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The cost of upgrading the Warkworth Town Hall has blown out by nearly $1 million and construction has been delayed again.
New meeting rooms, a new toilet and part of the foyer have been cut from the project unless further funding is found.
The upgrade was budgeted to cost $4.1 million, however it is now expected to cost about $5 million due to a jump in construction costs caused by the Auckland building boom.
The Warkworth Town Hall Restoration Trust has been asked to raise a further $200,000 to cover the costs, while Rodney Local Board and Auckland Council are negotiating funding for the remaining $700,000.
The start date has also been pushed back another month as negotiations continue to finalise the tender. Work is now expected to start in about a month.
The first $3 million of funding is confirmed, with Council contributing $2.75 million and Rodney Local Board committing $287,000.
However the amount of work which will be completed with this money has been significantly scaled back.
The first stage will now just involve a basic refurbishment, including strengthening the hall, replacing the roof and demolishing the Council chambers. The hall will be able to reopen for the first time in four years once this is completed.
But new meeting rooms, a new toilet area and the sky-light foyer extension can no longer be completed within the budget.
This work will now only go ahead if Council commits further funding and if grant applications from the Restoration Trust are successful.
A third stage initially involved the community raising $1 million, but now further funding is required for the work. It includes the removal of the old kitchen from the west side of the building and construction of a new kitchen on the eastern side, a new greenroom, rehearsal room and the extension of the foyer/gallery.
Board chair Brenda Steele says funding the shortfall is up in the air.
The board is seeking money from Council’s heritage fund and using development contribution funds from new housing developments.
But it may have to use its Locally Driven Initiative fund as a backup, which could make the board liable for ongoing maintenance costs.
“The board is 100 per cent behind the build, but it’s been difficult for all of us when the figures keep changing.
“We have had estimates increase for a number of projects this year and we are sick of it.”
Restoration Trust fundraising coordinator Tracey Martin says they are applying for more money from large community grants. The trust has applied to Lotteries for a $1.2 million grant which will be announced in June.
“We don’t feel intimidated by this hurdle,” Ms Martin says.
“But it is crucial work starts on the hall as soon as possible. The longer people have to wait, the harder it will be to get community support and the more the project is likely to cost.
Project manager Steven Davies says if funding is found this year, then the full project will be able to be completed by early next year.
“Completing the project in one go will also save thousands of dollars as it is far more efficient for contractors to complete it all at once,” Mr Davies says.
Council senior publicity specialist Liz Kirschberg says three companies expressed interest in the tender, two from Auckland and one from Whangarei.
The high construction costs is as a result of an increase in growth in the construction industry, a catch-up in a backlog of infrastructure projects and a high number of $100 million projects, she says.
“Subcontractor and supplier margins have increased along with labour costs, all affecting tender prices,” Ms Kirschberg says. “Another factor is the relatively low attractiveness to the building industry for these specialised heritage restorations.”
