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Wednesday, May 25, 2011
$630,000 Roof Problem
By Dan McKay
Copyright © 2011 Albuquerque Journal
Journal Staff Writer
Just 8 years old, the Bernalillo County jail is in need of massive roof repairs — to the tune of more than $600,000.
But who will end up paying the bill is still in dispute.
The original work, handled by private contractors, violated building codes and didn't meet industry standards, according to a consultant's inspection report. The private contractor in charge of the project says the roof was installed properly.
The county first noticed problems in 2009 after wind gusts reached 65 mph, but the problem appears to have spread more recently.
County officials say improvements must be made immediately before rainfall leaks through, damaging electrical systems worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The roof is the latest in a series of controversies over construction of the $85 million Metropolitan Detention Center, which opened in 2003 atop the far West Mesa. The county and its contractors blamed one another for a variety of problems that delayed its opening by about a year.
County commissioners Tuesday unanimously authorized an emergency plan to hire crews to replace some of the jail's roof. It's expected to cost $630,000, but about $750,000 has been set aside.
"It's our understanding that if it rains, there's going to be water in the building," Commission Chairwoman Maggie Hart Stebbins said in an interview. "We feel there's urgency in getting it repaired right away. The county will be pursuing reimbursement."
But pinpointing who is to blame could be difficult.
A report compiled by Armstrong Group Inc. alleges that roofing work by Bradbury Stamm Construction Inc. and Lone Mountain "violated applicable building codes by failing to properly attach the roof assembly to the building structure," among other problems.
But a spokesman for Bradbury Stamm said that engineers, architects, a construction manager and building inspectors — all working for the county, not Bradbury Stamm — examined the roof when it was built.
"Nothing was brought up at that time about any defects in the roof," said Jim King, chairman of Bradbury Stamm. "I'm a bit shocked that ... they're now saying something's not right about it."
The county hadn't called him about the plans for replacement, he said.
After looking into the issue Tuesday, King said his company served as a general contractor for some jail work but that it appears Lone Mountain Contracting handled the roof installation. Subcontracting of some work is common on complex projects.
King said his initial conversations with Lone Mountain indicate the roof was installed properly to the manufacturer's recommendations and "that the failure was caused by winds in excess of what is allowed by" the manufacturer's warranty.
The roof has a 20-year materials warranty and had a one-year warranty for workmanship. County staff members said they explored "to no avail" working with the subcontractor, seeking an insurance claim and legal remedies.
County attorneys suggested the commission allow repairs to move forward, then evaluate "possible litigation" later.
The Armstrong Group estimated about 50,000 square feet of roof is damaged. The group's report blamed "faulty and defective roofing work" by Bradbury Stamm and Lone Mountain.
A county staff report said the layers of the roof appear to be separating from each other, and rainfall could damage "highly specialized electronic components and electrical systems directly associated with the safety of inmates and staff." That could cost another $500,000 if it happens, the county said.
The commission's action Tuesday approved an emergency procurement for the roofing project and authorized the county manager to execute a construction contract for roof replacement atop the jail's "Segregation Housing Unit."
Officials didn't say whether they expected the roof replacement to be done before the summer monsoon season begins in July.
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