There is always room for error during a restaurant construction project, but there are certain steps you can take to prevent surprises. First and most important, assemble a team of talented and trustworthy professionals. The core team members you want to have in place are typically your broker, attorney, architect, and contractor. A good way to find the right team members is by obtaining referrals from at least one team member you know you want to hire. Ideally, your team will have worked together previously and have existing relationships in place for the greatest continuity and efficiency.
Start Planning ASAP
With tight margins on a restaurant project, efficient planning is important and can’t start soon enough. Even without a proposed site you can perform a concept review and discuss size, type, level of finishes, etc. to establish an accurate initial budget. Once a proposed site is found, you can check code compliance and perform a site survey to establish the costs associated with adapting your concept to a particular site.
Bring in the Contractor and Architect Early
Bringing in a qualified contractor and architect early in the process can prevent surprises and open your eyes to potential risks.
Take a look at a project gone wrong, where a client signed a lease on a closed restaurant with the intent to expand and renovate the existing dining room. No due diligence was performed prior to signing the lease, and during the design stage he found out that the building code for the increased seating capacity required larger restrooms as well as a sprinkler system. The cost for the restrooms was $40K. To bring in a fire line and install a sprinkler system was $85K. In addition, the permitting process for the fire line was a three-to-four-month process while rent commenced sixty days after signing the lease.
While not all problems are this extreme, this story clearly illustrates how not bringing in a contractor and architect in the release stage of your project, can ultimately cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
So remember: assemble your team early on and invest the time and effort in planning to keep the building process well-organized and reduce the number of unwelcome surprises.
Work With Encore Construction
As a premier commercial general contractor, Encore Construction is proud to provide interior and exterior services in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond. We have an impeccable track record, an impressive portfolio, and an experienced team that is ready to tackle your next big project. Our results speak for themselves, and we’re proud of the work we continue to produce for our clients.
We have offices in Annapolis, MD and Ocean City, MD and we are happy to serve the Washington, DC, Baltimore, Northern, VA, Eastern Shore, MD and surrounding areas. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, G+, and LinkedIn for news and updates! Do you want to discuss your project with a member of our team? Visit our website, and call us at (410) 573-5050. We look forward to hearing from you!