PULASKI -- Pulaski County got four bids from area contractors Thursday to build an elementary school at Fairlawn, but all are about $2 million more than what has been budgeted for the job.

Thor Inc. is the apparent low bidder, with an $18,303,000 offer.

The other bidders: Martin Brothers, $18,388,000; Branch & Associates, $18,950,000; and Avis Construction, $18,965,000.

A $14 million loan for the project has already been obtained through a bond pool program through the Virginia Municipal League and Virginia Association of Counties. County school officials will seek a low-interest state Literary Fund loan, which takes longer for approval, to apply to the earlier loan.

More money will have to be obtained to finance the school, which officials hoped would be open by fall 2008.

The planned school will house about 600 students, from kindergarten through fifth grade, in 30 classrooms.

OWPR Inc., the architect hired by the county school board on the project, will look over the bids and make a recommendation to the school board.

The board has a meeting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday and may make a recommendation on how to proceed.

The new facility is to be named Riverlawn Elementary School, after the school it will be replacing. It is to be located in the Fairlawn community, near Peppers Ferry and Viscoe roads. The school board bought the property last year for $715,000.

The school will use geothermal energy for heating and air conditioning, the first school in the region to do so. That will cost more in construction but should result in energy savings over time, according to school officials.