Maintenance & Vendors — The Garden House

Annual rhythm

The seasonal calendar — the work that's worth scheduling before something goes wrong.

January: Mid-winter check — ice dams, indoor air quality
February: Plan spring projects
March: A/C tune-up before season
April: Gutter cleaning, exterior paint inspection, garden cleanup
May: Window washing, screen install
June–August: Garden care cadence (see Garden page)
September: Furnace tune-up, chimney sweep
October: Gutter cleaning, outdoor faucets winterized, garden cut-back
November: Storm windows on, leaves cleared
December: Holiday lighting, snow plan in place

House & mechanical

HVAC

Vendor: Company name, phone, email, account number, since-when
Service plan: Spring + fall tune-up, what it costs, what it covers

Plumbing

Vendor: Company name, phone, who knows the house
Sewer cleaning: Vendor, frequency, last visit

Electrical

Vendor: Company name, phone

Roof & gutters

Roofer: Company name, phone, last work done
Gutter cleaning: Vendor, schedule, what it costs

Pest & termite

Vendor: Company name, phone, schedule

Cleaning

Housekeeper / cleaning service: Name, phone, schedule
Window washer: Vendor, schedule

Electrical circuit maps

Hand-drawn floor-by-floor maps of every outlet, switch, and fixture in the house — each one labeled with the panel and breaker that controls it. When something trips, or you need to kill power to a specific room before working on it, this is the document you reach for.

The notation is consistent across all three sheets: M/P #1 = Main Panel #1; S/P #1 and S/P #2 = Sub Panels #1 and #2; BRK followed by a number = the specific breaker in that panel. Major appliances (refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, hot water heater, washer, dryer, furnace, boiler) are called out by name. The basement diagram also shows the locations of the gas meter, water meter, main feed line, and the demarc for the phone.

Click any diagram to view full size in a new tab — they're print-quality and worth keeping a paper copy near each panel.

Hand-drawn electrical circuit map of the 1st floor showing every outlet, switch, and fixture labeled with its breaker — **1st Floor.** Sitting Room, Dining Room, Sun Room, Porch, 1st Floor Hall, T.V. Room, Pantry, Kitchen, Closet, Bathroom, Brk Room. Main Panel #1 sits at top.

Hand-drawn electrical circuit map of the 2nd floor showing every outlet, switch, and fixture labeled with its breaker — **2nd Floor.** Master Bed Room, Martha Dressing/Bath, JoJo Room, Bens Room, Spare Room, Arts Study, 2nd Floor Hall, 2nd Floor Landing, Laundry Room. Bordered by Amberson Place to the north and the driveway to the south.

Hand-drawn electrical circuit map of the basement showing every outlet, switch, and fixture labeled with its breaker, plus locations of gas meter, water meter, boiler, hot water tanks, and main feed line — **Basement.** Tool Room, Wine Cellar, Supply Room, Basement Hallway, Exercise Room, Janitor Room, Furnace, Boiler, Hot Water Tanks, Crawl Space, plus utility locations: gas meter, water meter, main feed line (underground), phone demarc, and Sub Panel #1.

Third-floor electrical map exists but is not yet scanned — to add when available.

Specialists for old houses

When something needs to be done right rather than fast.

Carpenter / millwork: Someone who can match original trim and details
Plasterer: For real plaster work, not drywall patch
Painter: Interior and exterior preferred vendors
Mason: For brick, stone, repointing
Window restoration: For original wood sashes
Hardware / locks: For period hardware

Maintenance & Vendors.