Davenport House Update

[pharding]

This past week we completed an incredibly challenging task. We completed the framing of the roof plane that extends down the sides of the house from the second floor roof to top of the restored first floor octaginal bay at the fron of the house. The framing of this is a technical tour de force. It is quite strong and accurately installed with extensiive checking and cross checking so that it matchs FLW's original 1901 design exactly. We installed eave vents and reinforced the second floor roof eaves flanking the bedroom wing. They were jacked back into place prior to reinforcing. After all that the deflection returned, but it clearly lessened. The casual observer will not notice the deflection. A new concrete foundation has been poured for the 1901 Bay. Rough framing of the bay will be complete in two weeks. 200 to 300 year old Bald Cypress wood will arrive any day now. This will be used to patch/replace exterior siding and trim that could not be reinstalled. Most of the original siding that had to be taken down for the bay restoration will be reinstalled. By about November 15 the exterior work will be temporarily enclosed for the winter and we will focus on the balance of the interior work. The balance of the exterior work will be completed in the Spring. We are scheduled to move in April of 06.