NORTH PROVIDENCE — The firm that conducted the recent statistical revaluation of town properties took appeals in late May and early June from 745 taxpayers who thought the assessments were too high and approved changes to 438 of them.

That was the word from Robert Battey, director of revaluation services for Appraisal Resource of East Greenwich.

Battey said the numbers disprove the assertions of some residents that the company ignored what taxpayers had to say. He said the firm’s hearing officers listened for relevant information and made adjustments accordingly.

Most of the adjustments were small. For example, a homeowner who pointed out that his home had one bathroom instead of 1½ in the firm’s calculations would typically receive $1,000 off his assessed valuation, Battey said, while the difference between a finished and unfinished basement came down to about $5 a square foot.

Generally, the number of bedrooms doesn’t really affect an assessment as much as the total square footage of the home.

Battey said that with 12,000 notices sent out to taxpayers, the 745 appeals was an unusually low number compared to other communities.

He said in five or six instances, the company felt compelled to increase an assessment because information obtained at a hearing called for increasing the value. And there was a situation involving one condominium complex where the firm learned that the size of each unit was smaller than what had been reported, prompting the company to send downward adjustments even to owners who had not filed an appeal.

Yesterday, as the tax collectors were busy printing out the tax bills that are expected to be mailed to taxpayers next week, Tax Assessor Janesse Muscatelli was busy certifying the rolls. She said that while she had received copies of the adjusted valuations from the Appraisal Resource, she hadn’t calculated the effect on the town’s total assessed valuation.

Two months ago, she told members of the Town Council that her figures included an $800,000 “cushion” to cover any reductions in valuations from taxpayer appeals. Although the adjustments approved by the appraisal company were well below that number, the town also anticipates that a number of taxpayers will file appeals with the Tax Board of Review once they receive their new tax bills.

As it is, the new tax bills, for the fiscal year that began July 1, will be based on the same tax rate as last year: $16.25 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for residential properties, and $22.70 per $1,000 on commercial properties.

rdujardi@projo.com