How to Develop a Successful Restaurant Construction …

You have reviewed the bids and settled on a commercial general contractor for your restaurant construction project. Now you cant wait to see the project break ground. This is a good time to consult with the general contractor on the construction schedule, a process you can be as involved in as you like.

Although experienced restaurant developers and operators understand construction best practices, if you are new to opening a restaurant, you may never have created or participated in creating a construction schedule before. This article includes tips and general information to help you develop a restaurant construction timeline, as well as to monitor the progress of such a schedule, based on professional experience.

A good rule of thumb when it comes to restaurant construction is to expect the project to take up to 4 to 6 months to complete. In reality, it usually requires up to 4 months to build a restaurant. It takes 2 months to build out space and install materials for a carry-out establishment, 12 weeks to build a fast-casual restaurant and 4 months to build a full-service, casual or even fine-dining restaurant.

On the other hand, a contractor willing to work multiple shifts in a day can complete your restaurant construction project in as little as one month. Be wary, however, of television shows that depict restaurants being built in a day this is strictly an effect of TV, and not a realistic possibility.

Your construction timeline will vary according to many other factors, including site specifications, weather conditions, the size and unique degree of difficulty of the planned structure, scheduling and communication among you, the contractor, subcontractors and those delivering materials, your experience in working on such projects, the complexity of architectural plans, changes made as the project moves along and the knowledge and experience of your contractor and subcontractors, as well as the sizes of their respective crews.

However, be aware that even before the dirt begins to move, your restaurant construction project is in motion, with the general contractor beginning the permitting process and ordering what are typically long-lead-time goods such as flooring, lighting and HVAC roof units. Generally, it takes 4 to 6 weeks for an architect to create drawings, up to 3 to 4 months for the permitting process to be completed and about 2 weeks to conclude the bidding process.

Hopefully your contractor has performed a site survey, including a conducting a building code review, and is now fine-tuning a detailed project schedule.

Getting your local and/or state building inspector to review and sign off on your preliminary plans is a must. Your space or plans may require modification to satisfy health and fire code requirements. Regulations cover everything from the required distance between food preparation areas and disposal drains to the installation of grease traps and vents. It isnt a bad idea to keep printed copies of your areas rules and regulations on hand for the contractor and subs to refer to while working on your project.

Nearly all restaurant construction schedules depend on the same basic factors, which include the restaurants size; whether it is a chain or independent establishment; how much equipment will be installed in the back of the house; how prepared and organized you are in terms of delivery dates for fixtures, furnishings and equipment; and the types of finishes that will be used in the building.

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How to Develop a Successful Restaurant Construction ...