Owl: Equipping The Laboratories
Date: 25 June 2005
Characters: Horace Slughorn, Remus Lupin
Place: Horace's Home
Status: Private
Summary: Horace owls Remus with some ideas for the laboratories
Completion: Incomplete
Horace read the last estimate and frowned. He'd hoped that his contacts would find ways to save money on the school laboratories, but while they could help a little it was still going to be an expensive business, without a good deal of luck. Time to contact Remus and let him know the bad news.
Dear Remus,
Enclosed please find three sets of plans and specifications for the laboratory refurbishment.
The first set, which I've labelled A, show a minimum conversion with some features which I personally would consider to be unsatisfactory, but are better than nothing. The current benches are used, with sheets of slate (which could be cannibalised from the roofs of one of the derelict houses) laid on them as a basic protection against potions damage. The blinds remain as they are, and only one chimney is fitted per laboratory. Some attention to ventilation would be needed, and whoever teaches would need to be aware of the potential problems if there are any spillages or the blinds are damaged - slate is far less resistant than granite or hardwood, though better than the muggle plastics used in the laboratories. I'd estimate the cost at about seven thousand pounds, mostly for construction of the chimneys and provision of suitable fireplaces.
Set B assumes that we are able to obtain used granite sheeting, of the type used on the outside of Muggle buildings, cheaply or free from Muggle sources, for use on bench tops. Rabastan LeStrange has offered to look into this for me via his business contracts - possibly the Muggle government could also help with this, but I think that Minerva would have to obtain the Ministry's help with this - I've encloded a draft proposal which would need her signature etc. The main advantage of this scheme is improved potions resistance on benches - the disadvantage is that granite sheeting of this type is rarely available in sizes that are ideal for bench tops, so we would probably have to arrange for a suitable craftsman to cut the material on site, and might have to put up with a range of colours and sizes. This sheeting is thicker and much heavier than normal granite work-tops, so it would be necessary to strengthen the benches - a simple wooden frame should suffice. The cost would be about ten thousand pounds (excluding the bench tops themselves, which would hopefully be free or very cheap), most of the increase being carpentry and other labour. This again assumes that no changes are made to the blinds, and that minimal chimneys are installed. One disadvantage is that some cupboard space would be lost due to the need for strengthening the benches.
Finally, Set C assumes that we have sufficient funds to do the job properly - Hardwood (e.g. Iroko, Mahogany or Teak) bench tops for most positions, at least one granite work top in each laboratory, two fireplaces in each laboratory, and more robust replacements for the blinds. The disadvantage, unfortunately, is cost - about £35,000 to bring all of the laboratories up to the proper standard.
Obviously it is possible to mix elements of these plans - for example, to modify the NEWTs laboratory to Set C standards, the other laboratories to Set A or B, to add additional fireplaces to set A or B, etc. I've tried to cover most of these possibilities in the costings.
One problem that occurred to me after our last meeting is the question of equipment. Hogwarts was a boarding school serving a prosperous community, and it wasn't unreasonable to ask students to provide their own cauldrons, scales, etc. The new school will at least initially be a day school, and the supply chain needed to obtain cauldrons etc. is now largely missing from our community. Accordingly, I think that you may need to consider buying in this equipment for the use of students. Possibly it could be sold to the students at cost, but given the current fragile economy I suspect that some parents would be unable to pay. There would also be problems if we asked the students to bring in the equipment as needed - some would forget, some would hit their enemies with their cauldrons, etc. You might want to consider providing class sets of equipment which would remain the property of the school - I've enclosed three quotes for "package deals" at 5700, 6200, and 6650 Euros from overseas sources, any of them would probably be all right, though I personally feel that the German offering at 6200 is the best value. There's ample storage space if you go with the option A or C plans, things may be a bit tighter with option B due to the reduced cupboard space, but I think you'd still be all right.
Finally, a basic stock of potions ingredients will be needed, I've enclosed a list which would cost about £2000 / 3000 Euros at current prices, on this it's probably best to shop about for the best price for each item. Young Longbottom may be able to help on the herbology side, and possibly the Weasleys on other ingredients - again, this had probably better come from you rather than me, since I'm not sure that they're particularly keen on an old Slytherin! If you don't want to provide equipment it might also be worthwhile to sound them out about selling cauldrons etc. Always assuming that they don't decide to makle joke versions, of course...
At this point I think that you really must consult whoever will be running the potions department - I'd hoped to meet him or her when I saw the site - and get guidance from that perspective. I've done my best but I'm not the one who's going to have to use the laboratories, and whoever is in charge should help you to make the decision.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or need additional information.
Regards,
Horace Slughorn
Horace re-read it, made a couple of corrections, took it upstairs to Paracelsus in the owlery and sent it off.
