Rehab bids over budget
JANESVILLE — City staff on Monday will ask the Janesville City Council to reject bids that came in more than double the budget to rehab a home at 189 S. High St.
The city bought the property as part of its Buy, Rehab, Resell program.
The budget for the project was $150,000 in community development block grant money to buy and rehab the property. The city paid $65,646 for the property, leaving $84,343 for rehabilitation.
Four contractors submitted bids, and the lowest bid was $175,359 from Drake Construction. The highest was Imperial Builders & Contractors for $266,848.
Staff proposes to revise the scope of the project, including eliminating plans to remove the exterior paint and reveal the original brick surface.
“Although aesthetically desirable, this appears to be cost prohibitive,” Kelly Lee, neighborhood development specialist, wrote in a memo.
Staff also figures to save money if the city acts as the general contractor. And the city will apply for grants to reduce the cost.
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May 9, 2009 at 10:53 p.m.
Suggest removal
I can't believe they would spend that much on a house I've looked on house for sale they could have bought one a lot cheaper .
May 9, 2009 at 2 p.m.
Suggest removal
Why not use RECAP program people to do the work, and let them learn some skills.
May 9, 2009 at 12:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
Instead of buy, rehab and sell it should be buy(run down property and level it )Sell the empty lot to a private developer and let them build. That way the neighborhood could be rid of more dumps. The property the city bought isn't that bad of an eyesore or a problem house.
May 8, 2009 at 9:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
Drake construction are a bunch of hacks i hope the city doesnt go with them, personal experience.
May 8, 2009 at 5:13 p.m.
Suggest removal
Ouch. I know from experience that whatever you plan in rehab of a building is obsolete the moment you hammer the first nail, but I can't see how it could be this expensive unless the contractors uncovered serious structural defects. The point isn't to create a McMansion in the Fourth Ward, it's to bring the property back to code and basic residential standards so it can be sold as a single-family home. When you chop off the back wing, as they already have, you don't end up with all that large a building.
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