BRICK HOUSE SPECIFICATION----Mutual Assurance Society Records, Misc Records 1794-1869, Virginia State Archives, Richmond, Virginia Specifications Brick house 26 by 39 feet out to out 2 stories & an attic high Walls (except front) best brick, not stock Front of Stock brick Outer walls 1˝ brick thick Partition walls 1 brick thick Basement 8 feet clear- 2˝feet under ground 5˝ feet out Kitchen 16 x 18 clear - Paved with hard brick Walls not plastered, but whitewashed - Fire place without grate Partition walls of Brick & to be stripped 6 windows with 2 sashes, 3 lights each, glass 12x18 (good common article) 5 Venetian shutters & fastenings - 1 Outside door with good lock, plain frame complete- 4 Inside batton doors, stock locks - Suitable shelves in Kitchen & storeroom Other rooms & passage unfinished except dining room which is to be finished in a plain way but to be complete- Stair steps, plain steps with handrail to principal story Principal Story 11 feet in the clear 2 rooms & passage Stud partitions except on passage Each room 16 x 18˝ in the clear - 2 outside & 2 inside pannelled doors & 1 folding door to correspond Mortice locks with pearl white knobs & finish complete Front door with 4 light over it & 3 at each side & with stone sill & a bell 2 marble mantles & hearths, Grates to be selected by Self & to cost not exceeding $15.- each 5 windows with best common glass 12x18 - 12 lights each recessed and pannelled below the sill & hung with weights Outside plain wooden sills & caps Venetian shutters with 1/2 moveable slate & suitable fastenings to 2 windows Floor joists best seasoned timber with plain washboard Floors not pieced & without knots Walls to be stripped & plastered with 3 coats - no cornice | nor centre-piece | Inside finish to the doors to correspond to the windows Stair-case according to plan, with mahoghany rail - without scroll | [page break] 2nd Story 10 feet clear - 3 rooms according to plan 5 doors plain finish & good locks 7 windows, 12 lights each - glass 12x16 Venetian shutters to each window with fastenings complete 3 plain wooden mantles with grate to correspond -Brick hearths Floors & joists of good seasoned timber - Stripping to walls Whole story plastered with 2 coast work Stair case to attic story Attic 8 feet clear in pitch, floored with common plank planed 7 window with 2 sashes, 3 lights each - walls stripped Venetian shutters to each window with fastenings complete Lathing or plastering with the necessary No of doors, washboards, grates, mantles, so as to make this story complete - 3 rooms Roof tinned & similar to Mr. Jno Cosby's tenements on Grace St next below Centenary Church, except as to balustrade, which is to be dispensed with- Neat and plain front porch not to exceed $80- Back porch one story high & to extend across rear of house, & in every respect similar to those attached to Mr Cosby's houses before referred to & a room to be made therein similar to those attached to the houses lately erected by Mr Thos Rutherfoord on Grace Street The whole house to be painted inside & out (floors & walls excepted) with 3 coats of paint- colors to be selected by self - no graining, all plain work-