Re: [at-l] "The Place" in Damascus needs Help.

[bullard@northnet.org]

Interesting figures Sloetoe. My house needs paint (badly) and I have just
generously calculated that the materials cost would be in the neighborhood
of $1000 to $1200. Mine is a LARGE building, 32X42 with two full 12'
stories, an attic and a belfry (it's an old school house) so I'd say you
are right in the ballpark. It sounds like a slick salesman sold them a bill
of goods. I suspect that if you wrote the Methodist Church in Damascus they
would get your letter.

How about repairs to The Place as an appropriate place to put the money
from the Ruck Raffles? With a bit of publicity I'll bet we could raise a
work crew.

At 06:18 PM 10/22/99 -0500, you wrote:
>*******WildBill posted this from the Damascus site:
>
>To Friends of "The Place"
><snippage>
>Until now donations by the people who stay at "The Place" have been 
>sufficient to pay the operating expenses and for various maintenance 
>projects to the interior and exterior of the one hundred year old 
>structure. Now, the condition of the paint, siding, trim, etc. has 
>reached the point that, if the structure is to be maintained, permanent 
>repairs must be made. The installation of vinyl siding is the only 
>reasonable solution. To complete this project the cost has been 
>estimated at $10,000. Funds for a project of this size are not 
>available, and we are asking for donations from anyone who is capable 
>and wiling to contribute to the preservation of "The Place".
>
>
>     I feel strongly that vinyl is NOT the proper choice, either for The 
>     Place or for Damascus.
>     
>     1) Architecturally (and Datto, feel free to step in here), vinyl is 
>     the ruination of any building's original lines. It pushes out the 
>     walls without similar emphasis on the windows or trim. I remember one 
>     operation (in giving me a $17000 estimate on my house) showed me 
>     before and after pictures of one of their "signature" homes -- the 
>     windows were reduced to dimples, and the structures looked fake and 
>     cheap -- and this from 100' away. I MUCH preferred the original. Vinyl 
>     belongs designed on, not added on.
>     
>     2) Vinyl does not keep its shape through its advertised "lifetime" -- 
>     which is to say, some parts of it warp and expose the building 
>     envelope to water, insect, varmint incursion *long* before the 
>     majority is problematic. The result is hard to repair (in fitting and 
>     in color matching), and hard to (cost-justify) replace. Reasonable 
>     estimations rate vinyl siding lifecycles at 40 years.
>     
>     3) Thus, the $10,000/40 years amounts to about $250 per year, with NO 
>     present value impact of having the whole business having to be paid up 
>     front in year 1. This also assumes that NO OUTSIDE LABOR is utilized. 
>     (E.G., nobody from the Church, AND NOBODY FROM THE MASSES OF 
>     THROUGHHIKERS)
>     
>     4) A decent powerwashing/trim refitment/caulk/paint (using high 
>     silicone "30year" paint) should be doable for between $3,000 and 
>     $4,000, again NOT USING THROUGHHIKER LABOR). A good paint job -- 
>     especially in that environment -- should go 20 years. (Yes, with the 
>     so-called 30year paint.)
>     
>     5) Thus, without present value considerations, a refit/paint job will 
>     go MUCH farther than the claimed "economies" of a vinyl job, and 
>     again, this is without any use of hiker labor. ANYBODY WANT TO GUESS 
>     just how many hikers passing through The Place in springtime have ever 
>     professionally slapped a paintbrush? With that consideration, you just 
>     took 80% of the cost of the paint job OUT.
>     
>     6) I would really like to contribute to the efforts of The Place, but 
>     in good conscience, I can't throw money at a vinyl job. My own house 
>     (at 109 years old) is about the same exterior size as The Place, and 
>     the estimates I received ranged from $13,000 to $22,000 for a vinyl 
>     job. I went -- five years ago -- with the refitment/paint job, and 
>     have never ONCE regretted it. A five color paint job, at that. 49 
>     window/door openings over two stories to be 
>     scraped/inspected/refitted/caulked. Makes me tired just to think about 
>     it. And the paint looks like new to this day.
>     
>     I feel strongly about this, folks. We -- none of us -- have so much 
>     money that we can afford to throw it away. But with hikers AND A 
>     CARING HIKER INSTITUTION involved, I feel a real need to speak up.
>     
>     Anybody got any *specific* suggestions? Phone numbers? Email 
>     addresses?
>     
>     Sloetoe
>     (Proving once again that
>     *real* economists make it work at home.)
>     
>     
>     
>     
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>
>
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