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The restaurant industry is quite challenging, with high overhead costs and thin profit margins. If you are creating a restaurant from the ground up, it is essential to keep costs as low as possible.

When starting a new restaurant venture, many entrepreneurs prefer to build from scratch rather than convert an existing space. Based on this, commercial construction can be quite expensive and out of control without adequate planning.

Average Timeline for Restaurant Construction

Planning and building a brand new restaurant is not an easy task. The whole process is quite complex and can take several months, at the very least. In some instances, a year-long timeline from planning to final construction is realistic, even when working with a leading general contractor and design team.

Before you enter the design phase, there are plenty of things to prepare as part of the pre-construction phase. This checklist will help you cover all the bases when working with the best restaurant contractors and planning your new venture.

Find the Ideal Location

The location can determine if your restaurant will be a success or failure. We cannot stress this enough – never settle for a sub-par location for your restaurant construction. To pick the best location, you need to assess the following aspects:

• What is your target demographic? Look for a neighborhood where your ideal customers congregate.
• Will your restaurant be clearly visible? The area should be clearly visible to traffic as well as pedestrians.
• Will the restaurant have accessible parking spots? If the location is next to a busy street/road, you need to ensure enough parking space to accommodate your patrons.

Also, don’t forget to check the local zoning laws to make sure there are no restrictions on setting up a restaurant business in the locality. Access to vendors and supplies is another major factor to take into account.

Get the Relevant Construction Permits

To get your restaurant construction project off the ground, you will need permission from the local municipal authorities. Apart from business licenses and safety permits, you will also require the approval of the local health department and food safety authorities.

If you don’t have any prior experience in restaurant construction, you should seek the assistance of a general contracting firm that has prior experience in constructing restaurant projects. They can help you navigate getting the right permits.

Finalize Your Restaurant Design

If you want the restaurant construction to begin as soon as possible, opt for a design-build approach. In this approach, you will select a single firm to handle everything from pre-construction to design, compliance, and the actual building process.

It’s a highly efficient model when compared to the design-bid-construction approach. With a single entity handling everything, coordination is easier and the lines of communication and responsibility are clearly outlined.

Corporeal Visions is a leading design and construction company that has been building dental offices, retail spaces, and restaurants in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and nearby states since 2015. We specialize in the design and construction of everything from small cafes and sports bars to high-end restaurants and commercial kitchen projects.

Our experienced design teams work closely with you to finalize the blueprints of your dream restaurant. We also offer you a one-of-its-kind opportunity to experience what the restaurant will look like in a 3D simulation, using state-of-the-art Augmented Reality technology.

With our virtual reality tool, you can inspect the various critical elements of the restaurant design to ensure that they are fully in sync with your requirements. The practical aspects to cover before restaurant construction include:

• Separate types of lighting in the dining area, kitchen, and storage areas.
• Adequate ventilation through the strategic use of quality exhaust/HVAC systems.
• Conveniently positioned storage space for produce, dry ingredients, liquor stock, etc.
• High-quality flooring and build materials that do not compromise on structural integrity.

Choose Trusted and Resourceful Restaurant Construction Experts

Once you have completed all the steps in the checklist, it is time to start the construction process. For an experience free from any hassles or headaches, you need to select a seasoned restaurant construction management and design firm that offers a design-build model.

With a highly flexible client-centric approach, Corporeal Visions has completed numerous restaurant construction projects. We bring a blend of superior craftsmanship, extensive experience, attention to detail, and advanced Augmented Reality technology to design and build the space of your dreams, whether it is a pub or fine dining restaurant.

Along with restaurant design and construction services, we also offer restaurant remodeling and restaurant renovations. You may hire your own general contractor or work with our team for any type of restaurant renovation or new build project management. To learn more about our services, please give us a call at (703) 909-4193 or contact us online today.