Est. 1979 · 47 years in practice St. Paul (651) 292-1123
Reigstad Engineers, Inc.

Civil Engineering Consulting

Site analysis, drainage design, and permitting coordination handled by engineers who've worked on complex projects nationwide for 47 years.

Call (651) 292-1123
Civil Engineering Consulting

Request an estimate

Tell us what you need

No obligation

By submitting this form you agree that we may contact you about your request and share your name and email address with partner companies for email marketing. We never share your mobile number or text message consent with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

Civil Engineering Consulting Services Explained

Civil engineering consulting covers the site-side work that makes a building project buildable: grading, drainage, utilities, permitting, and construction documents that satisfy local code. Reigstad has provided civil and structural engineering services to architects, owners, and contractors across the country since 1979, and the firm is licensed in Minnesota and Mississippi. If you're starting a project and need someone who can read a site, work through the permit process, and stay involved through construction, call (651) 292-1123.

What drives the scope and cost of civil engineering work is the site itself: soil conditions, existing grades, impervious surface area, proximity to wetlands or regulated drainages, and what the local authority having jurisdiction requires before they'll issue a permit. Projects in the Twin Cities metro carry Minnesota-specific obligations under MPCA NPDES rules and local watershed district requirements. Cold climate design adds another layer: freeze-thaw cycles affect pavement section design, storm pipe burial depth, and how snow storage gets accounted for in a site plan. Every job is different. Contact Reigstad for an accurate estimate.

Aerial view of industrial property with snow storage areas, gravel retention basin, concrete pads, asphalt parking lot, and s

What Civil Engineering Consulting Involves

  • Site analysis and feasibility review before design begins
  • Grading and drainage design that meets watershed district rules
  • Storm water management per Minnesota NPDES and MPCA requirements
  • Construction documents and permit coordination with local agencies
  • Construction administration from groundbreaking through site closeout

Our Process

From Site Assessment to Construction Closeout

Civil engineering on a project moves in phases, and each one builds on the last.

Site Assessment and Feasibility

Before design dollars are committed, we evaluate the site: topography, soils, existing utilities, zoning constraints, and what the jurisdiction requires. A feasibility study at this stage is cheaper than a redesign after preliminary drawings are submitted.

Design Development and Permit Documents

Preliminary design establishes grades, drainage patterns, and utility routing. Final design produces the stamped construction documents that go to the building department and watershed district. These are two distinct submittals with different review timelines.

Construction Administration

Design doesn't end at permit issuance. We stay involved during construction to review contractor submittals, respond to field conditions, and confirm the site is built to what was designed. Skipping this step is how small field deviations become drainage problems after occupancy.

Site Conditions

Minnesota Soil and Climate Realities That Affect Civil Design

Site engineering in this region has constraints that generic civil standards don't fully address.

Clay Soils and Drainage

Much of the Twin Cities metro sits on glacial till with high clay content. Clay's low permeability means storm water doesn't infiltrate the way it would on sandy soils, so engineered drainage systems carry more of the load. Undersized storm infrastructure on a clay site backs up fast.

Freeze-Thaw Cycles

Minnesota's frost depth runs to 42 inches in a cold winter. Storm pipes, foundation drains, and utility crossings all have to be buried deep enough to avoid heave. Pavement sections need adequate subbase to survive repeated freeze-thaw without premature failure.

Watershed District Oversight

Most Twin Cities development sites fall within a watershed district's jurisdiction, which adds a permit layer on top of city review. Each district has its own rate control and water quality standards. Knowing which district applies and what they require is part of the work, not an afterthought.

Snow Storage and Impervious Surface

Site plans that don't account for snow storage end up with plows pushing snow into landscape islands, fire lanes, or accessible routes. Cold-climate civil design reserves space for it up front, before the paving contractor lays out striping.

