Anne Waltner and her family chose Summit Contracting to build a new shop on their farm near Marion, South Dakota, because of the company's responsiveness and flexibility. This decision showcased the value of working with a trusted partner. For Waltner, the "must-haves" when looking for a contractor were the willingness to be flexible about the pieces of the project that Keith did on his own. They also wanted in-floor heat, a powerlift door, and high-quality insulation. Summit Contracting delivered on these requests.
Anne Waltner, who farms with her parents Keith and Sharon, grows primarily corn and soybeans. Anne hired Summit Contracting to build an 80x72x18 ft post-frame building. The shop has an impressive 40'x18' hydraulic lift door for large equipment and a smaller 16' sectional door for quicker access. Having the capability to get equipment inside for maintenance was key for the Waltners.
"I reached out to Summit Contracting because my uncle and cousin had worked with them and we knew their reputation," Anne said. When the crews were on site, Keith and Anne were impressed by their work ethic and enjoyed having them around. “I’m glad we decided to work with Summit. The crews were great to work with; they showed up, did the work, were fun to be around, and cleaned up the work areas.” added Anne.
Anne shared the thing she liked most about Summit Contracting was the people. "I appreciated the fact that Summit really listened and took me seriously. As a woman in agriculture, you don't always get that," stated Anne. “Casey was our project manager; he always did great to answer our questions and got us timely responses.” Anne added.
Unlike many of Summit Contracting’s customers, Anne Waltner and her father chose to personally handle parts of their project. They valued the company granting them flexibility, which allowed them to contribute to the work at their own pace, even if it delayed the process. "It most likely would have been completed more quickly had we let Summit do all the work," Anne admitted, expressing gratitude for the ability to make that choice.
Summit Contracting prides itself on being a full-service contractor. However, Summit will provide support to customers who opt to handle specific tasks themselves. Casey Baumgarn, commented, "When customers want to take some of the work on their own, the biggest thing we need is strong communication between the customer, Summit’s project manager, and the operations team." Everyone knowing their piece of the timeline and communicating their progress is key to keeping the project moving.
