LHA OKs $1.8M in bids for remodeling

LOWELL -- The Lowell Housing Authority board recently voted to award a combined $1.8 million to private contractors as a result of a public-bidding process for three construction projects.

The contracts will pay for kitchen and bath renovations at two different developments and roof work at a third. The LHA will fund the work with fiscal 2012 capital funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to Chief Financial Officer Adam Garvey.

The LHA turned to a public-bidding process after HUD last year banned the LHA from using $2.2 million in unobligated 2012 capital funds on "force account" projects. Force account is when housing authorities use their own employees and no-bid union labor to perform work.

The LHA board voted at a special meeting last month to award the three contracts.

Charters Brothers Construction of Danville, N.H., was awarded a $862,900 contract for kitchen and bathroom modernization work in 16 units at the George Flanagan Development.

The cost of the contract was within 1 percent of the independent cost estimate for the work, and Charters Brothers was the lowest of two bidders. The other bidder was Quality Contracting of Worcester.

Stallion Builders of Nashua, N.H., was awarded a $709,480 contract to provide kitchen and bathroom renovations in 24 units at the Francis Gatehouse development. Stallion Builders was the lowest of four bidders for the work and its proposal came more than $300,000 below the LHA's independent cost estimate for the work.

The other bidders were L&H Construction of Medford, Quality Contracting and Stutman Contracting of Oxford.

The invitation for bids the LHA issued for the two kitchen and bath projects included trade work exceeding $20,000 in four categories, so sub-bids were sought.

The sub-bidders who will be performing work are Richard T. Losordo Electrical of Brockton, King Painting of North Andover, Richman Corp. of Quincy, Capital Carpet & Flooring of Woburn, and Kneeland Plumbing & Heating of Rowley.

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LHA OKs $1.8M in bids for remodeling