Lehighton Area School District hopes to have a new roof on its administration building by the end of the year.

The district awarded the work on the roof to Dunmore Roofing and Supply Co. Inc., which submitted the low bid of $198,750, on Monday.

According to district officials, Lehighton budgeted $159,000 for the project and will take the excess amount from its 2021-22 state subsidy.

“Anyone who is looking at any kind of building project right now knows it isn’t cheap,” board President Larry Stern said.

According to the contract, the project includes tearing off the existing shingles down to the deck and installing new GAF Timberline HDZ architectural shingles. Any deck repair needed will be brought to the attention of the district and once approved repaired at $10.75/square foot.

All existing gutters, fascia, soffit will remain intact. Replacement of those items would have driven the project cost to almost $400,000.

Two rows of GAF ice and water shield will be installed at the eaves, one row at the rakes, and one roll centered over hips, ridges and valleys. A synthetic GAF underlayment will be placed over the remaining deck. Ridges will be vented with a Cobra Snow Country ridge vent. New pipe flashings will also be installed.

“This project has been in the making for some time and it really does need to be done now,” Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said at Monday’s school board meeting.

The district experienced intermittent leaking with the roof as well as other maintenance issues.

The scope of work includes 20,800 square feet of existing shingles.

Contractors hope to start in October based on material availability.