I am writing about the lead article in the Press, concerning the price for a new roof and heat pump systems for the school topping $28 million.
I keep seeing items in town projects with ridiculous pricing accepted as such, often involving “consultants” or “help from xxx” —with strings attached. This path with consultants got us a school that had to be torn down 30 years later due to utterly inept design (mold). My grade school in Cambridge is over 100 years old and still in use.
So, I have a 135,000-square-foot building in Littleton, at 300 Foster Street. Within the past two years the roof was replaced with a top-end Carlisle white rubber roof, and the insulation board was increased to comply with state guidelines. All the original rock ballast had to be removed, (a major amount of work) and the roof had to be kept watertight during the work as the building was occupied the whole time. It was heavily insulated when constructed—twice the norm for 1980. I was involved in building it.
The legacy rooftop AC systems were replaced with state-of-the-art Fujitsu heat pumps, about 20 of them, air source. National Grid has a rebate program on that, if cutting out fossil fuels.
The roof cost under $2 million all in, and was installed by North Star Roofing, a Shirley company that did a stellar job. We hired a consultant who oversaw the work as the owner representative.
The heat pumps were installed by Modern Energy, another local company who did the design work as part of the contract to adapt to old curbs, controls, power, etc. Very large cranes were needed to reach the center of the building. There were no other design needs.
The 15-20 heat pumps, including all electric, controls, etc., were also under $2 million, installed, then reduced by almost half by National Grid subsidy .
So call it $4 million.
Where is the other $24 million going? And to whom? Getting it for $12 million is a good deal?
Just call the above contractors and get a quote?
John K Grady
Slough Road
