UNITY — On Tuesday, the N.H. Division of Fire Safety lifted a stop-work order that was holding up construction of the new Unity Elementary School.

Between the monthlong construction hiatus and the lengthy review process of the building design that took place earlier this year, school officials are unsure when the project would be completed and whether the project has exceeded its $4.7 million budget, said Allen Damren, SAU 6 assistant superintendent.

“We're working on refiguring the cost to come up with a cost estimate, so we can tell people what that is. We are working on refiguring the time line, so we can tell people what that is. And we're working to get the contractors back on the site,” he said.

Construction halted about a month ago when the Division of Fire Safety insisted on the submission of all design work. Prior to that, the building was being designed and built at the same time, and school officials and architect Scott Vaughan had been working closely with the state officials through the process, Damren said.

“The Fire Marshal's Office and their representatives have been extremely good to deal with,” Damren said.

About a month ago, a stop-work order came down from the state banning further construction until all engineering drawings were submitted, so that they could be reviewed in their entirety.

“Because they got all of the drawings and plans and have at least been able to do a preliminary review, they lifted the stop order yesterday around 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon,” Damren said Wednesday.

Two years ago, the Unity School District was compelled to hold the special meeting after state officials ordered Unity Elementary School closed due to unresolved fire and building code violations.

On the ballot of the August 2010 special meeting was an article to bond $4.7 million to construct a new building as well as an article that would have renovated and expanded the old building, for a lesser amount.

Voters overwhelming approved the bond to build a new school.

Earlier this year, the new elementary school was expected to open Sept. 1. The state's waiver allowing the district to use the outdated building ended June 2012.

Damren said that waiver has been extended for one year.

Despite the positive bond vote when the community and school board officials started working with the architect to design the building, certain community factors came into play, Damren said.

SAU 6 serves the communities of Claremont, Cornish and Unity.

For the small town, the elementary school is a building used for many things aside from school. It made sense to take the planned half gymnasium and increase it to a full-size gymnasium to accommodate more people for school and other community events, Damren said.

“Those changes added to the cost,” he said.

Vaughan and school board members have been able to save money in purchasing bookcases, cabinets and counters from a Borders bookstore that was going out of business as well as kitchen equipment from an auction of hotel equipment, the Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch.

Though such measures have saved the project money, Damren said he is pretty sure the project is running over budget. The effect the stop-work order and expanded design had on the budget is still being determined, he said. “To say that it's tight or over budget, that would be an understatement.”

mpierce@newstote.com