Our Road Map for School Construction Projects

If there’s one thing every school administrator, teacher, and parent knows—it’s that the school calendar runs the show. Snow days shift graduations, half-days dictate pickup lines, and summer break is sacred. For architects, that summer window from late June to early September is the golden ticket for making meaningful improvements to school facilities.

The key? Planning far enough in advance so that hammers swing when the classrooms are empty, not when students need to focus.

Using the LRFP as Your Roadmap

Every New Jersey district has a Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) — think of it as the GPS for capital improvements. It outlines priorities, helps districts stay aligned with DOE requirements, and ensures decisions aren’t made in a vacuum. But just like a GPS, it only works if you actually use it. Too often, it sits on a shelf while pressing facility needs pile up.

Timing Is Everything

Here’s where experience has taught us a simple truth:

• December, January & February: While you’re deep in budget season, set aside time to meet with your architect. Discuss and prioritize project needs utilizing your LRFP.  Confirm estimated costs for construction and include soft costs (design fees, contingencies, abatement, etc.) in your budget.
• Late Summer/Early Fall: While you are completing your projects planned from the previous budget cycle, this is an excellent time to kick-off the design phase for the following summer.
• Late Fall/Early Winter: Prepare bidding documents and submit your project application to the DOE
• First week of January of the next year: Release bids. This positions you ahead of the crowd, and should result in the most competitive proposals from the most interested group of bidders who are vying to book their summer work.
• February: Award bids. With lead times still unpredictable, but improving, it’s critical to get materials ordered early. Additionally, permits must be secured before the first bell of summer break rings.
• Late June: Construction begins with products on-site, permits in hand and all parties ready to go. If abatement is part of your project, the weeks before and after the July 4th holiday are prime time for these activities.

Why This Matters

Miss the window, and you risk overlapping construction with the school year — a logistical nightmare involving dust, noise, and possibly a math class relocated to the cafeteria. Not exactly the learning environment anyone’s aiming for.

By contrast, when districts align their planning with the academic calendar, the results are smooth, efficient, and cost-effective. Students return in September to refreshed facilities, not half-finished hallways.

A Light Reminder

In short: School may pause for summer, but planning shouldn’t. Summer break isn’t a surprise — it shows up on the calendar every year. The districts that get the best results are the ones that treat it like a deadline, not a moving target. Plan early with your architect, and you’ll spend September celebrating another successful project instead of scrambling for extension cords.