Beaumont, TX; Feb. 2, 2023 – Week One of the McFaddin-Ward House’s electrical upgrade was dedicated to ensuring the historic house is protected during the course of the project. The crew from our general contractor Oak Grove Restoration Company, led by Hank Handler, began with protecting the floors in the kitchen – first laying down plastic, then covering it with a layer of coroplast before securely taping down to protect the joints.
The same method of floor protection was repeated on the third floor running through the West Bedroom into the Billiards Room where plastic and coroplast layers were secured down over the floor under all light fixtures and up the steps into the alcove. Further measures were taken to ensure the safety of the room’s most iconic artifact – the billiards table.
A special cover was built over the billiards table using eight bents made from small timbers reinforced with larger plywood gussets and steel ties at the bottom covered with sturdy plywood.
Handler explained, “During construction, you can never estimate what’s going to happen, so we have to make a cover for the pool table strong enough to withstand anything. I see this as irreplaceable; everything in here is irreplaceable.”
Additionally, protective sticky mats have been placed in front of all entrances to ensure the removal of any dirt or dust particles from shoes before workers enter. Machines to filter and purify the air and monitor humidity are also in place.
Handler says the goal is to “keep it as clean as we found it when we started.”
118-year-old McFaddin-Ward House to undergo major electrical upgrade