Garage Construction Project

CLAUDE

8 min read

Meetings Directory - Maintenance Guide for Claude

Purpose

This directory contains meeting notes, calls, site visits, and inspections related to the garage construction project. All meeting files follow a standardized format and are date-prefixed for chronological organization.

Critical Workflow: Update Timeline After Meetings

IMPORTANT: When creating or updating a meeting note that includes timeline changes, decisions, or construction milestones, you MUST also update the Timeline file.

When to Update Timeline

  1. Construction milestones (pour dates, framing start, inspections passed)
  2. Schedule changes (contractor availability updates, revised start dates)
  3. Delivery dates (materials arriving, equipment installations)
  4. Decision dates (when major decisions are made during meetings)
  5. Inspection results (approvals, issues found)
  6. Weather-dependent activities (delays due to weather, successful completion despite conditions)

What to Update in Timeline

The Timeline file has two main sections:

1. Chronological Timeline (Top Section):

  • Add date-stamped bullet points for new events
  • Format: - YYYY-MM-DD: Brief description of event/milestone. Additional details. (see [[link to meeting note]]). **Weather:** [conditions if relevant].
  • Include weather data using MCP weather tool for construction activities
  • Add REDACT tags if including private financial information

2. Projected Timeline (Bottom Section):

  • Update target dates when they change
  • Add new phases/milestones as they’re scheduled
  • Update status notes when contractors provide new information
  • Adjust estimated date ranges based on actual progress

Meeting Note File Structure

Filename Format

Pattern: YYYY-MM-DD - [Type] - [Topic].md

Types:

  • Meeting - In-person or scheduled meetings
  • Call - Phone calls or video calls
  • Site Visit - On-site walkthroughs or inspections
  • Inspection - Official inspections

Examples:

  • 2025-11-18 - Call - Marcus Framing Schedule Update.md
  • 2025-10-23 - Inspection - PEX In-Floor Heating Approval.md
  • 2025-09-05 - Site Staking - Marcus + Concrete.md

Frontmatter Structure

---
title: YYYY-MM-DD - [Type] - [Topic]
type: meeting
date: YYYY-MM-DD
org: Organization/Company Name
attendees: [Person 1 (Role), Person 2 (Role), Owner]
location: [Phone Call|Jobsite|Office|Video Call]
status: [scheduled|completed|cancelled]
tags: [garage, meeting, relevant-topics]
---

Content Sections (Standard Template)

## Purpose
 
Brief statement of why the meeting occurred.
 
## Notes
 
### Topic Area 1
- Bullet points of what was discussed
- Key information shared
- Questions asked and answered
 
### Topic Area 2
- Additional discussion points
- Technical details
- Clarifications
 
## Decisions
 
List any decisions made during the meeting:
- **Decision description**: Outcome and reasoning
- **Another decision**: What was decided and why
 
## Action Items
 
- [ ] Task 1 — stage:: [stage number]
- [ ] Task 2 — owner:: [person responsible]
- [ ] Task 3 — deadline:: YYYY-MM-DD
 
## Timeline Impact
 
### Previous Schedule
- What dates/timeline existed before this meeting
 
### Updated Schedule
- What dates/timeline were established or changed
 
### Reasoning for Adjustment
- Why the timeline changed
- Constraints or dependencies
 
## Related Context
 
Links to related documents, pictures, prior meetings, or background information.
 
## Next Steps
 
1. Immediate next actions
2. Follow-up items
3. What to prepare for next meeting
 
## Related Notes
 
- [[link to related meeting]]
- [[link to pictures]]
- [[link to design docs]]
- [[link to timeline entry]]

Weather Data Integration

CRITICAL: When documenting construction activities, inspections, or site visits, ALWAYS include weather data using the weather-mcp MCP tool.

When to Add Weather Data

  • Site visits during active construction
  • Inspections (outdoor conditions affect what can be inspected)
  • Material deliveries
  • Any outdoor work being discussed or performed

How to Add Weather Data

  1. Use mcp__weather__get_historical_weather for past dates (within 7 days)
  2. Use mcp__weather__get_current_conditions for current weather
  3. Location: Detroit, Michigan (42.3314°N, -83.0458°W) - or use saved location if available

Weather Format

Add weather to relevant sections:

**Weather:** [Condition description], [temperature range]. [Context about how weather affected work].

Examples:

  • **Weather:** Clear skies, 45-59°F. Ideal conditions for excavation and site prep work.
  • **Weather:** Light drizzle, overcast, 45-50°F. Challenging conditions but inspection completed successfully.
  • **Weather:** Heavy rain, 38-42°F. Outdoor inspection postponed to next week.

