Ep 1. St. Michael's Catholic School

Salvage Dawgs is a reality television series that showcases a team of skilled craftsmen and antique experts who travel across the country in a mission to save and restore architectural elements of historic structures that are otherwise doomed for destruction. In the season 6 premiere episode, titled "St. Michael's Catholic School," the team takes on a challenging project to salvage parts of a 100-year-old school building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Salvage Dawgs team, consisting of Mike, Robert, Grayson, Tay, and Ted, begins their journey by meeting up with a local contractor, Ray, who takes them to the site of the school. The building, which was built in 1906, served as a Catholic school for over a century until it closed its doors in 2006. Since then, the building had fallen into a state of disrepair, and its future was uncertain until the Salvage Dawgs team stepped in.

As they explore the building, the team quickly realizes that the structure has a lot of unique and valuable elements that can be salvaged. They start by removing the old lockers from the classrooms and carefully disassembling the chalkboards. They also find vintage transoms and a stunning stained-glass window that they hope to save.

The team faces several challenges as they work their way through the building. The first major hurdle is the fact that the building has very narrow staircases that are difficult to navigate, especially with the heavy and fragile objects they are trying to remove. They also have to contend with the fact that the building has no electricity, so they have to use cumbersome generators to power their tools and equipment.

Another major challenge is the fact that the building has a lot of hazardous materials that need to be removed before they can start the salvage process. They find asbestos in the ceilings and mercury in the thermostats, which means they have to take extra precautions to ensure their safety.

Despite these obstacles, the Salvage Dawgs team soldiers on, determined to salvage as much as they can. They manage to save a lot of stunning elements from the building, including beautifully carved wooden mantels, vintage radiators, and brass doorknobs. They even manage to salvage a massive cast iron boiler that had been sitting in the basement for over a century.

Throughout the episode, we get to see the personalities and expertise of each of the Salvage Dawgs team members. Mike, the team leader, is the driving force behind the project. His extensive knowledge of architectural salvage and his ability to see the potential in old buildings is what makes him such an essential member of the team.

Robert, the team's expert in woodwork and restoration, is responsible for the challenging task of removing the intricate wooden elements of the building. Grayson is the team's rising star, a young apprentice who is learning the trade from the more experienced members of the team. Tay, the team's go-to guy for any heavy lifting, is essential for removing some of the more substantial items from the building, such as the lockers and radiators. Ted, the team's resident artist, is often tasked with removing the more delicate elements of the structure, such as the stained glass windows.

Overall, the Salvage Dawgs team successfully salvages significant and valuable elements from the St. Michael's Catholic School building that otherwise would've been lost forever. The episode highlights both the incredible beauty of historic structures and the immense challenges of salvaging them. It is a captivating and highly educational show that is sure to delight anyone interested in architecture, history, and craftsmanship.