Ask an expert in the renovation of old homes and businesses how to work up a budget for a project, and you’re likely to come up with a formula that goes like this: First, establish a complete inventory of materials and their costs. Then, working with sub-contractors, get a reliable estimate of the time required, and the per diem costs of labor. Add those two figures together. And then double the sum.
Renovation projects always come with surprises, and they seldom are pleasant ones. Surprises add to both material and labor costs, and they inevitably bring about delays. Doubling the estimated budget for a renovation project provides a cushion to help absorb the surprise factor.
And so it has been with the Eastern Shore Public Library project in Parksley. Costs have been higher than anticipated, and the project is behind schedule. The completion date has been a constantly moving target, which currently stands at January 26, 2022. A more realistic date would be in the neighborhood of Easter. The good news is that there should be no more surprises lurking in the shadows. We have moved past the deconstruction stage and are working with a fresh new project.
Construction of the Parksley library has been bedeviled by two factors. The first, of course, is the Covid 19 pandemic. It shut down the project when infections peaked during the summer of 2020, and its effects are still being felt. It has affected the availability and cost of building materials, and it has reduced the supply of skilled and unskilled labor. Fortunately, many of these factors are being overcome today, or at least we are learning how to live with them.
Second, we have been dealing with a commercial structure that was built about 50 years ago, most recently serving as a Fresh Pride grocery store, and for more than ten years sat vacant. As the building was being dismantled, extensive mold damage was discovered in the gypsum board roof caused by leakage over a long period of time. Discovery of the mold added substantially to the cost of the project, and it created a significant delay. As the old roof was being removed and new steel decking installed, it was unsafe to allow other subcontractors to work inside the building.
As of this writing, the new steel decking has been installed and welded into place, and now we move on to the final stages of finish construction. Realistically, it likely will take more than four months to complete, making the January move-in date questionable. In addition to work on the structure, site work must be done, including grading, installation of drainage structures, paving, landscaping, and seeding. This will take six to eight weeks, but it can be done concurrently with the inside work.
As the new library nears completion, it is obvious that its cost will be higher than anticipated, and it will have taken more time than imagined at the beginning. But it is important to keep in mind that the property and the structure were bought at a bargain price, tempering the higher than expected costs of renovation. We also can take pride in bringing new life to an abandoned building, and in being at the core of the revitalization of the historic railroad hub of Parksley.
We would not be enjoying this success without the generous support of individuals, businesses, and assorted agencies both government and private. They have been steadfast supporters, even in the darkest days. Nor would we be here without our loyal team of volunteers, many of whom have earned their 10-year pins as they completed this journey.