Frequently Asked Questions
Get quick, clear answers to the questions project owners ask us most. Whether you’re planning a new grain elevator, expanding a feed or agronomy facility, or just exploring your options, this FAQ breaks down what our services include, how our process works, and why co-ops trust us with their largest capital projects. Can’t find what you need? Contact us or call (970) 400-7396.
Understanding Owner’s Representation
An owner’s representative protects your interests through every phase of a construction project including planning, design, bidding, construction, and hand-over. In agricultural facilities, the stakes are especially high because the cost, operational complexity, and long-term impact on your business are far greater than in a typical commercial build.
At Gales Design & Consulting, your owner’s rep is your advocate, advisor, and project manager. We take on the responsibilities most owners do not have the time or technical expertise to manage, including:
• Defining project goals and translating them into a workable plan
• Providing early cost estimates before engineering begins
• Coordinating engineering teams and reviewing plans for constructability
• Managing the competitive bidding process
• Monitoring budgets, schedules, safety, and quality
• Conducting site visits and verifying completed work
• Helping you make informed decisions without overwhelm
Gales Design & Consulting represents you, not a contractor, engineering firm, or equipment vendor. Our only incentive is to ensure your project delivers value, clarity, and long-term performance.
We specialize in the facilities that support efficient, profitable, and safe agricultural operations.
Grain Facilities
• Slipform elevators
• Steel bins and annex expansions
• Ground piles and RCC pads
• Receiving, loadout, and handling systems
Feed Mills and Livestock Nutrition Facilities
• High-capacity batching systems for both Commercial Mills and Feed lots
• Grinding, mixing, pelleting, and bagging lines
• Micro-ingredient systems
• Warehouse additions
Fertilizer and Agronomy Facilities
• Dry and liquid fertilizer plants
• Blending, storage, and loadout systems
• Chemical and seed warehouses
• Distribution centers
Commercial and Cooperative Infrastructure
• Truck shops
• Warehouses
• Operational expansions
• Multi-phase upgrades
Whether it is a greenfield facility or a phased expansion, Gales Design & Consulting focuses on cost discipline, operational efficiency, and long-term growth.
General contractors build things. Their priority is managing labor, subcontractors, materials, and schedules to deliver the facility they were hired to build. Their profit depends on controlling their costs, not optimizing yours.
Engineering firms produce technical plans. Their job is to design what you request, but generally don’t have the years of operational experience, goals-budget alignment process, streamline bidding, or keeping the final cost aligned with your goals.
Gales Design & Consulting sits above both, representing only you. We manage the big picture, prevent misalignment, evaluate scope, compare bids accurately, and keep your budget at the center of every decision. We never mark up construction costs, and we do not sell equipment, ensuring our guidance is transparent and fully owner focused.
Yes. You still prime and multiple other contractor(s) and engineering partners. Gales Design & Consulting coordinates and oversees all of them on your behalf.
• Engineering firms create structural, electrical, mechanical, and process designs
• Prime contractors build the facility and manage their subcontractors. Multiple other contractors do the work outside the Prime Contractors scope, saving owners money.
• Equipment suppliers provide specialized systems
Gales Design & Consulting aligns all groups, manages communication, organizes design reviews, clarifies scope, oversees bidding, and ensures the entire project stays on track without overloading your leadership team.
Budget and Cost Management
Overruns are usually caused by not having an industry expert responsible aligning scope and budget for the complete project. Without that responsible party, many times there are unclear scope and optimistic assumptions early in planning.
Common causes include:
• Late discovery of requirements
• Design beginning before business needs are defined
• Bids missing key components
• Unclear expectations between parties
• Market volatility in steel, electrical, and millwright labor
• Site access or soil surprises
• Overbuilding based on assumptions
Gales Design & Consulting solves these challenges by aligning goals early, establishing realistic cost ranges, and keeping your budget at the center of planning, design, and construction.
Gales Design & Consulting provides early cost estimates based on:
• Understanding how design choices impact constructability and cost
• Historical cost data from more than one billion dollars in agricultural projects
• Three decades of ag construction and cooperative management experience
• Real cost ratios such as millwright and electrical work representing about 75 percent of total cost
• Market conditions across 20 plus states
These early estimates give owners clarity before committing to engineering, resulting in more predictable and aligned projects.
