Cost Key When Deciding Whether to Renovate or Build from Scratch

Aug 22, 2017

By Bruce Cochrane.

A Farm Building Consultant with FGC Construction says cost is one of the biggest factors influencing the decisions of pork producers considering the move to group sow housing.

"Building New or Renovation: What's to Consider" will be among the topics discussed as part of a Group Sow Housing Seminar planned for September 12 in Winnipeg and September 13 in Strathmore.

Murray Elliott, a Farm Building Consultant with FGC Construction, says, as we approach the Canadian Pig Code of Practice 2024 deadline for moving to group sow housing and as buildings age, pork producers are weighing their options.

Murray Elliott-FGC Construction:

Building from scratch certainly is a huge advantage in that your new building is exactly what you want it to be.

You get to incorporate all your new ideas, all your increased farrowing days, weaning days, the code, the extra square footage and you get to put in a nice neat package.

The down side is the cost tends to be higher than a renovation.

If you have a facility and it's in good shape there's certainly some value there that's often possible to salvage so the advantage of a renovation is reduced cost and salvaging your existing facility.
The state of the current building is critical.

You have to have a good hard look at the deficiencies of your current building.

You need to look at pits, at perimeter walls, at floors, slats, attic spaces, rooves.

You have to have a very critical look at your existing facility to determine how much value is left in that building.

Elliot notes permitting is also a consideration.

He says building from scratch starts the permitting process from scratch so all of the new codes and new restrictions apply where as with renovations many aspects are grandfathered in so that something to consider before making any decisions.

Source: Farmscape

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