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4 Things To Consider Before Starting Commercial Renovations
Carlos Bowman
Whether you're remodeling after first taking over a location or doing commercial renovations to give an existing site a refresh, it can be a very exciting and nerve-racking process. You should try to build a list of issues to address before getting started. That list should include these four items.
Regulations and the Certificate of Occupancy
Almost every commercial building in America has to comply with a set of local, state, and federal standards. Most of these are fairly sensible concerns, such as making sure the building stays current with fire codes. Others can be a bit nitpicky, like requirements that the historical appearance of the building will be maintained.
Meet with an officer from your local compliance authority. Ask them what issues are relevant to the site, and tell them what your plans for it are. They can then provide you with guidance regarding what's acceptable and what isn't. You may have to go to a city board meeting or two to discuss a variance, but that's a lot better than having to undo work after the commercial renovation contractors have left.
Focus on a Consistent Style
Unless you're running a latter-day dot-com business, you're probably not going to get away with a mishmash or bohemian style for your business. Think about what you want to say about your organization. A stately and traditional style might be good for an established financial services firm, for example. Conversely, an advertising business might want to have a modernist style paired with an open floor plan.
Regardless of what style you choose, strive to keep it consistent across all of the spaces. You don't want to have a Spanish mission-style lobby paired with a mid-century modern conference room, for example.
Plan to Do the Basics Right Away
The best time to get electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians in is when everything is stripped away. While the commercial renovation contractors will have to get some clean-out work done before those folks can come in, it's best to have the other contractors lined up early.
Efficiency
It's also a good idea to use the commitment to commercial renovations as a chance to update the efficiency of the building. Swapping out old lighting systems and replacing them with ultra-efficient LEDs, for example, can help you recoup some of your costs in the long run. The same goes for energy-efficient windows because old windows are rarely great insulators.
For more information about commercial renovations, contact a company like Southern Alberta Construction Services.
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