The once projected number of $3.8 million to build the Brantley County Tax Office Annex Building is currently down to $3.4 million.
The nearly $400,000 difference could be more by the time the project finishes, according to County Manager Joey Cason.
Many of the line item costs in the project spearheaded by Allstate Construction Group Inc., to build the 7,056square foot building are projected over a 12-month period. Others will be sub-contracted out.
“What you are seeing ($3,423,160/$485 square foot) is the projected cost,” Cason said Monday morning, March 24 in his office. “That’s not a final cost. We did all the site prep and cleared the past building reducing the current cost. If there are other items that might arise that we’re able to do, that number could go down even more. There’s, there’s no projection of any cost overruns.
“The price includes the design ($255,000, percentage of overall cost to architect) of the building,” said Cason. “Any time an architect works on a project, they get a percentage of the cost.”
The county voted to enter into a Professional Service Contract with Allstate Construction Group Inc., in July 2024. The group hires an architect. Allstate also does all the hiring of sub-contractors.
“We do not negotiate the fee of the architect,” Cason said. “That’s part of their (Allstate) deal. They do all of the contracting with contractors and handle the bids. The contractors who will do the building will send bids to Allstate. They are doing all of the contracting.
Approximately 53 feet wide by 133 feet long Approximately 7,056 square feet “What we are doing is governed by state law. Local governments sign Professional Service Contracts that’s allowed by the State of Georgia. It’s not just something a county or school board thought up ... that’s constitutionally.”
An aerial photo shows the approximate 7,056-square foot site of the Annex Building near the Gold House north of downtown Nahunta along Hwy. 301. Photo By CONNER SELPH
Cason said the digging of footers is expected to start soon. According to the plans, the building will be approximately 53ish feet by 133ish feet.
“Once they start those footers, it’ll be a moving process,” said Cason. “They don’t anticipate this being a long, drawn out process. They’ve already purchased the steel before the tariffs were put in place, so we’re not paying an elevated price for the building.”
The construction cost of the exterior ($211,212.36), the erection ($98,415) and miscellaneous items (trim, anchor bolts; $10,560.42) is $320,187.98.
The building, according to Cason, will be rated to withstand a Category 3 hurricane (sustained winds between 111 and 129 miles per hour).
Projected cost by Allstate of sub-contractors to finish the inside is $359,737.22 (drywall & metal framing $251,339.22; acoustical ceiling - $36,606; flooring - $38,395; painting $33,997).
Doors for the building (five exterior, 32 interior) have been projected at $60,014.
“There’s going to be a significant number of heavy doors,” said Cason. “You’re going to have a tax commissioner’s office, you’re going to have a tax assessor’s office and you’ll have the planning and zoning and permitting folks. That’s three entrance doors to those offices.
“The 911 door will be an exterior entrance so that’s a secure door on the outside of the building, then internally. To get from 911 to the rest of the building, there would be a door. It’s also a secure door. Basically, the folks who are not in 911 cannot come into 911, unless they’re allowed to come in.
“You’ve got restrooms in 911 and those will have doors. There will be restrooms (male, female, family) in the rest of the building. It’s going to be a significant number of heavy doors.”
Cason believes the county will be able to save money doing the site prep work for the paving, which has a price tag for flexible paving of $141,000. Striping is listed at $15,000.
“Striping is outrageous for highways,” said Cason. “This will be a permanent striping. This won’t be our recreation department taking their paint cans out there and paint the striping.”
The cost of putting fencing around the job site is $15,000.
“That’s an OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) issue and the silt fencing is an EPD (Environmental Protection Division) issue,” Cason said.
Plumbing is $95,664 and electrical is priced at $425,400.