If your budget and project goals do not align, Gales Design & Consulting helps you:
• Prioritize operational needs
• Explore phasing
• Compare design options at different cost levels
• Evaluate ROI and throughput
• Remove unnecessary scope
• Rework layouts to find efficiencies
Our goal is to create a project that is buildable, fundable, and ready for future growth.
Key cost drivers include:
• Millwright and electrical work
• Equipment size and capabilities
• Foundations and soil conditions
• Material flow and layout
• Structural height and complexity
• Automation
• Phasing and expandability
Understanding these early prevents surprises and guides smart investment decisions.
Design and Planning
We analyze how each design impacts:
• Capacity and throughput
• Material flow
• Labor efficiency
• Safety
• Expandability
• Maintenance access
• Long-term operating cost
We provide clear tradeoffs so you can choose the design that fits both current and future needs.
We design with operations in mind from day one.
This includes:
• Maintenance access
• Safety and risk areas
• Truck and traffic flow
• Ingredient and batching accuracy
• Dust control and housekeeping
• Wear points and serviceability
• Labor requirements across shifts
Our team includes former cooperative managers, ensuring every decision reflects real-world use.
Depending on size, complexity, Owner approval process, most successful projects begin 6 to 12 months before construction. Early planning provides:
• Reliable budgets
• Better contractor availability
• Stronger bid outcomes
• Time for regulatory approvals
• Flexibility to compare design options
• Better equipment lead times
Starting early helps avoid forced decisions and costly delays.
Bidding and Contractors
Gales Design & Consulting uses a structured bidding process that ensures:
• Clear scope
• Comparable bids
• Qualified contractors competing
• Transparent assumptions
• Thorough clarifications
Through competitive bidding, owners routinely recover many times the cost of engaging Gales Design & Consulting, often 10x or more, while avoiding costly scope gaps and downstream headaches.
Yes. We frequently work with client-preferred contractors and vendors.
Gales Design & Consulting also maintains established relationships with many top tier millwrights, electrical firms, and equipment suppliers.
If you do not already have preferred partners, we can help you identify the right team for your project.
If bids come in high, Gales Design & Consulting helps you:
• Adjust scope while protecting core performance
• Rebid targeted packages
• Clarify cost assumptions
• Compare alternative equipment or layouts
• Evaluate phasing
• Redesign areas for constructability
We push for cost effectiveness without sacrificing long-term value.
Project Execution
Yes. Gales Design & Consulting coordinates permitting, environmental approvals, code compliance, and agency interactions.
We work with engineering teams and local officials to keep approvals on schedule and avoid delays.
We manage day-to-day project activity so you can stay focused on operations.
This includes:
• Site visits
• Schedule and budget tracking
• Reviewing pay applications
• Verifying work before payment
• Leading progress meetings
• Handling issues early
• Providing clear updates
Most owners prefer to stay informed without being overloaded, and that is how we operate.
Yes. Gales Design & Consulting can join your project at any stage. We can review plans, audit costs, identify scope gaps, align budgets, and oversee remaining design, bidding, and construction.
Working with Gales
1. Listen and Understand
2. Plan and Budget
3. Design and Procure
4. Build and Manage
This proven process provides clarity, predictability, and confidence from concept through completion.
Because we simplify complex projects, protect budgets, and deliver predictable outcomes.
Clients return because we:
• Maintain strict cost discipline
• Understand agricultural operations
• Communicate clearly
• Identify problems early
• Represent only the owner
• Provide realistic guidance
Our goals always align with yours.
Gales Design & Consulting never marks up construction costs. You pay contractors directly.
Our role is to:
• Verify completed work
• Review pay applications
• Confirm progress before payment
• Track budgets and schedules
• Identify discrepancies early
• Protect your financial interests
This keeps payments transparent and eliminates conflicts of interest.
Begin with a conversation. We will discuss your goals, timelines, and challenges. Next steps may include a needs analysis, site visit, preliminary budget range, or feasibility review.
There is no pressure, only helpful guidance from a team that understands agricultural construction and cares about your success.