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With less than six months until Craig Middle School is scheduled to open, faults in the structure have been found and will be repaired, according to the design-builder of the project.

The Neenan Company, of Fort Collins, recently discovered that the steel joists, which are used for supporting the structure, were too small on the second floor of the building. The wrong-sized joists caused the floor to become uneven in places.

The repairs will cost between $50,000 to $100,000 and will not cost the district anything. The engineer firm, Computerized Structures, of Denver, will pay for the repairs.

Rick Meserve, the project manager for the school construction, said the miscalculation was from the design of the structure.

"It was undersized in design, and the joists were ordered according to the design," Meserve said. "It was a calculation error."

The steel joists are spread out and are used as deck or roof support.

"They span between the beams for support," Meserve said.

Temporary bracings have been constructed on the affected areas of the second floor so welders can fix the joists.

According to a news release issued by the Neenan Company, Moffat County School District has hired an independent structural engineer to inspect the project.

The tolerance level of the incorrect steel joists would have been passable, Meserve said, but the joists needed to be upgraded.

The joists were too thin, resulting in a "dip in the floor," Meserve said. Welders will have to brace the current joists.

"They're going to beef them up so they can take more load," Meserve said.

If the correct sized joists were ordered, it would have added $30,000 to $50,000 to the project, Meserve said, on top of the cost of having the current joists replaced.

"The additional costs would mostly be in labor," he said. "The cost won't be to the district or the construction company."

The engineer firm, Computerized Structures, of Denver, will pick up the cost.

Meserve said that although the joists are a setback, they will not push back the finish date for the project.

"The end date won't be pushed back," he said. "We're still shooting to have it opened by August 10. Because we were ahead of schedule, we will still be able to get the school open on time."

The repairs are slated to begin Wednesday or Thursday, and last as many as two weeks.

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 875-1795 or bbulkeley@craigdailypress.com