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Season guide

This Old House: Season 12

26 episodes Premiered Sep 1, 1990 Updated Sep 26, 2026

The Jamaica Plain House; The New Orleans House

Previously on This Old House

Season 12 Lore Primer

Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.

  • ⚡ Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of This Old House Season 11.
  • ⚡ Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
  • ⚡ Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
  • ⚡ Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.

Season overview

The Jamaica Plain House; The New Orleans House

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Season 12 Episodes

Episode Guide

🛡️ SPOILER SHIELD

Season 12 Progress Shield

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Binge Efficiency Engine

Season 12: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

12%
88%
Mytharc (3): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (23): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (0): Standalone / filler
S12·E1 Mytharc

The Jamaica Plain House - 1

Sep 1, 1990

We begin our 12th season with the restoration of Hazel Briceno's triple-decker, three-family home in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Together with the Residental Development Program

S12·E3 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 3

Sep 15, 1990

The issue of vinyl siding is discussed. Cellulose insulation is blown-in from the interior. A variety of replacement windows is reviewed. Kithcen and bathroom redesign begins with

S12·E4 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 4

Sep 22, 1990

Abel Lopes explains construction of rear porches. Our master carpenter shows us how to install the new replacement windows. Vinyl siding goes on, kitchen and bath design plans are

S12·E5 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 5

Sep 29, 1990

Our master carpenter works on front porch. We get a lesson from the plastering crew on blueboarding. We then tour a Canadian gypsum mine and New Hampshire factory where gypsum rock

S12·E6 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 6

Oct 6, 1990

The guys discuss the basement windows. Landscape architect Tom Wirth makes a preliminary lanscaping survey. The guys go over the pre-inspection plumbing. We then tour a factory in

S12·E7 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 7

Oct 13, 1990

Home magazine editor Joe Ruggiero tours the house and discusses with Hazel ideas for interior decorating on a budget. Our master carpenter reconstructs the front porch post. Our ho

S12·E8 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 8

Oct 20, 1990

A visit to the Charlotte, North Carolina, chapter of Habitat for Humanity, a national organization that provides affordable housing through no-interest loans, sweat equity and volu

S12·E9 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 9

Oct 27, 1990

The guys install the new front porch columns and build a railing system. Abel Lopes and Amy Wrigley tour the house to see progress on the back shed, deleaded window trim and the ne

S12·E10 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 10

Nov 3, 1990

The crew installs the brackets they've built the workshop. The front door is stained and sealed. Hazel and Tom Wirth visit a nursery for the end-of-month season bargains, and Howar

S12·E11 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 11

Nov 10, 1990

Our host tries some sanblasting to get rid of the graffiti on front of the house. Our master carpenter installs some of the trim he made in the workshop. Our host takes viewers to

S12·E12 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 12

Nov 17, 1990

Tom Wirth and Hazel lay out the plants for the front garden and a picket fence is installed. Our master carpenter and Abel discuss the upcoming lead reinspection for the stripped t

S12·E13 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 13

Nov 24, 1990

We tour the vacant city-owned lot across the street with Stephanie Bothwell, senior landscape architect with the City of Boston. There, trees and bushes are being planted as part o

S12·E14 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 14

Dec 1, 1990

Our host and Amy Wrigley tour two Public Facilities Department houses that will soon be on the market. At the workshop, the guys pre-hang the front door and install its lock system

S12·E15 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 15

Dec 8, 1990

At the house, the guys install the new front door. Hazel's security system is reviewed. Jeff Hosking checks out the state of the house's floors, sanding what he can. Our host then

S12·E16 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 16

Dec 15, 1990

Our master carpenter tiles Hazel's bathroom with vinyl tile, Richard Trethewey gives us a lesson on installing a kitchen sink and disposal, and we visit a carpet factory in Lyerly,

S12·E17 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 17

Dec 22, 1990

The guys visit the International Carpetry Apprenticeship Contest in Seattle, Washington. Back in Jamaica Plain, Richard Trethewey and our master carpenter look over some of the new

S12·E18 Core

The Jamaica Plain House - 18

Dec 29, 1990

The final day. Boston's Mayor Ray Flynn drops by to welcome Hazel to the city and gives her a wreath. Designer Joe Ruggiero shows us the three different treatments he gave each flo

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