Foundation Repairs
The right side of the sanctuary has settled more than five inches over the recent past and repairs are necessary to stabilize the foundation to prevent further settling. The improvements will include installing support structures (girders) beneath the floor joists under the right column of pews. These new girders will be supported with new masonry pier foundations under the church. Once the sanctuary has been stabilized, we will attempt to gradually raise the floor to bring it level again. The estimated cost of the foundation repairs is $25,000.
Shutters
The shutters on the south side of the sanctuary were replaced in 1993 and then again in 2007. The 2007 replacement was a superior quality of wood that is believed to have solved the problems associated with the sun exposure shortening the life expectancy of the shutters. The shutters on the Providence Road side of the building have deteriorated and are the next that need to be replaced. The estimated cost of the four new replacement shutters is $20,000.
Flooring/Carpet Replacement
There are “soft spots” in the wood floor under the carpet in multiple locations that need to be repaired. This may involve replacing some of wood planks in the floor. The interior carpet is also worn, particularly at the front of the church and needs to be replaced. This will involve temporarily removing the pews, which is an extensive and time consuming effort. To minimize disruption, this may be done in concert with other improvements such as interior painting and foundation repairs. To further protect high-traffic areas at the front of the church, a separate bound carpet will be explored for certain usages. This cost of this improvement is estimated at $40,000.
Interior Painting
This is a regular upkeep item that is past due, and additional cosmetic repairs (e.g. patching cracks) may be necessitated by the carpet replacement and the foundation corrective measures necessary to stabilize the building. The cost of cosmetic repairs and painting is estimated at $25,000.
Air Conditioning Units
Most units have a lifetime of 10 to 20 years, and as the equipment gets older, its efficiency decreases dramatically. Four of the units are already operating beyond their life-expectancy, and we anticipate needing to replace them in the very near future. The estimated cost to replace these four units is $60,000
