Brait Builders Corp., the general contractor for the Charleswood School project, has adopted a six-days-per-week “quite aggressive” work schedule that may result in an earlier completion date.
At the Elementary School Building Committee meeting Tuesday, executive project manager Chris Eberly of Vertex told the board that it is very early in the process and cautioned members not to get “overly excited” about the possibility.
Eberly said by July of 2026, he would have a better idea of how the accelerated work schedule would impact the end date. The original expected completion date of Oct. 21, 2027, would change to July 1, 2027, if Brait’s plans are accomplished, he said.
Eberly said the fee schedule of five payments of $100,198 through October remains unchanged. The revised payment schedule would be $106,198 through August 2027 followed by payments of $67,198 from September 2027 to December 2027.
The “lump sum” contract total still is $3,106,130. The difference is in when the money is distributed, he explained.
The project manager said the fee would be revisited if Brait “fails to deliver.”
“There is not a net change. We’re just addressing the need to cover Saturdays on a regular basis,” he said. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) requires the owner’s project manager — Vertex — to have someone on site when construction is occurring.
Eberly said Vertex cannot prohibit Brait from adopting this schedule, but it has cautioned the contractor its plans may be “overly aggressive.”
He said Brait will be erecting steel over the next several months for the new school.
Vertex project manager Chris Kenney noted the OPM tracks a list of 100 activities by Brait, comparing the “plan to actual … to evaluate this [progress] month to month.”
SUBHED: Groundbreaking, ongoing work reviewed
In other business, members reviewed the groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 4 that took place for the project.
ESBC chair Jon Graziano said the occasion was “a great moment to mark the progress of the project,” which has been in the works for several years.
The next “marker moment” would be the topping-off ceremony, likely in January, according to Kenney.
Kenney also showed a series of photographs of ongoing work at the site. The photos depicted foundation walls and reinforcing installation, roadway base preparation and utility installation, mockup waterproofing and the footing concrete placement area where the gym will be, to name a few.
He also outlined future work including mobilizing and drilling geothermal wells; completion of modular retaining wall installation; mockup windows, curtain wall and masonry; structural steel detailing; resumption of excess soil exportation and foundation concrete, waterproofing and backfilling.
The budget update showed architect Perkins Eastman’s contract value to date at $8.5 million (69.8%). OPM Vertex’s contract is at $1.4 million (31%), while billings for construction total $7,884,226 (7.7%).
Too bad more attention isn’t being paid to all the dirt, dust and mud that is being dragged out onto Hayden Rowe thoroughly coating not just the road, but homes, cars, driveways, etc. At times it’s difficult to see through the dust that is being spewed all over the place. Unfortunately, this will most likely be ongoing but probably with more disruptions to follow,