" Under normal circumstances, this project should have taken a year but through extraordinary means working double shifts, seven days a week,"

" -Yeah."

" -We're able to get it done in just over six months."

" -Well it has come out absolutely smashing. The front of the house which is the classical or neo classical American federal house just couldn't look better. I know that you guys had to take your little details like missing a campus leaves at the tops of the columns here."

" -That's correct. We had to have those carved by an artisan from the Virginia Beach area."

" -Uh huh. And this wasn't strictly a job on the mansion but on the whole complex here right?"

" -Oh yes. We worked on every part of the complex. The two porticos on the side, they had to be stripped down to bare wood because of all the layers of paint, had to replace missing elements from the columns."

" -And there again you got work that is 1813 craftsmanship that's been here in the weather for nearly 200 years."

" -That's right. In addition to the mansion, we renovated the cottage right here. It's a guesthouse for the first family and then beyond that is the carriage house. We renovated it. We added the west gate which is the new way for the governor's car to get to the car park area."

" -Okay. Cause some of the work that happened on the south side of the house involved new bricks and mortars."

" -That's right. We made a small addition to the mansion. There was an area on the back that had not been built in before because of the roadway that went around the mansion. Since we relocated it, we were then able to put an addition on the back and it gave the rear of the mansion a cemetery."

" -So a 50s addition and a 99 addition now cause the back to match."

" -And of course the 99 addition includes an elevator so"

" -That's right."

" -the mansion is now accessible. What about the budget?"

" -The budget. The budget for the project, our contract was 5.7 million and we're going to complete the project somewhat under that numbers so we'll be able to return some money back to the taxpayers."

" -Congratulations."

" -Thank you very much."

" -Alright. Let's go inside and take a closer look. We can get a good idea some of the work that's been done architecturally. To bring in modern technology into the fabric of the old house that built up baseboard has the electrical conduits as well as the heating duct that supplies hot air into the room."

" -Right."

" -Tell us a little bit about the rug. Is this the type of wall-to-wall carpeting that was popular in the early 1800?"

" -Yes it was. This piece of carpet is known as a Brussels type. It was woven in 27 inch wits. This particular pattern dates back to 1810 and is documented."

" -And is in a document color ways."

" -Okay. But back then carpet arrived in bales right?"

" -Yes, it is."

" -You didn't exactly choose a pattern?"

" -No. You didn't order and say I just date X amount, you would go down to when you knew the boat was coming and these bales would be lying there and whatever amount was on the bale was what you had to work with."

" -Yeah. Now the color of the room, gray is that honest? I mean is that what"

" -Very honest. It was documented and this is absolutely the color of this room would have been with the style wallpaper that has the small Anthemians and this beautiful 1800 border."

" -So the border is also a documented design?"

" -Yes, it is."

" -Very colorful. And what about other stuff like furniture fabric that you chose?"

" -The fabrics are all from the era. They're not... Typically, they were not custom made but this is a pattern that would have been found, all these heavy silks, damask, etc. Also on this chair here, you'll see a fine horse hair."

" -Oh this is horse hair?"

" -This is horse hair and wears forever and is perfectly appropriate to the period."

" -It works well with the carpet underneath it and the chair itself which is what you call a shield back cause"

" -Right."

" -the back of it is shaped like a shield that you would use in war. It's a real fine piece. This has been on the mansion all along?"

" -Yes it has."

" -Great."