The cost of the Pulaski County Justice Center project continues creeping up. The county commissioners Tuesday approved a pair of change orders, plus some additional items.
A $5,400 change order will pay for some unanticipated roof-related work, according to project liaison Nathan Origer. “As the roofing contractor was getting into tearing off the existing roof, they discovered that most if not all of the roof drains need to be replaced,” he explained.
Meanwhile, an apparent oversight in the architectural drawings led to an increase of almost $400. “The drawings did not include rebar from the new foundation to the new slab, but the architect has directed this to be installed,” Origer said. “It sounds like an oversight on Rowland Design’s part, and so they need approval to move forward with that additional rebar.”
The commissioners also agreed to add exact-built photography of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems before the installation of insulation and drywall for a cost of $1,800.
But there are also some other challenges. Origer said there’s a preexisting issue of a rooftop air conditioning unit that isn’t level. “Our normal HVAC contractor doesn’t have the capability of fixing it, and it’s been this way for some time. Now that we’re getting these new roofs installed, there is the potential that if we don’t address the problem, it may put our warranty in jeopardy on the new roof.”
There’s no estimate yet of what that might cost, but the commissioners suggested paying for it out of the regular maintenance budget, if possible, before using the project’s contingency money.
On top of that, the temporary relocation of the Prosecutor’s Office, necessitated by materials delays, could cost $18,000 if space has to be rented. Origer said there’s still a chance the county could save that money by putting the prosecutor in the Annex Building, but that, in turn, would mean finding another space for the adult learning center.
