Your restaurant project: Construction Stage

Here is a list of materials that need to be submitted to the contractor for an accurate construction proposal.

1. Permit drawings including equipment layout, partition details, plumbing, eletrical and HVAC plans.
2. Interior Design construction drawings and material list

What are interior design construction drawings for?

You would NOT need these drawings if:

1. You designed the dining room yourself and are able to instruct the contractor how to finish the design step by step.
2. Your contractor is experienced enough to look at the design rendering provided by your designer and build it out for you.

The downside of not having construction drawings:

1. The construction proposal would not be 100% accurate since the contractor does not know the exact dimensions and actual design of the mill works.
2. A lot of change orders will take place due to not having the finalized design on paper.

Construction drawings in general help to:

1. Speed up the building process by listing out the exact material spec, dimensions and mill work design for the contractor to follow and prepare for material purchasing and mill work installation.
2. Minimize change orders that will increase of risk of over budgeting. When contractors provide proposals based on a set of construction drawings, he will put on his contract whether he will furnish everything listed on the drawings. If he agrees to provide everything, he can not come back and charge you more. For instance, if the construction drawing specified 20 recessed lights model number RL-200, the contractor has to provide 20 RL-200 without charging you more or less later.
3. Preserve the integrity of the proposed interior design by making sure the contractor is following the proper scale with the right material.

Things to watch for during the construction stage:

1. Ensure your G.C:
   • a. Is licensed.
   • b. Knows commercial building code and have experience in building restaurants before. (Ask for portfolio if needed) .
   • c. Has good reputation.
   • d. Provides a comprehensive contract that lists out his scope of work item by item.
   • e. Submits a construction schedule before work starts.
2. Communicate with the building and health inspector to ensure everything is on the right track.
3. Visit the job site whenever necessary to examine the construction works.
4. Follow up with your G.C to ensure the construction schedule is being enforced.
5. Follow up with your sprinkler contractor and fire alarm contractor ensure they are communicating with the G.C properly to meet the timeline specified. A lot of times Sprinklers and alarms are the last things holding up the project when not properly coordinated.

Related posts:

1. Your restaurant project: Permit processing stage
2. Your restaurant project: Interior space planning stage
3. Opening a restaurant (Phase III): Construction Phase
4. Opening a Restaurant (Phase II): Design your new space
5. A Checklist for Restaurant Start-up Licenses