Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada takes us on a road trip to a very special backyard in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The homeowner has been hosting backyard dinners on Monday nights that the whole community can attend and wants to make his backyard more suitable for his large parties. With Jenn’s help and the help of several local contractors and volunteers, they turn the backyard into a space that truly welcomes everyone as a friend.
Next, we head out with mason Mark McCullough to help a homeowner replace her window wells. With her current window wells rusted through and no longer attached to the home, Mark does some demolition to remove them before preparing the site for the new wells. Mark and the homeowner work together to add gravel, attach the window wells properly, and backfill around them, restoring the drainage and protection the basement windows need.
How to Turn a Backyard into a Community Hub
When he moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Adam decided to make friends in the community. After inviting a few strangers over for dinner, his backyard quickly became a gathering place for the whole community. Monday Night Dinners became a tradition. But his backyard wasn’t the ideal entertainment space, so he called Ask This Old House for help. Jenn Nawada (and volunteers) answered the call.
Where to find it?
Monday Night Dinners event group
AMD Interiors assisted in planning and executing local landscape designs.
Mariana Otter Home & Lawn Care assisted in landscaping.
Savage Landscape Home Repair provided kitchen design and built outdoor kitchen
Living Stone provided a granite countertop for the outdoor kitchen.
Double Legacy Stone provided landscape equipment, materials, and installed the Idaho quartzite stepping stones.
Family Man General Contracting in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho installed steps to the back door.
How to Replace a Window Well
Window wells take a beating. They’re always exposed to the elements, are half-buried in the ground, and may even be affected by shifting, moving foundations. Over time, they can rust or warp and may even become detached from the home. When our homeowner wanted to spruce up her window wells, she called mason Mark McCullough for some help.
Where to find it?
Removing Window Well & Asphalt
- Tape measure—to mark asphalt cuts
- Framing square—to mark asphalt cuts
- Safety glasses
- Hearing protection
- N95 masks
- Heavy duty gloves
- Circular saw with diamond blade rated for asphalt
- HEPA vacuum
- Pick mattock
- Sledgehammer
Removing Window Well & Garden Bed
- Shovels—for this window well, they dug 10 inches down to make room for a layer of crushed stone. Consider the height of the new window well. Too high will block light.
- Rake
- Tarp
Add Crushed Stone
- Hand tamper—tamp soil before adding crushed stone and tamp crushed stone.
- Crushed stone ¾”—added a few inches of stone for drainage. Mark used crushed bluestone.
Install New Window Well
- Galvanized steel window well—the size needed will vary. Mark used a window well with a height of 18” for this project.
- Torpedo level—to mark new window well layout onto the foundation
- Mansory rotary hammer drill with 5/16” masonry drill bit
- Wedge anchor bolts ¾” x 3” to 5” length
- Brick hammer
- Ratchet with 9/16 in. 6-Point SAE deep socket
Original Air Date: Jan 8, 2026, Season 24; Ep. 10, 23:42
Products and services
Special assistance:
Monday Night Dinners event group
AMD Interiors
Mariana Otter Home & Lawn Care
Savage Landscape Home Repair
Living Stone
Double Legacy Stone
Family Man General Contracting in Coeur d’Alene
