School projects may cost less than expected
HUNTSVILLE — School construction projects at Burchfield and Robbins could prove less costly than original projections by an architectural firm.
Upland Design Group, the firm retained by the Scott County Board of Education for the major expansion project at Burchfield Elementary and new school at Robbins Elementary, had anticipated a total cost of around $12 million for the two schools, with construction costs making up the bulk of that total (nearly $11 million).
However, bids received by the Board of Education — and revealed at last week’s regular session — were approximately $2 million below those estimates.
Five firms — Denark Construction (Knoxville), Evans Contracting (Clinton), Hickory Construction (Alcoa), Joseph Construction Company (Knoxville) and C. Laney & Sons (Sevierville) submitted a combined bid for the facilities. The only local firm to show interest in the projects — Oneida-based Brewster Builders — did not submit a bid.
The lowest bid was submitted by Evans Contracting, at $8,830,000 while C. Laney & Sons had the highest bid, at $10,018,211.
Many of the same firms submitted individual bids for the projects. At Robbins, the low bid was also submitted by Evans, at $4,770,000, while C. Laney & Sons had the high bid, at $5,461,337. At Burchfield, Evans again had the low bid, at $4,160,000, while McCarroll Construction's bid was the highest, at $4,819,000.
The bids will be reviewed by Upland Design Group, which will make a recommendation on which bid to accept.
Given the bids in consideration, the total cost of the projects could now be as low as $9.5 million to $10 million.
Additional coverage in this week's print edition: County Commission honors late School Board member Vivian Smith and discusses an appointment to the vacant 6th District seat.