Courthouse Roof Project Faces Another $237,701 Change Order
Carlton County commissioners will consider a $237,701.50 change order for the ongoing Carlton County Courthouse roof-replacement project.
According to the agenda packet, the gutter system was originally designed to use the same EPDM roofing material used on the upper roof. During construction, however, the project team reportedly determined that required metal-edge fasteners could not be attached to the terra-cotta structure without jeopardizing the roofing system’s integrity and voiding its warranty.
The proposed solution is a Kemper waterproofing system that the County says will retain the same 25-year warranty as the remainder of the roof.
The change-order worksheet lists approximately $200,734 in net work, followed by an additional 10 percent charge of $23,850 and a 6 percent bond expense of $13,117.50, producing the final proposed amount of $237,701.50. The net work amount already reflects credits totaling $37,766 for previously omitted or unperformed work.
The packet identifies “existing conditions” as the reason for the change and indicates that the change will not extend the project’s completion schedule.
The stated warranty concern may justify changing the roofing system, but the size of the proposed increase warrants a detailed public explanation. Commissioners should ask:
Was the terra-cotta fastening problem reasonably discoverable during design or preconstruction inspection?
Was the original design prepared by the County’s architect, contractor, or subcontractor?
Does any professional-liability coverage apply?
What does the separate 10 % charge represent?
Is the 6% bond charge calculated on the appropriate amount?
What is the original contract price, and what is the cumulative value of all approved change orders?
A $237,701 construction change should not be treated as a routine paperwork matter. The public deserves to know whether the expense resulted from an unforeseeable condition, an incomplete inspection, a design error, or a contractor assumption that later proved incorrect.