Smart planning, in the beginning, will increase your chances for successful commercial renovation projects. It will help greatly in preventing headaches you may experience during a remodel or expansion to your business.
Here are some steps to take in planning ahead for your future commercial renovation project:
#RenovationGoals. To solidify your specific goals, ask yourself some basic questions and address them. These questions can be:
- Why are you renovating? Updates to infrastructure, installation of new technology, finishing upgrades, new tenants, changes in space or aesthetics?
- What is your project budget?
- What regulatory agencies will the renovation team be dealing with during the renovation? Government offices and their locations and processes are a good thing to know in advance.
#Team-Building. Having the right team on the project is vital. Establish your team early, and make sure all the necessary disciplines are covered. Everybody needs to be able to work well together. Make sure your team includes a qualified and reputable general contractor. He or she will be drawing from extensive field experience, which allows them to offer valuable input on your project’s preliminary budget, for example. They can also validate the feasibility of your early design concepts.
#DoYourHomework. Your team should do research on the building that is being renovated, right up front. Such research will require some additional funds, but it will probably alleviate your needing to deal with site problems later. Such an evaluation should address such items as the age and operating condition of all the mechanical and electrical systems, the condition of the building, the quality of the existing utilities, any historic elements, and the accuracy of any past site evaluations.
#ContingencyBudget. Even if you plan carefully, surprises will happen. It will be wise to establish a portion of any budget for contingency plans.
A proactive approach to your future commercial renovation projects will help to minimize the pitfalls that might challenge you. It will require time and legwork up front, but it greatly improves your chance of success and will help you achieve a high-quality product that will last for years to come. If you are planning a commercial renovation project, Ascension General Contractors is here to help!
