Why Do I Need a Civil Engineer in Colorado?
You’ve found the perfect piece of land for your dream project in Northern Colorado. The views are spectacular, the location is ideal, and you’re ready to start designing. But then come the questions that keep you up at night… Will water drain properly on this sloped lot? Can I even build where I want to? How do I get utilities to this site? Am I running out of time with the season (and investors’ patience)? How many different teams am I going to have to hire? Will they work well together? How much Advil will I need to consume? Should I just hit snooze and stay in bed today?
These questions are exactly why people ask us, “Why do I need a civil engineer?” After years of developing properties throughout Colorado, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when folks skip this critical step.
This article reviews the benefits of working with a civil engineering team found under one roof (such as our team) and why it matters for your Colorado project.
The Hidden Costs of Skipping Civil Engineering
One summer, we met with a new developer who had purchased land outside Fort Collins. He’d already spent $60,000 on architectural plans for a small commercial building when he discovered that nearly a third of his property couldn’t be built due to drainage requirements and setbacks he never knew existed.
“I wish someone had told me to talk to a civil engineer FIRST,” he told us, visibly frustrated.
I can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard similar stories. The truth is, architects create beautiful buildings, but civil engineers make sure you can build them where you want them. And in Colorado’s unique landscape, this becomes even more critical.
On another occasion, we heard about a project coming to a screeching halt because a soils report wasn’t conducted. And let me tell you – you don’t need to make that kind of phone call to your board or steering committee.
Why Colorado Properties Need Specialized Civil Engineering
Our state presents building challenges with potential surprises that are anything but colorful.
Our clay-heavy soils expand and contract dramatically with moisture changes. I’ve seen foundations crack and driveways buckle because someone didn’t account for this.
Those gorgeous mountain views come with dramatic topography changes. On a recent project near Berthoud, we had elevation changes of over 15 feet on a single-acre lot!
Our water rights system dates back to the 1800s and creates complications most out-of-state developers never anticipate.
Our increasingly intense storms create flash flooding potential that requires sophisticated management approaches.
These aren’t just theoretical concerns. They’re real issues that affect real projects every day across Northern Colorado.
When Do You Need a Civil Engineer? Earlier Than You Think!
Most people call a civil engineer after they’ve already started working with an architect. But here’s something most won’t talk about: That’s often too late to make the most cost-effective decisions. What happens next typically includes finger-pointing, overruns, and way too much Advil consumption.
In general, here’s what a timeline looks like:
Property Purchase Phase
“Should I buy this piece of land?” might be the most important question a civil engineer can help you answer. After our analysis, we recently saved a client from purchasing a 2.5-acre lot that would have only yielded about 0.75 acres of buildable land due to floodplain issues, access requirements, and utility easements.
For a nominal percentage of topline savings as our fee, we saved them hundreds of thousands in purchase price or, worse, a property that couldn’t meet their needs.
Concept Development Phase
Once you own land, civil engineers help you understand:
- Where buildings can be positioned to minimize earthwork costs
- How water will move across your site during our increasingly intense storms
- Whether your access points will meet sight distance and safety requirements
- If utilities can reach your building without breaking the bank
- How to maximize usable space while meeting regulatory requirements
Working with an architect without this information is like designing the cabin on a boat without knowing if the hull can take it.
Permitting and Approvals Phase
I’ve witnessed countless projects get stuck in permitting purgatory because of inadequate civil engineering. One multi-family project in Northern Colorado was delayed 11 months—costing the developer six figures in carrying costs—because their out-of-state engineers didn’t understand local stormwater requirements.
Local knowledge matters more than you might think. Each jurisdiction in Northern Colorado has its own quirks and requirements. From county to county, you’ll find nuance in drainage calculations, road access standards, and everything in between.
Construction Phase – When Man Plans, God Laughs
Even with perfect plans, things change when shovels hit dirt. Maybe you encounter unexpected rock. Perhaps groundwater appears where none was indicated in soil reports. These surprises require quick thinking and engineering adjustments.
Recently, one of our custom luxury home projects hit unexpected bedrock during excavation. Because our civil engineers work under the same roof as our architects, we quickly modified the foundation design and site grading plan, keeping the project moving without costly delays.
What Actually Happens During the Civil Engineering Process?
Everyone has seen road crews. A few trucks. Guys standing around. And those yellow “tripods with cameras” on them.
Outside of that, we know that most people don’t fully understand what they’re paying for when they hire a civil engineer. Here’s what our process really looks like:
Site Investigation and Analysis
We start by getting our boots dirty. Tech is one thing, but we’ve got to walk your site and see things firsthand. What are we looking for? Natural drainage patterns, vegetation that indicates water presence, existing structures, and potential challenges.
We’ll review survey information, identifying easements, setbacks, and title restrictions that might limit development.
We also research the less visible factors: soil conditions, flood potential, utility locations, access requirements, and jurisdiction-specific regulations. This detective work can uncover deal-breaking issues before you’ve invested significantly.
Conceptual Planning
With a solid understanding of your site, we develop conceptual approaches that balance your goals with site realities. We might create several options showing different building locations, access points, and general grading approaches.
This phase is critical because it’s where big-picture decisions get made that dramatically impact your budget. Moving a building location by just 30 feet might save $50,000 in retaining wall costs or make the difference between gravity sewer service and an expensive lift station.
