CHARDON, Ohio — A roof replacement project at the Geauga County Safety Center that was once expected to cost about $1 million will now come in at $3.5 million after a new engineering report revealed far more damage than earlier inspections showed.

Commissioners weighed two options for the work during a meeting Tuesday: a bitumen system, made from an asphalt-based material, estimated at about $3 million, or a hybrid PVC system, priced around $3.5 million. They chose the PVC despite its higher cost, citing its durability and longer lifespan in Ohio’s climate.

Engineers warned the asphalt-based option was more prone to punctures from maintenance activity and likely to have a shorter lifespan in Ohio’s freeze-thaw climate, Maintenance Director Glen Vernick said.

Recent samples of the safety

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