Deteriorated concrete foundation slab with freeze-thaw damage, spalling, and cracks at construction site with retaining walls

Civil and Structural Work on the Same Project

Civil and structural engineering aren't the same discipline, but on most projects they're closely related. The civil design determines where the building sits on the site, how grades drain away from the foundation, and where utilities enter the structure. The structural engineering determines how the building stands up. When both come from a firm that handles each in-house, coordination happens between engineers rather than between separate firms trading markups. Reigstad has handled both for projects ranging from parking structures to casino expansions since 1979. For projects that also involve precast concrete or structural steel, that coordination matters even more because the civil grade and the structural bearing elevations have to align before the first piece of steel is fabricated.

How to Work With Reigstad on a Civil Project

47 years of project work has clarified how good civil consulting actually runs.

Licensed in Minnesota and Mississippi
Engineering firm license held in both states; not a subcontractor arrangement
In practice since 1979
Founded by Gordon Reigstad, PhD, PE, SE; continuous operation for 47 years
Involved through construction, not just design
Construction administration is part of the engagement, not an add-on
Direct communication with the design team
You talk to the engineers, not a project coordinator relaying messages

In the field

A look at our work

Excavated trench with exposed clay soil, gravel base, black perforated drainage pipe, and concrete channel for water manageme
Stormwater detention and treatment facility with concrete control structures, retention ponds, and river inlet pipes near urb

Frequently asked questions

What does a civil engineering consultant actually do on a project?
A civil engineering consultant handles the site design work that precedes and surrounds a building: grading, storm water management, utility layout, erosion control, and the construction documents needed to get a permit. On most projects, the civil engineer also coordinates with the local watershed district and the building department through permit review and responds to field questions during construction. It's the discipline that makes a building site work, not just the building itself.
How long does the permitting process take for a civil project in this region?
It depends on the jurisdiction and the project. A straightforward commercial site in a municipality with a standard review cycle might take six to ten weeks from complete submission to permit issuance. Projects that fall under watershed district review add a parallel process that can run concurrently or sequentially depending on the district. Projects that trigger state NPDES permit requirements add another layer. We tell clients to build permit timeline into their schedule, not treat it as a residual.
Why do I need both a surveyor and a civil engineer?
A land surveyor establishes what's legally and physically there: property boundaries, existing grades, and easements. A civil engineer takes that data and designs what goes on top of it. A surveyor can't stamp a grading plan or sign off on a storm water design; a civil engineer can't create the base survey those designs are drawn over. They're sequential, not interchangeable.
What are Minnesota's storm water management requirements for a development site?
Minnesota's NPDES construction permit program requires an approved Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for sites disturbing one acre or more. Beyond that, most Twin Cities projects also fall under a watershed district's rules, which typically require rate control, volume reduction, and water quality treatment. The specific numbers depend on which watershed district has jurisdiction. We design the storm water system to satisfy all three: state, watershed, and municipal.
What's the difference between preliminary and final civil design?
Preliminary design establishes the concept: overall grading strategy, drainage patterns, utility routing, and the general layout that the architect uses to coordinate the building footprint and parking. Final design produces the stamped, permitted construction documents that a contractor builds from, with spot elevations, pipe sizing calculations, and all the detail needed for bid and construction. Owners sometimes want to skip preliminary design to save time; that usually costs more time later when the final design has to be reworked because a site constraint wasn't resolved early.
Does Reigstad handle civil work alongside structural engineering on the same project?
Yes. Reigstad has handled both civil and structural engineering on projects since 1979. The coordination advantage is real: the civil grade and the structural bearing elevations have to align, and resolving that in-house is faster than managing it between separate firms. Projects like the City Vue Apartments reflect the kind of multi-discipline work the firm takes on.
How much does civil engineering consulting cost?
Civil engineering fees depend on site complexity, the number of permit submittals required, whether construction administration is included, and how much coordination the jurisdiction requires. A small infill site with a single municipal permit is a different scope than a development that triggers watershed review and state NPDES permitting. Every job is different. Contact Reigstad for an accurate estimate.

Related

Next step

Start a Conversation About Your Project

Tell us what you're working on and we'll tell you what civil engineering support it needs.

Rather talk now?(651) 292-1123

No obligation

By submitting this form you agree that we may contact you about your request and share your name and email address with partner companies for email marketing. We never share your mobile number or text message consent with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.