Detailed Design Development
Once we’ve established a sound concept, we develop detailed plans including:
Precise grading that balances cut and fill to minimize expensive soil import/export Stormwater management systems that protect your property and meet increasingly strict regulations Utility service plans that coordinate water, sewer, electric, gas, and communications Access designs that ensure safe entry/exit and proper emergency vehicle accommodation Erosion control measures that prevent costly damage during construction.
These plans require sophisticated calculations and modeling to ensure they’ll perform in real-world conditions.
Permitting Support
Let’s be honest: permitting can be a nightmare, especially in growing communities with overworked staff. Our civil engineers don’t just create plans—they help navigate the approval maze. They attend meetings with reviewers, respond to technical comments, and sometimes negotiate creative solutions when regulations conflict with project needs.
I can’t count how often our relationships with local review staff have helped projects move forward when they might otherwise have stalled.
Construction Phase Services
The best civil engineering plans in the world don’t matter if they’re not correctly implemented. During construction, our civil engineers:
- Visit the site during critical phases like initial grading and utility installation
- Review questions from contractors to ensure solutions maintain design intent
- Address unexpected conditions (which always seem to appear)
- Verify that constructed elevations and locations match approved plans
- Help with final inspections and project closeout
Civil Engineering, Your Reputation & ROI
When (typically) first-time developers balk at civil engineering fees, I always ask: “What’s the cost of getting this wrong?”
An investment in thorough civil engineering might:
- Save $100,000+ in unexpected construction costs
- Prevent months of permitting delays
- Avoid litigation with neighbors over drainage issues
- Maximize your site’s development potential
- Prevent catastrophic failures during storm events
One client initially questioned our civil engineering fee higher than competitors. Two years later, he told me: “Your team’s careful grading design saved me over $200,000 in hard costs compared to my last project. Best money I ever spent.”
A successful project isn’t just a profit engine for your business. It becomes a lasting community feature that adds to our way of life. These are the best kinds of returns which also do wonders for your team’s reputation and longevity.
The Asher Advantage: One Team, Better Results
What makes working with Asher’s civil engineers different? We’re part of a fully integrated design team where architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, and landscape architects collaborate daily under one roof.
This means:
- No finger-pointing between separate firms when issues arise
- Streamlined communication that saves time and reduces errors
- Coordinated solutions that consider all aspects of your project
- Local expertise from professionals who live and work in Northern Colorado
- Comprehensive accountability from a single source
The difference in efficiency, quality, and client experience is night and day. It’s why Asher was created, and we often take over projects when other “teams” have fallen short of their promise to deliver.
Taking the Next Step & Protecting Your Investment
If you’re considering a development project in Northern Colorado, I encourage you to involve civil engineers early—before property purchase if possible, and certainly before finalizing architectural concepts.
The question isn’t really, “Why do I need a civil engineer?” but rather, “Can I afford to proceed without this critical expertise?” For most projects, the answer is clear: professional civil engineering is an investment that pays dividends throughout your project and long after completion.
Let’s talk about your specific project needs and how our integrated approach can help make your vision a reality—efficiently, cost-effectively, and with fewer headaches along the way.
FAQs About Civil Engineering
There’s a lot to cover if you’re researching the benefits of working with a civil engineer in Colorado. To help you get the most out of this article and save a ton of time, we’ve put toghether a punch list of common civil engineering FAQs that we answer at Asher Architecture.
“What problems do civil engineers actually solve?”
Civil engineers are problem-solvers for anything related to land development. They determine:
- How to work with natural land features instead of fighting them
- Where water goes during storms (and how to control it)
- How to provide stable foundations for structures
- How to efficiently connect to utilities
- How to create safe access to public roads
- How to navigate complex regulations and permitting
They’re the professionals who turn raw land into buildable sites while managing risk and maximizing potential.
“Is a civil engineering report worth the money?”
I’ve never met anyone who regretted getting a thorough civil analysis before purchasing property or finalizing development plans. However, I’ve met dozens who regretted skipping this step.
For potentially just 1-3% of your total project budget, you gain:
- Clear understanding of development constraints
- Identification of deal-breakers before significant investment
- Documentation that supports financing and insurance
- Protection against future liability issues
- A roadmap for successful development
“Do civil engineers offer free consultations?”
At Asher, we offer a complimentary project consultation over the phone that typically lasts about 15 minutes.
From there, our initial site reviews are comprehensive and help you understand what services might benefit your project – and costs can vary depending on what is being examined.
Many firms claim to offer similar exploratory conversations but typically fail to give a holistic picture.
We’re proud to give you the most comprehensive project sketch based on our one-roof process.
“How do I know if my project needs a civil engineer?”
If you’re doing any of the following in Colorado, you likely need a civil engineer:
- Developing raw land
- Redeveloping existing property
- Addressing drainage or erosion issues
- Creating new access points to public roads
- Building in environmentally sensitive areas
- Dealing with sloped sites
- Subdividing property
- Changing a building’s use in ways that affect parking or drainage
When in doubt, a quick conversation with our team can help clarify your specific needs.
“Can’t my architect or contractor handle the civil aspects?”
While architects create beautiful, functional buildings and contractors build them skillfully, civil engineering requires specialized expertise in hydrology, soils, regulations, and infrastructure that most architects and contractors don’t possess.
When your architect or contractor says, “You should probably talk to a civil engineer about that,” they’re not being difficult—they’re protecting both you and themselves because they know how critical this type of work is to a successful project outcome.
