It hardly resembles a Hollywood Set but then again that is what makes the filming of This Old House so exciting and unique.

The home of Delaey Robinson and Andrea Dismont, which is in the process of being renovated, resembled a usual construction site on the day the crew from the high-ranking television programme shot more footage for another episode of the show.

There were about 40 contractors and subcontractors on the property, ?Harbour View?, and it was pretty hectic as the workmen manoeuvred around the film crew. Despite the chaos, there was cohesion and harmony as everybody pulled together to meet next month?s March 12 deadline when it is planned that most of the major work on the house will be completed in time for the final filming of the project.

?That?s been a big challenge, trying to get things in and out of the jobsite,? said producer Deborah Hood last week, standing on the property located in the narrow, back streets of the old town.

?They weren?t able to get a concrete truck up so they had to mix it by hand and pour the deck by hand.?

Challenges are all part of projects like these, but creator, executive producer and director of ?This Old House?, Russell Morash, is taking it in stride.

He finished directing host Kevin O?Connor in an interview with cabinet installers Mark Henneberger and John Blanchard of Sticks and Stones and then another O?Connor interview on the roof less than a half hour before the crew packed up the gear and raced off in taxis to the airport to catch the flight back to Boston.

They will return to the island next week for another filming before the final shoot on March 12.

?Even if we were doing this much work at home (Boston) in this time frame it would be difficult, it would be a challenge,? Mr. Morash concedes.

?That?s proven true here, it?s quite an effort but from my perspective I would say I am very pleased with what we now see... everybody giving 120 percent. They are going to come real close here, but I doubt it will be 100 per cent finished.?

The whole intention is to get as much finished as possible and the contractors and subcontractors are working seven days a week to achieve that.

?There will be things that will happen after we leave the job, but that doesn?t in any way detract from the effort that we have seen,? said Mr. Morash.

?Construction crews really don?t like to work alongside other trades, the plasterer wants to be there with other plasterers, he is not at all thrilled to be there with the electricians ? and plumbers ? and the landscaping crew. It is chaos, but controlled chaos.

?We love the process of seeing the actual construction as it goes on and we believe that our viewers do too. Where else do they see it? Most of us have other jobs, we hire people to do these things, we go away and maybe come home and write the cheques.?

The project will provide invaluable exposure to Bermuda?s tourism market, with eight half-hour episodes set to be televised on the PBS station. Through a combination of award-winning television, a highly regarded magazine and an information-driven website, ?This Old House? reaches about 53 million adults each month. Of that there are four million weekly viewers on PBS.

The Bermuda project will be chronicled each month in ?This Old House? magazine beginning with the April issue which goes on sale March 22. Additional coverage will be included in the May, June and July issues which go on sale April 19, May 17 and June 28 respectively.

The project is only the second overseas venture for the producers of ?This Old House?, after going to London several years ago. ?Harbour View? beat out 40 other possibilities in the United States and three more in Bermuda.

?Because I was the person who came down first to scout everything ahead of time, I have seen, I think, every inch of the island,? said Mrs. Hood.

?We have probably filmed from Fort St. Catherine to Dockyard and everywhere in between. We worked with Dr. Ed Harris at Dockyard, toured Verdmont with Hugh Davidson, the National Trust has been a great help and were on the docks of Hamilton this morning.

?It was important to bring forward all the other side stories of Bermuda and show people a little bit of what Bermuda is all about.?

As well as promoting Bermuda, the television programme will also show Americans how Bermuda?s homes are constructed with the unique white roofs and water catchment system.

The film crew also shot footage of how building materials arrive on the Island as well as slate cutter John Cumberbatch.

?We are fascinated by the roofing system, we filmed with John Cumberbatch at the quarry and that was amazing to see how they dig this indigenous stone with basically what amount to jacked-up chainsaws,? said Mrs. Hood.

?We had John show Norm (master carpenter Norm Abram) how to strap one of these machines on and that is just invaluable to have the local tradesmen and craftspeople showing us what they know.

?(Clarence) ?Big? Smith, who is working here with us is 75 years old, is one of the best third-generation masons. He?s just legendary here in Bermuda.?

Host Kevin O?Connor, who is making his debut on the show this season, has learned plenty about Bermuda?s way of building houses. He has been to Bermuda about several times since late November.

?It is easily a six or seven month project that we have crammed into the space of three or four months,? said Mr. O?Connor.

?There is every trade on the site right now. Norm Abram and I come on every trip and we are joined sporadically on various trips by other craftsmen,? he explained.

?The unique thing about Bermuda is it is only the second time that ?This Old House? has done an international project, the first time was when we went to London. As a result there are a lot of great things we can tell, the history and culture of Bermuda make great side stories for us.

?It?s great for us to tell our viewers back in Bermuda all the fantastic things that are unique and original to Bermuda. The construction is very different.?

And the fact that O?Connor and his wife Kathleen are undergoing a renovation project of their own at their north Boston Victoria fixer-upper, means that he can identify with the project even more... even if the building methods differ somewhat.

?We are very much used to wood framed houses back in the US, particularly New England,? he revealed.

Because of the house?s 200-year age, attempts were made to preserve as much of its original architecture as possible.

?We have preserved the Bermuda cedar wherever we could,? said Mr. O?Connor who saw the house in its original state back in November.

?Full masonry buildings is a whole design for us. But we?re in great hands with a great builder (Alan Burland) and great architect (Colin Campbell).

?We, at This Old House, totally respect the historical nature of the building and are happy to preserve it.?

It has been a challenge for the local contractors to meet the deadlines, according to project manager Alex DeCouto.

?The show wanted a six-month project done in three,? he stated. ?It was winter, we lost rain days. It was aggressive right from the beginning but everyone knew it.

?All the trades bought into that, they knew what they were up against and were willing to work on top of one another. I think everybody realises how good it is for the island. I doubt there has ever been such a PR of this nature.?

Mr. Morash admits the kindness of the local people has helped make the Bermuda project all the more enjoyable as they go back and forth between Boston and Bermuda.

?The strong suite in Bermuda is kindness, politeness and a generous nature,? said the show?s creator, executive producer and director.

?It certainly comes through with everybody whom we come into contact with. Everybody has a good morning for you, has time to find out how you are doing and that goes a long way and makes us feel welcome.

?And they are wonderful to each other. I don?t see the normal stress and anger manifested in people getting uptight.?