Question

Your firm recently won three public projects in a small town: a courthouse, a post office, and a jail. You are explaining the various building systems and materials to the City Manager who mistakenly believes each building type will cost about the same per floor area. Which of the three building types will be the least expensive per floor area? Which the will be the most expensive?

Answer

For comparable floor areas, the post office will probably cost about half as much as the jail. The courthouse's price will fall about half way between those of the other two.