Common Meeting Types & Patterns

Contractor Schedule Updates

Key Information to Capture:

  • Previous timeline/window
  • New target dates
  • Reason for changes
  • Dependencies (waiting on materials, weather, other trades)
  • Contractor availability constraints

Timeline Update: Always update Timeline with new dates

Inspection Meetings

Key Information to Capture:

  • Inspector name and department
  • What was inspected
  • Pass/fail status
  • Issues found (if any)
  • Required corrections
  • Follow-up inspection date (if needed)
  • Weather conditions during inspection

Timeline Update: Add to Timeline with ✓ or ✗ indicator for pass/fail

Design/Planning Meetings

Key Information to Capture:

  • Options discussed
  • Pros/cons of each approach
  • Decision made (or deferred)
  • Cost implications
  • Timeline implications

Related Updates:

  • If a design decision is made, update Decisions Log
  • If costs are discussed, update relevant order file in Orders
  • If timeline affected, update Timeline

Material Delivery Coordination

Key Information to Capture:

  • What materials are being delivered
  • Delivery date/window
  • Staging location
  • Special handling requirements
  • Who needs to be present
  • Weather considerations

Timeline Update: Add delivery date to Timeline

Linking & Cross-References

  • Timeline - If meeting affects schedule
  • Decisions Log - If decisions are made
  • Order files - If discussing materials/costs
  • Design docs - If discussing specifications
  • Pictures - If referencing photos taken during meeting
  • Prior meetings - If this is a follow-up or related discussion

Use wiki-links for internal references:

  • [[10-Planning/Timeline]] - Link to timeline
  • [[40-Meetings/2025-11-13 - Call - Marcus Framing Schedule]] - Link to prior meeting
  • [[pictures/PXL_20251118_163615779]] - Link to specific picture
  • [[20-Design/Interior/Electrical Planning]] - Link to design doc

Example Update Workflow

Scenario: Meeting with contractor reveals framing start date changed from Nov 24 to Dec 3.

Step 1: Create Meeting Note

Create file: 2025-11-18 - Call - Marcus Framing Schedule Update.md

Fill in frontmatter:

---
title: 2025-11-18 - Call - Marcus Framing Schedule Update
type: meeting
date: 2025-11-18
org: Hershberger's Amish Builders
attendees: [Marcus (Contractor), Owner]
location: Phone Call
status: completed
tags: [garage, meeting, framing, scheduling]
---

Document the conversation with all standard sections.

Step 2: Update Timeline

Open [[10-Planning/Timeline]] and:

  1. Add chronological entry:

    - 2025-11-18: **Framing Schedule Updated:** Called Marcus (Hershberger's) at 1:30 PM; new target start date: **December 3, 2025** (updated from Nov 24-Dec 1 window); additional material deliveries expected; crew will bring equipment to position materials before starting construction (see [[40-Meetings/2025-11-18 - Call - Marcus Framing Schedule Update]]).

  2. Update projected timeline section:

    - **2025-12-03 (Target):** Wall framing (Stage 3) start date — *Updated 2025-11-18: Marcus confirmed target start date of December 3, 2025 (updated from Nov 24-Dec 1 window). Additional material deliveries expected before start; crew will bring equipment to position materials.*

Step 3: Cross-Reference

In the meeting note, link back:

## Related Notes
 
- [[10-Planning/Timeline]] - Project timeline updated with Dec 3 start date
- [[40-Meetings/2025-11-13 - Call - Marcus Framing Schedule]] - Previous scheduling call

Quick Checklist for Meeting Notes

When creating or updating a meeting note, verify:

  • Filename follows YYYY-MM-DD - [Type] - [Topic].md format
  • Frontmatter includes: type, date, org, attendees, location, status, tags
  • Purpose section clearly states why meeting occurred
  • Notes capture all important discussion points
  • Decisions section lists any decisions made (or states “None”)
  • Action items include stage/owner/deadline metadata where applicable
  • Timeline impact section included if schedule affected
  • Weather data added if construction/outdoor activity involved
  • Cross-references link to: Timeline, prior meetings, pictures, design docs
  • CRITICAL: Timeline updated if meeting affects schedule
  • If design decision made: Decisions Log updated
  • If costs discussed: Relevant order file updated

Meeting Metadata Usage

Tags

Common tag patterns:

  • [garage, meeting, framing] - For framing-related meetings
  • [garage, meeting, inspection, passed] - For successful inspections
  • [garage, meeting, scheduling, delay] - For schedule changes
  • [garage, meeting, vendor, quote] - For vendor/material discussions

Status Values

  • scheduled - Meeting is planned for the future
  • completed - Meeting occurred and notes are complete
  • cancelled - Meeting was cancelled (note cancellation reason in Notes)

Stage Metadata for Action Items

Use stage:: metadata to track which construction phase the task belongs to:

  • stage:: 1 - Foundation/Site Work
  • stage:: 2 - Slab/Radiant
  • stage:: 3 - Framing
  • stage:: 4 - Envelope (Roof, Siding, Windows)
  • stage:: 5 - Insulation
  • stage:: 6 - Mechanical/Electrical/Interior
  • stage:: 7 - Finish/Cleanup

Privacy Considerations

Meeting notes in this directory are published publicly (not in the 30-Vendors & Contacts/ exclusion zone).

Use REDACT tags for sensitive information:

<!-- REDACT-START -->
Discussed payment: $20,000 check delivered
<!-- REDACT-END -->

What to redact:

  • Payment amounts
  • Account numbers
  • Personal contact information (phone, email, addresses)
  • Sensitive financial discussions
  • Confidential business information

What’s OK to keep public:

  • General meeting topics
  • Technical discussions
  • Timeline information
  • Contractor names and companies
  • Construction progress updates
  • Timeline - Project timeline (UPDATE THIS!)
  • Decisions Log - Decision tracking
  • Contractors - Contractor contact info (private)
  • 50-Build - Construction documentation
  • Templates/Meeting.md - Meeting note template (if available)

This file is automatically ignored in Quartz builds but tracked in git for AI assistant reference.

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