It could cost Schuylkill County at least $1.05 million for the general contracting work needed to turn a former beauty school into government offices.

Commissioners on Wednesday opened bids from 14 companies vying for general contracting, electric, plumbing and heating/air conditioning jobs on the project.Commissioners may award the jobs as early as their next meeting, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and anticipate completing the project by the end of the year.Seven companies submitted bids for general contracting: Heim Construction, Orwigsburg, $1,365,625; Bognet of Hazleton, $1,307,000; Lobar of Dillsburg, York County, $1,231,000; ECI Construction, also of Dillsburg, $1,215,699; Miller Bros. of Schuylkill Haven, $1,055,000; Spotts Brothers of Schuylkill Haven, $1,294,000; and L&K Construction of Pottsville, $1,212,000.Each general contract bidder also submitted bids for spray-on insulation:Heim, $6,222; Bognet, $28,400; Lobar, $25,580; ECI, $14,900; Miller, $21,300; Spotts, $29,900; and L&K, $14,000.Four companies submitted bids to install heating, air conditioning and ventilation: Antz Energy Systems of Shenandoah, $339,860; JBM Mechanical of Nazareth, $344,000; Bognet, $311,000; Shannon A. Smith Electrical & Mechanical of Myerstown, Lebanon County, $331,990; and Spotts, $264,000.Bids for the plumbing were: Sommer Inc. of Schuylkill Haven, $147,200; Vision Mechanical of West Reading, $143,525; Antz, $132,898; JBM, $140,000; Bognet, $104,800; and Spotts, $136,800.Bidding on the electrical work were: Albarell Electrical of Bethlehem, $264,000; Hirneisen Electric of Reading, $298,270; Smith, $288,000; and Spotts, $273,800.Three companies bid on installing LED lighting: Smith, $27,150; Albarell, $29,000, Spotts $31,000; and Hirneisen, $28,000.The county acquired the 21,000-square-foot building, at 324 N. Centre St. catty-corner from the courthouse and two parking lots through eminent domain from brothers Dale and Franklin Schoeneman for $740,000 in January 2012.It used government grant money to help offset the cost. The county had earmarked $2.6 million of a $21 million 2012 capital projects bond issue for the acquisition and renovation.The building will house Children & Youth Services and other county government offices, and perhaps some private enterprises.