X. General Interior.

1. Plaster: The plaster needs substantial repair throughout the house. Besides all the leak damage there are places where the plaster is coming loose from the lath. In some cases it is just the natural loosening that occurs as houses age, shrink, and bend. In the TV room termites have gotten into the lath and weakened it, and the plaster keys are pulling loose. In the dining room there is a bow where the plaster has pulled loose from an old covered over window. The requirements of your upgrades are going to necessitate the removal of plaster for running wires, inspecting structure, and altering pipes. Remove the damaged plaster first and then have the subcontractors mark the walls where they need chases to run their wires and pipes.

Figure 23. Fresh Dining Room ceiling leaks.
.

Figure 24. Fresh Kitchen ceiling leaks.
.

Figure 25. Old leak damage below the Great Room's bay window roof.
This ceiling needs to be cut out to evaluate the support of the brick wall above.
.

Figure 26. Termite eaten plaster lath tbat has allowed the plaster to bulge in the Library.
A typical result of prolonged dampness in walls.
.

Figure 27. Leaking into the 3rd floor Bathroom from the leaking plumbing vents outside.

+ 2. Active leaking: There is active leaking in the kitchen and dining room from the roofs above. The smaller front top floor bedroom has a wet wall on the house's southwest corner from the cornice leaks outside. The bathrooms have multiple active leaks. These all have to be fixed because the framing is getting soaked and termites will seek out this wet wood.

3. Doors: The room doors need miscellaneous fit, finish, and hardware repair.

4. Floors: The floors all need finish work. The Great Room floor is a thin oak veneer and is probably not the original floor. It can't be sanded any more. You will have to make a decision that weighs the historic look of the old floor vs. replacing the flooring and preparing it for next 100 years.

Figure 28. The living room floors are too thin to sand any more.
You will have to just polish them or replace them.

5. Ceiling Mouldings: The plaster moldings are coming loose because of age and water problems. If you don't fix the leaks you will loose the historic finishes.

Click below for each of the other parts of the Inspectors' Report

COVER LETTER

INTRODUCTION

I......Grounds

II.....Roofs, Gutters, Chimneys, and Vents

III....Exterior Walls

IV....Basement

V.....Electrical System

VI....Plumbing

VII...Heating

VIII..Bathrooms and Kitchen

IX....Attic

X.....General Interior [You're already here]

.

To Return toclick here