WHAT IS THE COST OF A BOTTLE SCHOOL

At the time of writing (May 2013), the average cost of building a two-classroom bottle school in Guatemala is between $12-15,000.
There are many different factors which can have a great effect on the final cost of a bottle school project. You should be aware of this when planning the budget for your project, and allow sufficient contingency funds (a minimum of 10%, preferably 20%) to cover unforeseen expenditure due to circumstances beyond your control. Below are some of the factors which will affect the final cost of a bottle school.

COST OF MATERIALS

• How remote the community is

• How far from the capital city

• How far from the nearest big city

• Fuel prices

• Exchange rate

AMOUNT OF LABOR (paid and unpaid)

• Construction conditions (eg. hard ground)

• Experience and efficiency of workers

• Complexity of the project

• Good management and motivation

COST OF LABOR

• Local labor market conditions

• Cost of living due to rising prices of corn, gas, or other essential items, etc.

AMOUNT OF MANAGEMENT REQUIRED

• Community leader requires more support (for example because of limited experience in construction)

• Issues organizing the community

• If construction conditions vary significantly from previous projects

• Remote location