$9.74 million
in building
permits for
SC in 2011
The last three years have been a difficult time for the economy in general - and the construction industry in particular.
At least, that’s true until one enters Scott County.
Credit low interest rates and a strong agricultural economy.
Maybe it’s just an overall sense of optimism that one doesn’t find in all communities.
Whatever the reason, Scott County finds itself in the midst of a construction boom.
Building permits issued by City Hall during the past year put the value of that new construction at $9.74 million.
And that’s just for construction within the city limits.
“I used to think of Scott City as a sleepy, little community, but that idea has changed,” says Paul Kasselman, who has been the city’s building inspector for the past year.
He has witnessed first-hand the construction boom from new housing starts, housing remodels and the expansion of existing businesses.
“At times it can seem overwhelming,” says Kasselman. “I thought this would be a good part-time job when I started, but it keeps me a lot busier than I imagined.”
For a period of about two years, Scott County seemed to become a hub of construction activity. When Kasselman began his duties in January 2011, he says a number of contractors out of Finney County were taking on jobs locally.
“They couldn’t find any work in Garden City,” Kasselman says. “That’s been starting to change. It seems there’s more work being done in Garden City.”
New Housing Starts
New housing has provided a welcome boost to local construction. Single family units and duplexes are helping to relieve some of the housing crunch in Scott County.
According to Scott County Economic Development Director Katie Eisenhour, private developers and homeowners have been responsible for the construction of the following during 2011:
•five duplexes.
•three single family dwellings (all rentals), with a fourth nearing completion.
•nine new homes.
According to Kasselman, permits have already been issued for four more homes in 2012 along with a major addition (in excess of $500,000) for another home.
“This shows that we’re growing at a faster pace than we dreamed,” says Eisenhour. “At the time of the 2010 census, our population was 3,816. I would guess we’re over 4,000 today.”
Field House Project
Construction of a new football field house for Scott Community High School - originally pegged at $895,000 - was the top construction project undertaken during the past year.
A new office building was valued at $1.3 million and another building for a private individual was valued at $750,000.
However, new homes are close behind in estimated value. The list includes four homes with construction costs estimated at $627,532, $610,376, $446,000 and $345,000. Five other new homes fell in the $120,000 to $205,000 range.
Of course, the majority of projects for which permits have been issued aren’t in the $100,000 or higher price range. The most common involve replacing an existing roof or construction of a new fence. Home additions, storage sheds and stucco/siding to an existing building are also popular improvements.
Duties of the Inspector
As the city’s building inspector, Kasselman is responsible for seeing that all new construction and renovations meet city codes. While any private contractor hired for a project must be licensed through the city, do-it-yourselfers aren’t required to be licensed. Private contractors and do-it-yourselfers, however, are required to have improvements inspected.
Construction of the Scott County Hospital and renovation/construction of Park Lane Nursing Home are two major projects which have required a lot of Kasselman’s time during the past year. Whether it’s a $24 million hospital, or a new roof, Kasselman is required to be on the site to see that work is done properly.
“It starts with the footings, making sure the rebar is done right and is adequate for the project and it includes the plumbing and electrical work, on through to the final inspection,” says Kasselman, referring to the larger projects.
When contractors have finished a certain phase of their project, they will call Kasselman so he can confirm that sewer and water lines have been properly installed and sealed before the work is covered, or that electrical wiring is properly installed before the drywall is put up.
Electrical work gets particular attention because it represents the greatest risk of loss of life or property if it’s not done to code. Kasselman will make sure the wiring is connected properly to breaker boxes and he returns for a final inspection of the receptacles.
He was recently informed by county Fire Chief Vernon Storm that a recent fire was caused by electrical wiring that was too tightly stapled to wooden framework. Through vibration, the staples eventually wore through the insulation and into the wiring.
“It’s one more thing to watch for when I’m doing an inspection,” he noted.
“It’s the do-it-yourselfers who don’t know when to call, so I have to keep an eye on the project and know when something needs to be inspected,” Kasselman says.
One of the most common problems that confronts Kasselman are people who aren’t aware they need to contact him before starting a project, or that it needs to be inspected.
“They may be two or three weeks into a project and I have to point out something that doesn’t meet code,” says Kasselman. “Usually, it can be fixed.”
In a worst-case scenario, the individuals will be issued a stop work order until the issue is addressed. If the project represents a danger it may need to be torn down.
“That would be a pretty unusual situation,” notes Kasselman. “The biggest share of contractors are good about getting permits and making sure everything is done to code.”
Even though being the building inspector has turned into a bigger job than anticipated, Kasselman says he enjoys it.
“The fact that I have so much to do says a lot about Scott City. Not only are people doing things to improve their property, but some of this is because we’re growing,” Kasselman adds. “I don’t know how long it will last, but it looks like we’re off to another good start in 2012.”