School Construction School Construction Costs Costs

FACILITIES PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION

tos s

Prepared November 25, 2007

Comparisons Comparisons ((Apples to Apples)Apples to Apples)

Consider:– Type (Elementary, Middle, High, Special)– Size (Cost per Square Foot)– Timeframe (Estimates, Bid Date, Completion Date)– Cost Components (Land, Site, Building)– Region (Local, State, National)– Quality (Life Cycle Costs, Green Design, High

Performance, Safe School, Technology, etc..)– Features (Athletic Facilities, Special Programs,

Community Use)– Future Growth (Core Capacity, Program Capacity)

Market StabilityMarket Stability

Construction costs for North Carolina schools

climbed 53.7% between 2003 and

2006

Source: NCDPI School Planning

$152.89 ??

Benchmark DataBenchmark Data

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction School Planning Services Compiles Annual Construction Cost Data Based on:

• Standard Cost Components Based on Bid Day• Break Down by School Type, Bid Year• Analysis by School Size, Total Costs. Costs per Square Foot

Source: NCDPI School Planning 10/24/07

GCS Elementary Schools

Source: NCDPI School Planning 10/24/07

Name Bid Date SF Bid Cost Cost/SFGibsonville ES 07/07/05 76,575 $9,814,893 $128.17

Guilford ES 11/09/05 95,800 $12,446,600 $129.92

86,188 11,130,746$ $129.05

17 Schools Built 89,817 12,119,846$ $134.96

Name Bid Date SF Bid Cost Cost/SFE.P. Pearce ES 03/09/06 89,385 $12,599,178 $140.95

Reedy Fork ES 06/01/06 86,847 $13,196,316 $151.95Northern ES 09/23/06 79,633 $10,635,749 $133.56

85,288 12,143,748$ $142.15

26 Schools Built 92,344 13,316,679$ $144.21

GCS Elementary Schools Bid in 2006

GCS Elementary Schools Bid in 2005

NC DPI Average Cost/Square Foot for all Elem. Schools reported in 2005

NC DPI Average Cost/Square Foot for all Elem. Schools reported in 2006

NC Elementary Schools

District Name Bid Date SF Bid Cost Cost/SF2005 Highest

Wake County (3 Schools) 10/03/05 98,012 $16,041,500 $163.67

New Hanover County Edwin Anderson Elementary 03/03/05 73,049 $11,450,000 $156.74Northhampton Northampton Elementary 04/18/05 50,000 $7,609,093 $152.18

2005 Average $134.96GCS 2005 Average $129.05

2005 Lowest

Johnston County West View Elementary 05/10/05 98,067 $10,651,700 $108.62Rowan-Salisbury Elizabeth Duncan Koontz 03/29/05 81,000 $8,694,000 $107.33Mecklenburg County Hickory Grove Elementary 03/01/05 104,875 $11,165,954 $106.47

District Name Bid Date SF Bid Cost Cost/SF2006 Highest

Chapel-Hill Carrboro New Elementary School # 1 12/14/06 90,221 $20,011,852 $221.81Davidson County New Western Elementary 10/31/2006 73,100 $15,472,000 $211.66Wake County Wakelon Elementary School 4/13/2006 98,128 $18,645,960 $190.02

2006 Average $144.21GCS 2006 Average $142.15

2006 Lowest

Chatham County Virginia Cross Elementary 5/23/2006 112,453 $13,144,110 $116.62Cabarrus County Odell Elementary 2/08.06 113,768 $12,587,360 $110.64Catawba County Catawba County Elementary 02/22/06 90,913 $8,908,300 $97.99

Highest and Lowest Cost/SF Elementary Schools Reported in 2006

Highest and Lowest Cost/SF Elementary Schools Reported in 2005

Source: NCDPI School Planning 10/24/07

GCS Middle Schools

Source: NCDPI School Planning 10/24/07

District Name Bid Date SF Bid Cost Cost/SFGuilford County Northern MS 04/28/05 140,637 $20,876,575 $148.44

Guilford County *Southern MS 09/27/05 141,154 $20,867,279 $147.83

Average 140,896 $148.14* Southern MS not in the DPI Database

Beaufort County New PS Jones MS 03/01/05 124,000 $14,308,098 $115.39Bertie County Bertie MS 09/29/05 111,921 $18,500,000 $165.30

Union County Marvin Ridge MS 10/04/05 159,863 $23,392,535 $146.33

Davie County William Ellis MS 12/15/05 92,255 $12,467,000 $135.14

5 Schools Built 125,534 $17,908,842 $142.66

$20,871,927

NC DPI Average Cost Per Square Foot for all Middle Schools reported in 2005

GCS High Schools

District Name Bid Date SF Bid Cost Cost/SF

Guilford County Northern HS 09/13/05 285,052 $42,655,253 $149.64Chapel-Hill Carrboro Carrboro HS 04/18/05 148,023 $26,532,333 $179.24Mecklenburg County Mallard Creek HS 07/14/05 306,958 $46,000,000 $149.86

Cabarrus County Hickory Ridge HS 09/29/05 224,204 $30,732,900 $137.08Union County Marvin Ridge HS 10/04/05 207,833 $36,063,009 $173.52

Averages 234,414 $36,396,699 $159.18

Source: NCDPI School Planning 10/24/07

Commentary – Wake County

“There are no simple solutions to managing the growth and escalating costs in our school construction program. This is complicated stuff. When you try to save in one area, you may be raising costs in another.”

Mr. John Mabe, Co-Chair, Wake County Citizen’s Facilities Advisory Committee

Commentary - Guilford County

“Practical and forward thinking”

EditorialGreensboro News and RecordNovember 9, 2007

“Critics say that Guilford County overspends on schools, but a comparison suggests that may not be the case”.

Greensboro News and RecordSeptember 30, 2007