Best Advice: Start Early in Contractor Selection Process
School Districts planning renovation and upgrade projects — including safety and security projects — are advised to begin quickly looking for contractors, lest those projects be delayed for multiple months ahead.
According to a report from Strategic Partnerships, Inc., “School doors opened for the start of the 2023-24 school year with many campuses under construction. Hundreds of new planned construction and renovation projects have been launched during this current school year. In fact, billions of dollars have already been approved for projects that will get underway over the next two years.”
“School Construction, renovation, renewable energy, sports expansions, and modernized technology initiatives are being launched throughout the U.S.,” the report continues. “Funding is available, and the number of contracting opportunities for all types of companies is historic. America’s schools will continue to need upgrades for the next several years.”
Meanwhile, Dodge Construction Network, an industry forecasting service, is predicting a 4% rise this year in educational-related construction spending, to $86.0 billion versus $82.5 billion spent by school districts, colleges, and universities in 2023.
Clay Crost, director of Sonitrol Great Lakes Education Market, suggests that districts planning security system installations and upgrades this year act quickly, as design and installation schedules are filling up quickly for the busy summer construction season. “We still have some openings,” he said, “but it’s important that districts get the ball rolling to avoid project delays.”