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4 Things To Consider Before Renovating Your Commercial Premises

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Renovating your Commercial Premises|4 Things To Consider Before Renovating Your Commercial PremisesWhen you think about renovating commercial premises, a series of questions rush to your mind. Where should you begin? What should be the target budget for renovations? How many contractors do we need for this project? And above all, where can we find trusted renovation specialists in our area? These are some key considerations when it comes to renovating commercial premises. Here is an insight into 4 things you should keep in mind before moving ahead with your renovation plans.

Do you need a project manager?

Having a clear idea of what you want to achieve from your commercial space can help you decide whether you need a project manager. A project manager can help you in the effective management of the project. This can help determine the type of finishes, resources, and budget you are looking to spend. The project manager can also help find the best contractor in your area who can give you a design that blends well with your commercial space.

Do you require permits or permissions to make changes?

If you’re looking to build new commercial premises or make changes in the existing commercial space, it is essential to know if you need a permit. If you want to alter or add new things to the existing commercial space, such as plumbing, electrical, and structural changes, getting a permit for the same is important. This is essential as it will ensure safety and give you the added advantage of getting the project done faster. A permit also ensures the construction or renovation project is done according to the building codes. You would not require a permit if you want to make changes, such as adding new doors or modifying the windows or doors. However, if you make structural changes, such as adding a new floor, changing the roof, or adding columns, you will be required to get a permit.


Is there asbestos in the building?

Asbestos was a dangerous material used in construction and renovation projects until 1990. It is mainly found in insulation materials such as pipes, ducts, ceiling tiles, sprayed-on insulation, joint compound, and floor tiles. If your commercial building were built before 1990, it would likely be made with asbestos-containing materials. If your commercial building has asbestos, it is essential to hire a certified asbestos removal contractor. However, before starting the renovation process, you must take proper precautions to prevent the asbestos from spreading. You must also ensure that the employees and contractors working in the building are aware of the safe work practices with asbestos.

Can you continue to operate during the work?

Renovations are a continuous process, and it may only be possible for you to shut down the commercial premises for part of the project duration. If you’re planning to do renovations of a commercial space that is currently in operation, you need to ensure that the project is done in such a way that it does not impact the day-to-day business operations. When planning renovations, you must decide at what stage you want the work to stop. It may not be possible for every business to shut down for the entire duration of the renovation project. Therefore, deciding at what stage you want the work to stop or move to another part of the building is essential. You can hire an architect or designer to suggest the best plans considering your commercial requirements.

Conclusion

Suppose you’re planning to do renovations of a commercial space that is currently in operation. In that case, you need to ensure you have the proper permits in place, have done all the appropriate research, and have taken precautions to ensure the work runs smoothly without impacting your day-to-day operations.

4 Tips for Renovating a Commercial Property: Are You Ready to Upscale Your Business?

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Renovating a commercial property|4 Tips for Renovating a Commercial Property: Are You Ready to Upscale Your Business?As a business owner, you know that attracting customers has almost as much to do with how your business looks as to how your business is run. Consumers are bombarded every day with ads from competitors trying to draw them into their store and sometimes, success comes down to something as simple as the way your business looks.

Renovating a commercial property can be a huge endeavour, but upscaling your business’ appearance can also be the thing that takes your company to the next level. Here are our best tips for renovating a commercial property:

1. Create a budget and a schedule

Like any renovation project, a budget and a firm schedule are key to success. There is an incredible array of changes you can make to a commercial storefront and it can be hard to reign it in, but proper planning and budgeting before the project starts are key. In general, you should add about 10% to your final budget as a contingency, since you never know what contractors might find when they start work.

Also, when it comes to scheduling your build, you want to make sure you can give your customers a date that you will be open and not leave them waiting. Customers’ attention spans are quite short these days, so if you run late on opening, they may forget about you!

2. Keep it clean

Even though your property is undergoing a renovation, it’s important to still keep it tidy and secure. Not only is it unsightly if there is lots of construction debris left lying around it can also be hazardous for the people working there. If you’re still open for business while renovations are ongoing, you could set yourself up for an accident if a customer got hurt. To prevent this, look into skip hire costs so that you have someplace to put your debris while the renovation is underway to keep your space safe and so that your storefront looks like its being worked on, and not like it’s been ransacked and abandoned.

3. Be prepared for change

While it would be great if our visions for renovation could go off without a hitch, that’s rarely – if ever – the case. Unless you’re building new, you can’t be certain what you might find behind the walls when the demo starts. Shoddy electrical work or outdated plumbing could quickly eat up your budget while taking away from your final product. While it might be hard to consider, being ready to have to change your final decor ideas to accommodate unexpected changes will be what helps your renovation succeed in the end.

4. Know your customers

Understanding who your business caters to is one of the most vital things to consider when you start a renovation. No matter what type of commercial property you’re renovating, take your employees’ and customers’ opinions into account. Make the design engaging and attractive, while still being a practical space for the work you’ll be doing in there. The way you renovate an office versus how you renovate a storefront will be vastly different. Don’t get lost in the design and stop considering how space will function.