SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2006

Dawn sends status…and pictures!

  • Two of the painters, Elmer Stoltzfus and Southern Long, started on Monday in the offices [third floor attic area] of the mansion. They should finish tomorrow and start moving down the stairs to Bill’s room, then the Boys’ room, then the hallway, then maybe to the game room. Jay Bowman started today and is working in Kathryn’s room, finishing what Matt started. The weather is fair but cold, just above 40, so Matt is prepping the exterior wood. Carl Stoltzfus is to start on the first floor in mid-April, if we need him.
  • The electricians will be back on April 3 to finish the rough-in in the Summer Kithchen, then come back to the Mansion for outlets and switches, and whatever else is ready at that time.
  • The alarm guy will be here next week to drill holes in the window sills. [After all the work Dawn did to the windows, drilling holes in them seems a shame, but it’s the only way to hide the alarm sensors.]
  • Brian and Henry have finished repointing the back of the house and have started on the west side, so now we have to install the stove vent so that it can be set while the scaffolding is up.
  • I have to take care of the driveway guy this week.
  • I will see the tile guy next Wednesday to sign a contract and order the tile for the bathrooms and surrounds for the whirlpools.
  • J Miller is checking on the generator. [We are buying a whole-house generator in case power goes out.]
  • Brian will start the drain and floor in the workshop next week, and then the plumbers will be back to finish the air conditioning units. [Funny story below. Well, not really funny.]
  • As soon as the electricians are done in the Summer Kitchen, the plumbers will finish their rough-in in the Summer Kitchen, then we have to do the downstairs floor. I will most likely get the flooring from Sylvan Brandt, in Lititz.
  • I have begun research on the kitchenettes and will let you know what I come up with very soon.
  • I am still working on colors, and hope to buy the paint next week.
  • The roof on the Summer Kitchen is done and the patches have been made to the Paymaster’s Office. The privy roof will be done by June, but we don’t know exactly when yet.
  • The trim on both third floors is done and Darin has completed the moldings on all mansion windows. He has taken measurements of all windows and is pricing interior storms for all three buildings. All sashes have been pulled from the Summer Kitchen and Paymaster’s Office and are over at Village Glass having the glass removed, then they will come back here for me to strip them.
  • I am sure there is more, but I can’t think of it right now. I should be done with the list you gave me by tomorrow and will scan and email it to you.
[* In the workshop, the first floor is below ground level, and there was a water line on the walls about a foot above the floor. However, after six months we did not notice any water seeping in, so Brian went ahead and started painting. No sooner had he finished then the rain started, and it didn’t stop for a week. When it was done, the first floor was flooded — right to the old water line — and all of the new paint peeled right off. Thank goodness we hadn’t installed the air conditioning units yet, as I don’t think the warranty covers standing in two feet of water…]