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Contractor tells committee manufacturer discontinued HVAC equipment at Radcliffe veterans home, complicating repairs
Summary
Jim Codell, president of Codell Construction Company, told the committee the HVAC equipment installed at the Radcliffe veterans nursing home was later discontinued and manufacturer service or warranty support has been unavailable; Codell said the original design and installation were inspected and signed off and offered to help identify engineers and pursue remedies.
A general contractor who built the Radcliffe veterans nursing home told the oversight committee the facility’s HVAC problems stem in part from discontinued equipment and limited manufacturer support.
“My name is Jim Codell, president of Codell Construction Company,” Codell said when he was sworn and provided testimony. He said his firm was the general contractor on the fourth state veterans nursing home in Radcliffe and that the project completed construction and was signed off by the inspector general’s office in 2016. He told the committee contractors followed plans and specifications and that design teams and inspectors signed off during construction.
Codell said the current troubles relate to HVAC equipment whose manufacturer discontinued production and has declined to provide warranty or service support in the Commonwealth. He said staff from the original engineering and design firms remain available and Codell’s company has spoken with them and can help the Commonwealth pursue solutions.
Representative Blanton thanked Codell and emphasized that warranty responsibility typically lies first with the subcontractor and then the manufacturer; Codell agreed and said the original contractor’s warranty period was typically one year and later service requests generally go to the manufacturer.
Codell told members he had not been alerted earlier that the Commonwealth was experiencing problems and that he and his subcontractors had not received calls from facility staff. He offered the committee contacts for the original design and engineering firms and suggested the Commonwealth consider legal representation or other means to compel warranty or service obligations if necessary.
The committee did not take action on the Radcliffe matter at the meeting but members thanked Codell and said they intended to pursue follow‑up, including reaching out to engineers and the manufacturer and reviewing contract and warranty records.
