The Butler Area School Board approved more than $300,000 in change orders for paving projects at three schools and a renovation project at the library and administration office at the high school.

Contracts the board awarded in the spring for the projects were under the anticipated costs, so administrators instructed the contractors to do additional work that was not included in the original project specifications. The board approved $328,175 in change orders for that additional work on Monday.

The costliest change orders — replacing old concrete sidewalks and stormwater pipe manhole and inlet risers — were connected to the high school-intermediate school paving project, which has been completed.

Shields Asphalt Paving of Valencia, which was awarded a $760,583 contract for the high school-intermediate school project, will be paid an additional $120,306 for replacing 4,662 square feet of sidewalks, replacing 987 linear feet of curbing and installing two sidewalk ramps at the high school; $75,000 for 3,329 square yards of paving repairs, replacing 17 stormwater inlet and manhole risers, repairing a storm inlet and installing sidewalk ramps at both schools; and $40,116 for replacing 620 square feet of sidewalks and 642 linear feet of curbing at the intermediate school.

The high school-intermediate school project was estimated to cost $1 million. The cost of the change orders and original contract is $996,005.

Four contracts totaling $2.52 million were awarded for relocating high school administration offices to the front of the building where the library was located, and moving the library to where the offices were located.

DiMarco Construction Company of Pittsburgh, which was awarded a $983,000 general construction contract, will be paid an additional $13,955 for sidewalk and concrete work and $12,166 to add structural steel and fire-rated aluminum to the administration office entry.

IE Power LLC of Butler, which was awarded a $242,600 contract for electrical work, will be paid an additional $26,948 for installing a new public address system, $26,608 for replacing data cables, $1,801 for installing new receptacles and a raceway for wiring and $773 for relocating a transformer ground cable.

Superintendent Brian White said the existing public address system didn't work well and replacement parts are no longer available.

The public address system doesn't reach the entire building, said Nick Morelli, acting director of business services.

The project was estimated to cost between $2.7 million and $3.1 million. The change orders added $82,251 to the cost of the $2.52 million project, which is scheduled to be completed before the first day of classes Sept. 1.

Shields, which was awarded a $156,501 contract for the Northwest Elementary School paving project, will be paid an additional $10,500 for adjusting four stormwater inlets and installing two inlet risers.

Money for all of the projects came from the district's capital project fund, White said.