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Richard Wagner of Wagner Cabinetry is in Punta Gorda for the installation of Cardell Maple cabinets. He starts with an overhead box that is marked for placement using a laser level. Since the exterior walls are concrete and the wall studs are steel, Bob asks how they handle installation. Wagner explains that as with wood, it's a matter of finding a stud and tacking with a finish nail before screwing the cabinets in place. Once tacked, the cabinets are checked again for level and screwed together with 2 1/2-inch flathead, square drive, zinc-coated screws with wood master tips that are serrated and cut through wood like a drill bit. With these screws, Wagner can avoid pre-drilling. After the doors are reattached and adjusted for swing, the crew moves to the base cabinet, which is nearly level and needs only be shimmed in the back. It is checked with a laser line at the wall and two feet out before being drilled in and finished with a toe kick. Bob shows the crown molding that is glued and tacked in place at the top of the cabinets for a finished look.

Bob meets lead carpenter Connor McKenna from Thorough Construction, who is working with the original floor joists in preparation for the hardwood floors. Bob remarks again on the hig-quality craftmanship of the original builders, but notes that the floor joists have been chopped up and hacked through for wiring, plumbing, or gas jobs over the years. McKenna explains that sistering the joists, or applying additional lumber to strengthen the existing timbers, will create a sturdy base and allow them to recreate a level floor. A laser level is used to project a level line throughout the apartment that will be followed for leveling all the new floors. McKenna applies panel adhesive to the tops of the new, sistered joists before laying four-by-eight sheets of Georgia-Pacific Plytanium Sturdifloor on top. This is a tongue-and-groove subfloor that is strong enough to serve as the only layer under hardwood flooring. Once affixed and locked in place, the Plytanium is nailed to the joists with traditional deck screws, never drywall screws, to create a stronger, better, quieter installation for the hardwood floors that will follow.

Tile installer David Cloutman from DC Tile is installing the decorative, artisanal tile in the new bathroom for the Rowley Victorian. Cloutman explains that he begins at the bottom, setting the tiles along a level line, with a 3/16-inch grout line to hide any irregularities. Cloutman will follow preset lines for each element of the design, including the border tiles, accent line, and field tiles. He is using a premixed standard tile mastic to set the tiles. Bob watches as he sets the pencil-line tiles, the feature-tile border, and another line of pencil tiles to finish this section of the wall. Patience, Bob notes, is critical to a good tile installation.

Riley explains the installation process for the new clapboard being installed. Using a story pole, they are able to keep a consistent level line around the entire exterior of the house. Using galvanized nails, the boards are added in a staggered pattern for better visual appearance and weather protection.

Bob comes out the back door of the new addition to the back yard that is currently four feet down from the entry. The new deck will be quite extensive, with various sections that read into one another and onto the sloping back and side yards. Bob reviews the plans that show an extensive deck section at one level, with long stairs cut into the grade in one direction and deck sections that step down to the side yard in the other direction. Tim Berky, the general contractor, is on site to dig the holes for The Footing Tube PVC forms that create the deck footing and pier in one concrete pour. Each costs about $40 and provides a flared design that combats frost heaving when set below the frost line. Berky will pour the concrete to grade so that no concrete will show above it. He will use structural lumber above the grade and face it to hide the lumber. The Footing Tube forms are capped to prevent accidents until the footings are ready to pour. Once they areset in place and backfilled, the concrete is transported to the deck area and shoveled into the forms to set the deck footings and piers.

Bob is joined by John Wellborn, from Wellborn Cabinets, and carpenter Paul Anderson for the kitchen cabinet installation. Wellborn clamps cabinet sections together to insure that the joints are nice and tight and that the units are square and flush. Next, a fluted pilaster is attached to the top. This will receive the crown molding that kitchen designer Darci Miller has chosen. Finally, the end panels are attached to each side. To secure the cabinets to the wall, Paul Anderson scores a line on the wall to ensure the units will be level. Then he attaches two-by-fours to the wall for the cabinets to rest on while they are being fastened. Once the cabinets are secure, the 2-by-4's are removed and the cabinet doors attached.

Bob joins Connor McKenna of Thorough Construction as he works on installing the new steel-stud framing. McKenna is again using the laser level, this time in vertical position, set five inches off the new wall line. McKenna then checks each stud with a tape measure on which the level line is projected to ensure that each stud is exactly in line. He then attaches a stud fastener to hold the stud in place so that it will not shift or move, which would create valleys in the new drywall.