Every modern structure has required civil engineers for its design and final construction. However, most civil engineering companies try to work with as many companies as possible, instead of establishing their niche. It is almost impossible to provide a service that satisfies everyone equally but picking a niche and sticking to it can help your business become better at providing specific services and be known as one that does this. When picking a niche, it is important to consider the different markets to see which would be the best fit for your business and the expertise it can provide through its employees.
The Federal Government
Working for the federal government can be difficult to get into because there are already established companies that are the go-to companies for it. However, different federal agencies are always hiring civil engineers for different projects throughout the country.
Becoming a subcontractor for a general contracting company working with the federal government is a great place to start if you are finding it difficult to land a contract or tender. Sometimes larger companies will have bigger projects they need some help with and even though you will not be working with the federal government directly, you will be involved in their projects.
You can then leverage your position and past works in the future to get into federal government contracting.
Commercial Development
Commercial developers, especially those who handle larger projects like office blocks and malls, are always hiring civil engineering companies for their projects. They look for civil engineers that can plan, design, build and maintain their structures, and your company might be in a great position to provide these services.
Even in cases where a commercial developer does not hire a civil engineering company for their whole project, they are likely to hire companies providing site design engineering services to check on, oversee, and report the progress of their projects.
For these projects, your company will also be required to supply structural engineering services to ensure buildings can carry the required load and withstand natural loads like wind, earthquakes, and snow.
Water Utility
Water resources engineering is a civil engineering branch concerned with water treatment, wastewater removal, and the removal of water after floods and storms. Water utility requires civil engineering who will build the structures used in different water supply and removal stages in rural and urban areas.
Civil engineering companies can also be tasked with the maintenance of these systems, and these can be long-term engagements because these systems need maintenance all the time.
Property Development
Property owners will sometimes require property conversion, extension, or modification that requires the skills of civil engineers. While a civil engineering firm can land whole projects, they will typically work with other businesses that provide other services such as surveyors and architects to ensure the project is completed according to the requirements and specifications.
There are numerous markets available to civil engineering companies looking to provide niche services or to expand their existing ones. There are also smaller markets within these larger ones that companies can focus on and be very successful in.