When Should You Hire A Civil Engineering Consultant?

Posted on: 11 June 2021

Civil engineering design consulting help can significantly influence the outcome of a project. If you're not sure if a job calls for the support of a civil engineering consulting firm, you may want to consider it in these four situations.

Developing Long-Range Plans

While folks often think of civil engineering in terms of specific tasks or individual projects, there's a lot to be said for a consultant's advice when you're developing long-term plans. If you're planning to develop a large complex of buildings with supporting infrastructure in several stages, for example, it's important to think about what you have to do during each phase. Can you build some infrastructure during phase 1 that will make phase 2 easier? What happens if elements of one phase aren't complete when the next phase starts?

It's a good idea with a long-range project to speak with a civil engineering consultant. They can help you to evaluate how the various phases are likely to interact so you can minimize trouble in the long run.

Problems Exceed Internal Analytic Capabilities

Even at an organization with extensive civil engineering capacity, there can be problems that fall outside of the team's sphere of knowledge. Rather than trying to get folks up to speed on an issue, it may be easier to hire a civil engineering consulting firm that has experience. A company might not have previously done construction in an arid region, for example. Outside consulting advice can help the team fill in gaps in their knowledge, making it easier to cope with the unique conditions.

Independent Compliance Assessments

Regulatory compliance is a major part of many civil engineering efforts. It's hard to grade your homework on your own, but a consultant can provide an independent assessment. This can be especially helpful when you're trying to comply with requirements at different levels of government. An independent professional can help you to understand the different sets of rules and make sure your engineering work complies with each.

Evaluating Proposals

If you have several proposals for a project, a consultant can help you evaluate them. You can set out your criteria, and the consultant can note which proposals meet requirements and which ones fall short. They also can work with the various parties to improve their proposals, ensuring you'll have a diverse array of feasible options. If circumstance makes one proposal impossible, such as a change in funding, you can then turn to another that fits your situation.

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