SACRAMENTO – The California Legislature has this week unanimously approved legislation by Assemblyman Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks), AB 1120, that directs the State Architect to communicate the cost-savings benefits of constructability reviews for school construction projects.
Constructability reviews require an independent third party to review construction plans prior to the bid process to ensure that they are complete. Often, there can be unforeseen problems or conflicts that arise between the design and construction phases of a school construction project that can end up driving up costs.
A review process of the plans prior to a school project going to bid ensures that delays and change orders are caught before the project is on paper and under construction.
Studies from the University of Wisconsin and others show an approximate 10:1 cost benefit from the use of this service. Some states, including Washington, require these types of reviews for all construction projects.
“In the current budget climate, it is more important than ever that we make good use of the dollars we have. School construction projects can be extremely costly for school districts and taxpayers. It is important to make school construction projects as efficient as possible and stretch our limited resources as much as we can,” said Assemblyman Niello.
AB 1120 now awaits the Governor’s signature.