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Board hears design‑development request, learns soil options could add 40 days to Jackie's Creek schedule
Summary
Construction manager Barnhill told the board the Jackie's Creek school is "sitting at $73,500,000" in construction estimates and recommended authorizing $1,048,000 for design development; geotechnical borings indicate rigid inclusions may be required and a surcharge option could add roughly 40 days to the schedule.
The Brunswick County Schools board heard a detailed update on the Jackie's Creek school project and a staff request to authorize the next design‑development phase.
Staff presented a change order request for Sawyer Sherwood to move the project from schematic design into design development, asking the board to authorize $1,048,000 for that phase. Staff said the district would seek reimbursement from a future bond or county appropriation when appropriate.
Eric Miller, preconstruction manager with Barnhill and Associates, reviewed the preconstruction process and the district's cost work. "The project's currently sitting at $73,500,000 which is within 3% of the target budget for construction," Miller told the board, explaining how the team reconciled multiple estimate sources and subcontractor feedback.
Miller and the design team reported that additional geotechnical borings found a soft layer beneath the planned building pad. The team said most subcontracted geotechnical designers do not expect aggregate piers to be feasible for the subsurface conditions and are recommending rigid inclusions; as an alternative they are pricing a surcharge option. "Based off of geotechnical recommendation, it'll be like a 40‑day addition," Miller said of the surcharge approach, adding the team will price that option and evaluate schedule tradeoffs and possible early bid packages to mitigate the time impact.
The change‑order and design‑service request were placed on the consent agenda for the board to approve. Staff also noted off‑site roadwork design services (Exalt Engineering, $215,500) would be eligible for DOT reimbursement once the school is occupied, with construction estimated at roughly $2.5M–$3M.
If authorized, staff said the design‑development phase will refine the project scope, final geotechnical recommendations and construction documents that will be used for final guarantees and bidding.
