"This Old House" Plans First-Ever Renovation in Rhode Island

WSBE is excited to share the news from the producers of This Old House: for the first time in the show's history, This Old House is coming to Rhode Island! The full announcement follows.

For this unique Rhode Island opportunity, WSBE is planning a few special “behind the scenes” activities for our viewers. Stay tuned for details.

This Old House airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. (digital 36.1, Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08, DirecTV 36, and Dish 7776; Comcast subscribers should check local listings for the channel number), and on WSBE Learn on Mondays at 9 p.m. and 4 a.m., Tuesdays at 1 a.m., and Saturdays at 7 a.m. (digital 36.2, Cox 808, Cox 808, Verizon 478, Full Channel 109, and Comcast 294).

And now, here's the official announcement from This Old House:

For the first-time ever, the Emmy® Award-winning PBS television series This Old House is looking for a historic home to renovate in Rhode Island. The TV crew is hoping to find a dynamic family with a classic old house in need of help, with plenty of things to save and update. However, the project’s scope must be “just right” – not a whole house, but more than just a kitchen. The renovation must be able to be completed in approximately six to seven months, with construction potentially beginning as early as June 2011 and finishing by December 2011. The ideal project should already be underway with architectural plans and/or have the ability to be “fast-tracked” to the building phase.

The selected project will be featured on multiple This Old House episodes airing on PBS in early 2012. The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2011.

Please note that the renovations are completely funded by the homeowners and not by This Old House, though the show coordinates product discounts and donations where possible. All donated items are considered gifts, on which the homeowners pay taxes.

This Old House is reviewing proposals now. To be considered, submit the following:

• Brief description of the renovation project – be sure to also include house style, location and year built
• Low-res digital pictures of the home’s interior and exterior
• Brief description of the current owners
• Low-res digital pictures of the homeowners
• How much you plan to spend
• When you need to start and conclude the project

Please e-mail proposals to pickmyhouse@thisoldhouse.com or submit them via regular mail to: This Old House Project Proposals, P.O. Box 130, Concord, Massachusetts 01742.

Select homeowners will be contacted by show producers for further interviews. Due to the volume of proposals received, This Old House will not be able to respond personally to everyone or return submitted materials.

Good luck!