History Series / ThisOldHouse

* TheTeam: The show has customarily had a core group of contractors on every project, plus [[TheHost the current host]]. Over the years these have included:
** TheHost, variously Bob Vila (1979-1989), Steve Thomas (1985-2003), and Kevin O'Connor (2003-present).
** [[TheSmartGuy Master Carpenter]] Norm Abram, who is still on the show's board but hasn't regularly appeared in person since the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic interrupted production.
** [[JackOfAllTrades General contractor]] Tom Silva (1989-present)
** Painter Mauro Henrique (2010-present)
** Plumbing and HVAC expert Rich Trethewey (1979-present)
** Landscapers Roger Cook (2000-2020) and Jenn Nawada (2010-present).
** Mason Mark [=McCullough=]

* ''Series/TradingSpaces'': The American equivalent of ''Changing Rooms''; it could occasionally border on "off the wall" itself depending on which designer a couple was stuck with.

* TheWatson: The host of the show typically is not a builder (e.g. Kevin O'Connor was a real estate banker before joining the show), so their role in show segments is usually to be the guy to whom the various tradespeople in the cast explain things, and then being an extra pair of hands.

* SigningOffCatchphrase: Each episode ends with every person currently on camera saying their name and then the host saying "For This Old House". An unexpectedly dirtied Tom Silva once ad-libbed, "And I'm Mr. Clean."
** This is a later development and probably a reaction to the first host's method. Bob Vila's standard close was simply, "I'm Bob Vila for ''This Old House''," [[ItsAllAboutMe regardless of who else was on camera]].

** [[TheSmartGuy Master Carpenter]] Norm Abram, who is still on the show's board though he hasn't appeared since the 2022 season.

* FiveManBand: Not at the start, but for the last 15-20 years at least this has been the case. Current lineup is: [[TheHost Host]] Kevin O'Connor, [[TheSmartGuy Master Carpenter]] Norm Abram, [[JackOfAllTrades General contractor]] Tom Silva, Plumbing and HVAC expert Rich Trethewey, and Landscaper Jenn Nawada.

** Rich Trethewey, the show's plumbing and HVAC expert, was originally just seen in the background on the first season of the show. All the exposition about what was going on was done by his father. In recent years, [[LikeFatherLikeSon Richard's son Ross]] has taken to showing up, usually talking about newer plumbing and HVAC technologies.

** Nathan Gilbert originally appeared during season 39 as an apprentice for the Generation NEXT program. He reappeared the very next season, this time explaining the cabinetry he was installing.

* EarlyBirdCameo: Before he started hosting the program, Kevin O'Connor appeared as a guest on ''Ask This Old House''.

* IWasQuiteAFashionVictim: The 40th anniversary special includes review of the scene in season 1 where the Orange formica countertop is installed in the kitchen. Norm lampshades this trope immediately.
* ItWillNeverCatchOn: In the season 42 episode "Return to Dorchester", Tom Silva and Kevin O'Connor drive by the house from season 1. Tom reveals that his company was approached to take part in the project, but they turned it down.

* SpannerInTheWorks: The series isn't called ''This '''Old''' House'' for nothing: they basically never work on a house younger than the turn of the 20th century, with their current record being the Ipswich, MA gambrel whose oldest portion dated back to 1720. And the ages of the structures means something almost always screws up their initial plans, from asbestos to rot.

* SigningOffCatchphrase: Each episode ends with every person currently on camera saying their name and then the host saying "For This Old House".

* FiveManBand: Not at the start, but for the last 15-20 years at least this has been the case. Current lineup is: [[TheHost Host]] Kevin O'Connor, [[TheSmartGuy Master Carpenter]] Norm Abram, [[JackOfAllTrades General contractor]] Tom Silva, Plumbing and HVAC expert Rich Trethewey, and Landscaper Jenn Nawada

* ThePrankster: Tom Silva, according to Kevin O'Connor, though all the pranks occur off-screen. In the 40th Anniversary Special Kevin recounted how Tom screwed Kevin's tool belt to the floor when he wasn't looking.

* PlumbersCrack: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. Creator/PBS likely has people who keep their eyes peeled for any accidental occurrences so they can be edited out or re-shot.

* ScienceMarchesOn: the 40th anniversary special includes tape of a scene from season 1 where the old boiler is knocked over and dust flies up everywhere. Rich explains that they would ''never'' do something like that nowadays, because the dust is asbestos and they didn't know any better 40 years ago.
* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Averted through deliberate effort. This Old House [[FromClonesToGenre launched the genre]] of home improvement shows, but it has managed to avoid becoming stale, despite numerous competitors.

* ThemeTuneCameo: On occasional episodes, including the ninth episode of the first season and the fourth season premiere, "Louisiana Fairytale" would play out of turn.