Characters: Horace Slughorn, Remus Lupin
Place: Horace's Home
Status: Private
Summary: Horace owls Remus with some ideas for the laboratories
Completion: Incomplete
Horace read the last estimate and frowned. He'd hoped that his contacts would find ways to save money on the school laboratories, but while they could help a little it was still going to be an expensive business, without a good deal of luck. Time to contact Remus and let him know the bad news.
Dear Remus,
Enclosed please find three sets of plans and specifications for the laboratory refurbishment.
The first set, which I've labelled A, show a minimum conversion with some features which I personally would consider to be unsatisfactory, but are better than nothing. The current benches are used, with sheets of slate (which could be cannibalised from the roofs of one of the derelict houses) laid on them as a basic protection against potions damage. The blinds remain as they are, and only one chimney is fitted per laboratory. Some attention to ventilation would be needed, and whoever teaches would need to be aware of the potential problems if there are any spillages or the blinds are damaged - slate is far less resistant than granite or hardwood, though better than the muggle plastics used in the laboratories. I'd estimate the cost at about seven thousand pounds, mostly for construction of the chimneys and provision of suitable fireplaces.
Set B assumes that we are able to obtain used granite sheeting, of the type used on the outside of Muggle buildings, cheaply or free from Muggle sources, for use on bench tops. Rabastan LeStrange has offered to look into this for me via his business contracts - possibly the Muggle government could also help with this, but I think that Minerva would have to obtain the Ministry's help with this - I've encloded a draft proposal which would need her signature etc. The main advantage of this scheme is improved potions resistance on benches - the disadvantage is that granite sheeting of this type is rarely available in sizes that are ideal for bench tops, so we would probably have to arrange for a suitable craftsman to cut the material on site, and might have to put up with a range of colours and sizes. This sheeting is thicker and much heavier than normal granite work-tops, so it would be necessary to strengthen the benches - a simple wooden frame should suffice. The cost would be about ten thousand pounds (excluding the bench tops themselves, which would hopefully be free or very cheap), most of the increase being carpentry and other labour. This again assumes that no changes are made to the blinds, and that minimal chimneys are installed. One disadvantage is that some cupboard space would be lost due to the need for strengthening the benches.
Finally, Set C assumes that we have sufficient funds to do the job properly - Hardwood (e.g. Iroko, Mahogany or Teak) bench tops for most positions, at least one granite work top in each laboratory, two fireplaces in each laboratory, and more robust replacements for the blinds. The disadvantage, unfortunately, is cost - about £35,000 to bring all of the laboratories up to the proper standard.
Obviously it is possible to mix elements of these plans - for example, to modify the NEWTs laboratory to Set C standards, the other laboratories to Set A or B, to add additional fireplaces to set A or B, etc. I've tried to cover most of these possibilities in the costings.
One problem that occurred to me after our last meeting is the question of equipment. Hogwarts was a boarding school serving a prosperous community, and it wasn't unreasonable to ask students to provide their own cauldrons, scales, etc. The new school will at least initially be a day school, and the supply chain needed to obtain cauldrons etc. is now largely missing from our community. Accordingly, I think that you may need to consider buying in this equipment for the use of students. Possibly it could be sold to the students at cost, but given the current fragile economy I suspect that some parents would be unable to pay. There would also be problems if we asked the students to bring in the equipment as needed - some would forget, some would hit their enemies with their cauldrons, etc. You might want to consider providing class sets of equipment which would remain the property of the school - I've enclosed three quotes for "package deals" at 5700, 6200, and 6650 Euros from overseas sources, any of them would probably be all right, though I personally feel that the German offering at 6200 is the best value. There's ample storage space if you go with the option A or C plans, things may be a bit tighter with option B due to the reduced cupboard space, but I think you'd still be all right.
Finally, a basic stock of potions ingredients will be needed, I've enclosed a list which would cost about £2000 / 3000 Euros at current prices, on this it's probably best to shop about for the best price for each item. Young Longbottom may be able to help on the herbology side, and possibly the Weasleys on other ingredients - again, this had probably better come from you rather than me, since I'm not sure that they're particularly keen on an old Slytherin! If you don't want to provide equipment it might also be worthwhile to sound them out about selling cauldrons etc. Always assuming that they don't decide to makle joke versions, of course...
At this point I think that you really must consult whoever will be running the potions department - I'd hoped to meet him or her when I saw the site - and get guidance from that perspective. I've done my best but I'm not the one who's going to have to use the laboratories, and whoever is in charge should help you to make the decision.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or need additional information.
Regards,
Horace Slughorn
Horace re-read it, made a couple of corrections, took it upstairs to Paracelsus in the owlery and sent it off.