Builders complete Phase 2 of Belmonte repair project

SAUGUS – Jim Dowd, project manager for Skanska Builders, USA, said the Belmonte Middle School repair project is on schedule as $10.8 million has been spent so far out of the project?s $18.9 million budget.?(Construction management firm) Consigli had a very good week last week and took advantage of the school vacation,” said Dowd during Monday?s Belmonte Middle School Building Committee meeting. “We are on track with the schedule.”Janine Murdoch of Consigli said phase two of the project is complete as classrooms were moved to the third floor on April 12 and 16. She also noted the phase two punch list is “85 percent complete.”?Over April vacation we made a lot of noise,” she joked.Some of the progress made includes installation of temporary partitions for phase three work, installation of metal railings on three set of stairs, initial work on the new elevator and preparation of a handicap ramp behind the gym.In other business, the committee approved a $7,000 change order for insulation for domestic water pipes. Dowd said insulation was removed last August and needs to be replaced.?Because of its proximity to the hot water pipes, the domestic water is heating up along that run,” he said.According to Dowd, there is $259,000 left in contingency money with about $148,000 in “potential future change orders.”?That is not guaranteed we?re going to have to spend that,” said Dowd. “That is every cost on the horizon right now we could see ? worst case scenario ? We err on the side of caution.”Dowd said work on the cafeteria roof was completed last week and work on the gym roof is under way, however, a question came up about what color the new roof was supposed to be.Some committee members, including Stephen Rich, said the original specifications called for a white roof, which would reflect the sun and reduce energy costs.However, photos presented at the meeting show the cafeteria roof is black.?If it?s in the specifications it should be white,” said committee Chairman Wendy Reed. “We?ll check to see ? If it?s supposed to be it will be replaced. If not then we have a black roof.”Dowd said if that?s the case, the black roof will be pulled up.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].