FORKS — The renovation of the roughly 40-year-old Forks Library produced a bevy of surprises during the eight-month construction project resulting in the work costing about $12,000 more than expected, according to a North Olympic Library System staff report.
“Probably the most surprising thing was the number and variety of them,” System Director Paula Barnes said, referring to the 27 change orders needed for the $847,232 project.
The entire renovation project for the library at 171 S. Forks Ave, from design to construction, was originally budgeted at $835,000, putting the actual cost about 1.5 percent over budget.
“When all is said and done, [it’s] not terribly bad,” Barnes told the library system’s board of trustees at Thursday’s meeting.
The cost overruns stemmed mainly from unanticipated findings as renovation work progressed, Barnes said.
These included fixing unexpected dry rot, replacing more electrical wiring then originally planned and replacing windows along the west side of the building that were all unexpectedly different sizes, Barnes explained.
“They all turned out to be slightly different sizes, so all the trim had to be sort of on a custom basis, window by window,” Barnes said.
“One would think that a long row of windows would be the same size.”
Barnes said she made a critical error in only putting aside 5 percent of the project budget as a contingency fund when industry standard calls for at least 10 percent on renovations of old buildings.
“We thought we had done such a thorough review of the building that a way to keep costs down was to go for a 5 percent contingency, which is fairly common for a new building,” Barnes said.
“We really should have gone with the 10 percent.”
The focus of the renovation was a new roof, new conference room and new technology, including an express-checkout station.
The overhaul also updated the building’s heating/ventilation system, added new wall and floor coverings, renovated restrooms, updated a meeting room and insulated windows.
Library system funds paid for $672,263 of the project, Barnes said, with a community fundraising campaign raising most of the remaining cost.
Forks Branch Manager Theresa Tetreau said the remodel was sorely needed and has made the Forks Library more attractive to people simply wanting to come and read quietly.
“And we’re actually seeing that more since the remodel, just because it’s a warm and comfortable place to be,” Tetreau said.
Tetreau said comments about the changes have been overwhelmingly positive.
“It’s all just very Forks,” Tetreau said. “People come in and are just gushing about it.”
Barnes said she considers the renovation a success.
“Even though there were some bumps in the road, we were all very satisfied at the end, especially the library users, and that’s what it’s all about,” Barnes said.
The library’s regular hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
For more information, phone the library at 360-374-6402, email Forks@nols.org or visit www.nols.org.
The library system also manages branches in Clallam Bay, Port Angeles and Sequim.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.