This Week - 8/24/12

1. We have started demolition on the Guest House.  
2. Carpets have been removed in the Guest House and we have found a small area at the top of the stairs that is plywood and needs to be replaced with hardwood flooring.
3. The bedroom window that we are repairing has significant rot.  We had planned to repair the rot damage but would like to suggest raising the window up to 6" to allow proper flashing and avoid a recurring issue.  We can discuss this at our Friday meeting.
4. They are continuing on with demolition in the Main House.
5. Met JB on site 8/21 and he mentioned that w should have the permit set of plans by 8/22
6. Bees came back.  Gave them another treatment on 8/21.
7. Barry will be submitting a proposal for installing dehumidifiers 8/21.  These will need to be installed before the mold remediation can happen and be effective.
8. Mike will look at all of the in-ground downspout pipes to make sure they are in working order to connect to with the new downspouts.
9. We will submit an estimate for copper and chimneys by 8/22

This week - 7/6/12

• Met with JB today 7/3.  He seems ready to put together pricing plans.  Said he might have by this Friday.

• Demo guys were finishing up today.  Had some extras required by the plumbers to get to the guest bath and the master bath plumbing.  Opened up ceiling in left garage and in exterior stairs to basement to access plumbing to guest bath.  Opened basement hallway ceiling to access master bedroom plumbing.  Both of these items will be folded into their prospective bath renovation costs.  We will also take down the strapping in the existing kitchen area.  The strapping in the new kitchen area toward the front of the house will remain. 

• We have started doing exploratory surgery on the sunroom to see what the process and cost will be for restoration.  

• Asbestos remediation will begin on Thursday.

• Still setting up walk throughs for copper repair.  

• Brendan McCarthy is scheduled for later this week to come in and assess the chimney repair work.

• Still waiting on quotes for: Copper repair, Guest bath plumbing, Main window restoration.

Meeting Notes 6/22/12

Meeting by phone Pete Millington, Peter Stames

Agreed to rescission of the contract and generation of new contract to absorb Change Orders:

•  #4 Extra Kitchen Demolition, 
• #5 Guest Bath Demo,
• #6 Scope Cast Iron Plumbing, 
• #7 Asbestos removal, 
• #8 Basement Demolition, 
• #9 Garage Door Openers, 
• #10Additional Torsion Spring, 
• #11 Brown Bath Demo.
• #14 Pest control
• #17 Temp fence for pool  
  Also included in the new contract is the plumbing restoration, kitchen demolition, master bath demolition and electrical demolition.

New contract will be generated by Wednesday the 27th at the latest.  Change order sequencing will start over at #1.

_________________________________________________________________________________

New Change Order sequence waiting for pricing and approvals.

• #1 Window Repairs and Tune Ups 1
• #2 Guest House Renovation
• #3 Guest Bath Plumbing
• #4 Cast Iron Drain Pipe Repair
• #5 Engineer for sewer
• #6 Sewer Line
• #7 Gas Service
• #8 Storm Window Replacement

_________________________________________________________________________________

This week thru 6/15/12

Continuing on removal of the chimney.  It has been a bear so far with steel rods holding the cap together.  Should move better today.  Need to keep in mind impending weather.

Guest bath demo will be done as well.  Will get plumbing costs for re-plumbing that bath

Expect to have numbers for mold remediation and demo in the main house basement by Tuesday.  Numbers warrant getting one more remediation number.

Notes 6/6/12

Today we will be meeting Kim Cleary from Cleary and Sons Window Restoration company to go over the window issues and get an estimate for repairs.

Change Order #4 for Extra Kitchen Demo has been submitted and verbally agreed to by PJM.  Need signed copy.  Work started 6/5 and will be finished 6/7.

Change Order #5 for Guest Bath Demo was submitted 6/6.  Waiting on signed approval and will get started.

Guest house renovation estimate is coming together.  Should have early next week.

Basement mold remediation estimate is in the works.  Should have early next week.

Chimney Demolition - Applying for permit today.  Will take down when weather is clear.

Design question:  The ceilings in the different parts of the kitchen are at different heights.  Can we get a determination on ultimate ceiling height so that we can prepare for that?

Notes 5/31/12

Demolition - We are about done with the demo that has been approved so far i.e. the master bath and the kitchen.  The basement is on hold at the moment pending a conversation regarding mold remediation. (Please see previous post regarding mold).


We would like to continue on with bathrooms that are to be redone. If we could get a go ahead on any or all fo them that would be enough to keep us all busy for tomorrow 6/1.


Garage - Currently the left garage door takes 2-3 guys to open and the door opener is shot.  The other garage door opener works and we have purchased openers for our guys to use.  We would like to replace the other garage door opener so that we can use that garage efficiently.  Please let us know if this is OK.


Guest House (GH) - Peter Stames spoke with Anne today regarding renovation of the GH.  They walked through and came up with a game plan for pricing.  I will try to have a number back for these items by mid week next week.

• The plumbers have already gone through the house and have made concessions to allow the GH to have water turned on since it runs through from the main house which is being shut off tomorrow.
• While air pressurizing the GH today they found the plumbing to have some issues.  The initial thought is that where the fixtures are tied into the plumbing they are letting loose.  He is working up a proposal for all necessary plumbing in this area.
• We will need to take care of relaying the back patio and install a railing there as well.
• There are some areas of water damage around a couple of windows.  We will look into the cause and remedy.
• The kitchen cabinets will be made to all work smoothly in their existing condition and be painted.
• We will remove the Formica countertop only and replace with same.  We will look into finding a pre owned electric range or inexpensive new unit to replace the existing which will be thrown out.
• We will look into cleaning up the existing refrigerator and reusing it.
• We will remove all existing carpet.  Carpet will be replaced in lower section of the house.  The hardwood floor above will be refinished if necessary or left as is.
• Replace bath floor with new vinyl.
• Consider changing bath plumbing fixtures.
• Electricians will walk through.  We believe that all of the baseboard heat will need to be replaced but will confirm.
• Replace screen door at front door.
• Full paint job.

Historic Commission/ Chimney

Email from JB Clancy on whether the house is on Historic Register


"Jay at the building dept said the assessors records show that the house was built in 1929 so the Historic Commission has no jurisdiction over this house. 

I spoke to Stephen O’Donnell with the Milton Historic Commission.  He said 1431 Brush Hill Road is not in an historic district.  If the house was built before 1919 they have jurisdiction but are only concerned when someone is proposing a total demolition or substantial exterior remodel.  Do we know when the house was built?  I mentioned the chimney and the breakfast room possible being removed and he said they would not have a problem removing these elements."

"I will send Jay an e-mail with notes from this conversation.  That said,  I suggest you hold off on taking the chimney down until we have a clear floor plan for the kitchen."