After hearing that a different technique could dramatically cut the cost of re-roofing the Powell Aquatic Center, the city council decided to re-bid the project.

A total of 10 roofers had responded to the city’s call for bids, which was the most interest City Administrator Zack Thorington could recall in a long time. The quoted prices ranged from a $93,000 proposal from 4 Elements LLC of Casper to a $466,600 bid from Lowe Roofing of WY, which is based in Gillette.

However, Thorington said the bids from 4 Elements and the second-lowest bidder, Dave Loden of Buffalo, didn’t meet the city’s specifications. He recommended the council accept the lowest qualifying bid — a $179,800 offer from Capitol Roofing of Cheyenne.

Council members were set to make a decision at their Feb. 18 meeting, but opted to restart the process after hearing a pitch to reconsider 4 Elements.

In its initial call for bids, the city asked contractors to basically tear off the entirety of the old roof and install a new membrane. Owner/operator Tyler Jones of 4 Elements, however, proposed a different approach. Rather than a complete tear-off, Jones said his company would just replace the bad spots on the existing roof and reuse the good parts. The company would then spray a new siliconized plastic on top.

Unlike the typical method of bringing in rolls of plastic and heat welding the pieces together, “we’re manufacturing a roof on site,” Jones told the council. He said 4 Elements’ process avoids seams, which are the most likely parts of the system to fail.

Jones added that the company includes biannual inspections as part of a 20-year system.

While it’s a newer technique, City Building Official Ben Hubbard said the city used the same type of method to patch the roof at its streets shop.

“This is a great solution,” Hubbard told the council. “I don’t have any heartache with using it.”

Although 4 Elements is based in Casper, it has a presence in Cowley. Jones described he and his family as locals who regularly visit the Powell pool.

“We’re not new to this,” he added. Over their past 10 years in Wyoming, Jones said they’ve “saved millions of dollars” reroofing schools and gyms for school districts in Natrona County and Lander.

Given the $86,800 gap between 4 Elements’ and Capitol Roofing’s bids, Mayor John Wetzel said he supported pausing the project, doing some more research and conducting a second round of bids.

Councilman Floyd Young agreed it made sense, “especially with the difference in price that he’s offering.”

The council voted unanimously to reject all 10 bids and modify the bid specifications to include 4 Elements’ approach.