Controlling school construction costs: part of the answer is in the design.

AuthorGaylor, J.R.
PositionADVICE: CONSTRUCTION

THE READERS OF THIS article may find it curious that a representative of a group of contractors who perform school construction in this state is taking the stance that in many cases school construction costs too much. Regardless, school construction costs need scrutiny by the business community and individual taxpayers.

Let me first remind you of couple of startling facts about Indiana school construction:

* Between 1984-2006, property taxes for school debt and capital projects have increased more than 8 percent per year for over those 20 plus years.

* Indiana schools cost 40 percent more to build than schools around the country

Part of the answer to higher costs is in the design. I know of examples such as natatoriums being built with Myrtha pool systems (stainless steel pools from Italy). Myrtha is the Rolex of pools and used at the Olympics and major universities. Most states, other than Indiana, do not have a natatorium at each school let alone the Rolex of pools.

Are we sacrificing learning if we didn't have the specialty ceiling systems of "floating clouds," specialty grid systems, extensive bulkheads and fancy floors and on the exterior, the multi-colored patterned brick, keystones and medallions? In a southern Indiana school they even have a waterfall in their school!

And then the big whammy--labor costs. Our system in Indiana is flawed. Indiana law states that commonly paid construction wages in your county are to be the baseline of wages paid on the project. Yet in most cases, the highest labor costs are mandated. The state even allows unskilled construction workers mandated journeyman's wage rates to be paid for jobsite cleanup.

By setting the maximum wage for labor, public...

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