom Silva is using a SawStop contractors saw and a truckload of Festool....jus sayin'

[Dick Strauss]

Matt,
I saw the new program from WGTE (Toledo) this afternoon. They tore down a garage, took off some asbestos siding+clapboards, and took off a second story addition IIRC that were all in bad shape.

All,
The change in GC may be because they have carpenter apprentices, etc working on the project. Possibly Mr Lopez is overseeing the nubes continuing development while they work on this low income redevelopment project.

Maybe Tommy and his crew can't work at the wages needed to make the house affordable...just a thought...no inside knowledge here.

[Matt Meiser]

Matt,
I saw the new program from WGTE (Toledo) this afternoon. They tore down a garage, took off some asbestos siding+clapboards, and took off a second story addition IIRC that were all in bad shape.

Ah, but according to the FCC that signal magically stops at the state line/Toledo city limits 8 miles south of me. Instead we get a signal from Detroit's WTVS 35+ miles away on our DirecTV box. Since I basically don't watch non-DVR'd TV, I see what's on there.

[Bob Marino]

Usually the "winter" project is smaller scale and is out-of-town. For example, Austin, New Orleans, DC, etc. And because of location they use a different contractor. I wonder if they did so because of schedule even though this one is in Boston. I'd guess their average project takes longer than 6 months, so maybe Tom is already working on the next season?

Matt,

I think you are correct about the winter projects. They are smaller, out of the area and hence, use other contractors.

Bob

[Kent A Bathurst]

I remember reading some years ago that the highest-paid person on public TV at that time was Norm, and they were talking serious money - many hundreds of thousands per year total between TOH and NYY. Am sure Silva, et al, can afford to buy any type of tools they want.

I don't begrude any of them any of that money, but I'd darn sure have my plaid shirts custom made - become the Rick Pitino or Pat Riley of woodworking

[Jim Rimmer]

Matt,
The change in GC may be because they have carpenter apprentices, etc working on the project. Possibly Mr Lopez is overseeing the nubes continuing development while they work on this low income redevelopment project.

I caught this, too. Mr. Lopes has a training program for these kids and they will be working on the project and showcasing their talents. I hope Tom is lurking in the wings for later shows.

[Gary McKown]

I wouldn't worry about it, as Tom has been absent from other shows in the past. The two I remember were the adobe abode in Arizona, and the Savannah project. I actually rode back to Atlanta with Norm and crew just as the latter was being started, and Tom Silva showed up on the last day (on vacation, presumably).

[Lee Schierer]

I watched that show and I'm pretty sure Kevin mentioned that Tommy will be involved.

[Randal Stevenson]

I would say, see if he is on ATOH, if not, then maybe something happened.

[Mark Patoka]

I caught the last part of that episode yesterday and Tom's name was on the aftershow credits so I'm sure he'll still appear. Maybe Tommy took a field trip and was out filming at one of their manufacturers for an upcoming episode to show us how they make some of their special countertop or something.

[Richard Ray]

Ah, but according to the FCC that signal magically stops at the state line/Toledo city limits 8 miles south of me. Instead we get a signal from Detroit's WTVS 35+ miles away on our DirecTV box. Since I basically don't watch non-DVR'd TV, I see what's on there.

Look into an AM 21 tuner attachment for your DTV box. It enables you to get off air channels through your DTV tuner. They will then appear in the guide and you can then even record them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DIRECTV-DIRECT-T...#ht_770wt_1167

[Harry Hagan]

I remember reading some years ago that the highest-paid person on public TV at that time was Norm, and they were talking serious money - many hundreds of thousands per year total between TOH and NYY. Am sure Silva, et al, can afford to buy any type of tools they want.

I don't begrude any of them any of that money, but I'd darn sure have my plaid shirts custom made - become the Rick Pitino or Pat Riley of woodworking

If that was per show it would be significant, but not for two shows per year. That’s Chump Change for a network’s highest-paid person these days. e.g. Charlie Sheen earned $825,000 per episode in 2009. According to Forbes magazine, Jerry Seinfeld earned $264 million in 2004 and turned down $5 million per episode to continue the show into its tenth season. Based on that, I think Norm is underpaid.