How to Choose a Builder for an Agricultural Building in East Yorkshire

Agricultural buildings are not the same as residential or commercial buildings. The loads are different, the environment is more demanding, and the consequences of getting it wrong are felt every day during the working life of the structure. Choosing the right builder matters more than it might seem when you are getting early quotes.

What makes agricultural construction different?

Agricultural buildings need to withstand the specific conditions of farm use. That means concrete floors that can take the weight of loaded trailers and agricultural machinery. It means steel frame structures engineered to support the loads of stored grain, potatoes, or equipment. It means drainage designed to handle the volumes generated by large numbers of animals or heavy rainfall on hard standings.

A builder who primarily works on domestic extensions may be technically competent at what they do, but they may not have the experience to think through the operational demands of a working farm building from the outset.

Questions to ask a prospective agricultural builder

• How much of your current workload is agricultural? You want a contractor who works regularly on farm and agricultural projects, not one who takes them on occasionally.

• Have you worked on sites similar to mine? Ask to see examples. A contractor with a genuine track record in agricultural construction should be able to point to completed projects without hesitation.

• Who will be on site day to day? Find out whether the people who quote the job are the same people who build it, or whether it will be subcontracted out.

• What accreditations do you hold? For principal contractor appointments, SafeContractor approval and FMB membership are worth looking for.

• What is your approach to programme and communication? Agricultural projects often need to work around the farming calendar. A builder who understands that will manage the programme accordingly.

Why local knowledge matters

East Yorkshire has its own character when it comes to agricultural construction. The soils, the weather, the scale of the farming operations, and the type of buildings required all reflect the specific nature of the region. A builder who has been working here for generations will have encountered most of the challenges your project is likely to throw up, and will know how to deal with them.

The Harlands approach

Harlands Builders has been building agricultural structures in East Yorkshire for over 200 years. We work for some of the largest agricultural businesses in the region and we understand what a working farm building needs to do. If you have an agricultural project coming up, we would be happy to visit the site and talk it through with you.