Making updates to your farm or expanding your operation with new construction may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but the decisions you and your team make during the planning and design process will be felt for the life of the building. While realizing new facilities or a completely new dairy can be a complex and expensive undertaking, you can keep your project on track, within your budget and still reach the operational goals for your new building with the following strategies.
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Set realistic goals for your new facility. It would be great if we could build a million-dollar house on a shoestring budget, but the reality is that planning new construction is a balance of desire and pragmatism. Do not short-change the time required to define your goals and expectations for your new facility. Identify what is nice-to-have versus needed when sketching out the project requirements of your new space.
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Invest in the right service providers. Architects, engineers, contractors and builders, vendors (milking equipment, manure handling, etc.) and consultants may have the same titles, but their experience, reputation and costs will certainly vary. If possible, talk to multiple service providers during the planning phase of your project so you can be certain you have put together the right team for your job.
- Be prepared to manage building costs before construction starts. There is a multitude of decisions to make when designing a building, and the more deliberate you are with each, the more likely you will be within your budget. The building layout, components and systems are all subject to varying. How much space is required? Which finishes should I use? Which type and brand of milking system, manure handling and power ventilation systems will help me reach my goals and are within my budget? There are many ways to “value engineer” your project to help you realize the desired performance of the building and reduce costs.
The facility drawing on this full-page spread points out some areas within the design of a freestall barn with robotic milkers where it is possible to apply value engineering. When you take the time to do this before construction begins, you are more likely to meet your goals and your budget.
