Adams County supervisors got an unpleasant surprise Monday when they opened bids for the renovation of the Adams County Courthouse.

Bids for the total facelift of the historic building were almost double the $257,000 estimate of project architects, Waycaster-Associates, said Charlie Brown, county administrator.

&uot;We’ve caught the construction industry at a bad time,&uot; Brown said. With construction crews and materials in high demand, prices have skyrocketed, he said.

Innovative Construction Company,&160;Inc., of Crystal Springs submitted the lowest base bid of $417,000 and the lowest number of days to complete the project at 180 days. Harold West Contractors of Laurel had the next lowest bid of $478,800 for 240 days of construction time. The highest of the three bidders was Edgin Construction Company of Natchez with a base bid of $557,500 and 300 day working schedule.

&uot;I don’t look for anything to happen anytime soon,&uot; Brown said.

Vickie Barron, project manager on the courthouse renovation project for Waycaster-Associates, said she wasn’t sure what the next step might be for the Courthouse project.

&uot;We’ll just have to wait and see,&uot; she said.

A start date on this phase of the renovation will hinge on acceptance of a bid on the project, she said. Supervisors took the matter under advisement, but took no action.