The initial construction bids for the Liberty Elementary School addition came in about $500,000 lower than originally estimated, in what architect Robert Gerometta termed “a sign of the times” when so many contractors are eager for work.

At a special meeting Monday, the Duneland School Board gave initial approval to the construction bids for the LES project, pending final confirmation that each contractor will post the required performance bond. The low bids total $4.7 million, compared to the original estimate of $5.1 million.

Gerometta noted that some of the bids were exceedingly close. The two lowest electric bids, for example, differed by a mere $300.

The school board approved the base bids Monday, along with one $8,000 add-on due to the discovery of a broken sewer pipe at the school site.

The general contractor bid went to Gariup Construction Co. for $3,395,000. The electric bid went to Continental Electric for $429,000; the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning bid went to Gatlin Plumbling & Heating for $517,500. The plumbing bid went to Lake Plumbing for $318,000.

Gerometta also presented alternates for school officials to decide later: The use of a white surface roofing material instead of black rubber, an epoxy seamless flooring instead of ceramic tile in the main bathrooms, and the use of 4.5 inches of asphalt in the south parking lot instead of 6 inches. If accepted, those alternates would lower the price further.

The school board earlier approved the project’s bonds totaling $5.8 million, with the construction estimate of $5.1 million. Gerometta said because of the lower construction bids, the school board has several options. The board could opt to add additional expenses to the bond -- such as a proposed fiberoptic line and furnishings -- instead of paying for these costs out of the annual Capital Projects Fund. The school board could also opt later to reduce the bond payments, he said.

The construction bids were opened last week, attracting a sizeable number of contractors, Gerometta said. Duneland Superintendent Dirk Baer said the number of contractors exceeded the number that bid on the much larger Chesterton High School project.

The LES addition will consist of 29,050 square feet built around a new courtyard. The addition will free up space in the existing school while creating a pod for kindergarten and first graders. The addition is expected to be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2010.

Also at Monday’s special school board meeting, the board approved two resolutions related to Duneland’s Guaranteed Energy Savings project, in which $9.6 million of bonds known as Quality School Construction bonds will be sold in order to finance energy improvements in six Duneland schools. The bonds, which come with tax incentives for investors, are being made possible through the federal stimulus bill.

Posted 10/20/2009