720-900-5082

Snyder Building Construction Awarded Fifth Cheba Hut Location

Snyder Building Construction Awarded Fifth Cheba Hut Location

November 12, 2020
Written by: Audrey Wilson

We’re excited to share about our continuing partnership with the Cheba Hut brand. Cheba Hut is a national chain of restaurants that is locally owned in Colorado. Construction on the new fast-casual toasted sub location (our fifth location together) is slated to begin January 2021 in Colorado Springs.

As Cheba Hut’s trusted GC, we’ve worked in conjunction with Koch Covostos Architects on four other locations in the last two years. These tenant finish restaurant projects begin as either new core and shell or former restaurant space and are transformed into Cheba Hut’s signature, fast-casual sandwich shop experience complete with custom painted murals.

“Snyder Building is a phenomenal company to work with,” says David Timmons, owner of Cheba Hut. We’ve worked with Matt Redick and Johnny Jones on many projects over the years for multiple restaurants/bars. We love working with them and plan to for years to come.”

We partner with Cheba Hut during preconstruction to conduct site surveys, identify any existing conditions and gain a complete understanding of long-lead purchases needs that help us contain cost and scheduling impacts. Each fast-casual restaurant tenant finish is approximately 2,500 square feet and includes full front-of-house and back-of-house construction (including walk-in cooler installation, dry storage, new restrooms, floorings, walls, ceilings, kitchen mechanical, counter service millwork, in-house dining, a full-service bar with underground lines feeding 10-12 draft beer taps, and a custom-designed, unique mural wall).

Cheba Hut is a Colorado-grown, “Toasted” sub concept that has been curing munchies since its start in 1998. Founder Scott Jennings decided to showcase the harmony between great tasting food and a very specific counter-culture. The menu features over 30 signature sub sandwiches, as well as a variety of Rice Krispy treats, salads and munchies. Most locations also offer craft beer bars that feature local beers from neighborhood breweries. Cheba Huts can be found in Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. What really sets Cheba Hut apart, though, can only be experienced in their shops. Cheba Hut combines homegrown food with real people in a relaxed environment. In response to the pandemic, they updated their app to be more efficient and better suited to the needs of our customers. Additionally, in their communication with franchisees, they encourage them to brainstorm creative solutions that will help them continue to offer a safe and comfortable dining experience to their customers. To learn more about Cheba Hut, visit www.chebahut.com.

Your Budget Will Thank Us — 8 Design Trends to Consider When Value Engineering | Part III: Bars, Restaurants, and Breweries, Oh my!

Your Budget Will Thank Us — 8 Design Trends to Consider When Value Engineering

A Three-Part Construction Series. Part III: Bars, Restaurants, and Breweries, Oh my! — A Three-Part Construction Series

April 12, 2018
collaboration by: Matt Redick & Audrey Wilson

With the infrastructure engineered and a strong team and plan in place, it’s time to talk interiors and finishes. In their semi-state-of-the-union, Architectural Digest notes 2018 restaurant design continues trending toward Instagrammable, well-lit spaces that incorporate natural greenery. Alvarez-Diaz and  Villalon add that experience-driven design will also reign. “There is a shift in restaurant atmosphere, from cozy and rugged to clean and modern. Expect more green in the form of plants and living walls, adding life and comfort,” says Rachael Lyman of Studio Atlantis. In addition to plants, sustainability will continue to be a “green” focus.

 When it comes to saving money during construction, it boils down to two things: (1) plan your best ahead of time; and (2) value engineering, meaning to think critically about your “must-haves” and make tough decisions around what design elements to keep in order to meet your budget. Do the planning up front and then let the design play out. As a general rule of thumb, design changes in the field can cost up to 3x more than making design decisions at the early stages—this is due to plan revisions, time lost, lead times, and extra project management time.

There’s no doubt you’ll end up spending a lot of your budget is on kitchen equipment, any “wet” areas of the restaurant including restrooms, lighting packages, and infrastructure upgrades (mechanical, electrical, plumbing). In the sections below, we look at a few areas of consideration and dive into some 2018 restaurant design trends to discuss what’s happening and identify areas of cost savings (a.k.a. value engineering or ‘VE’).

If you missed Part I of the conversation, check out the Nuts & Bolts of building a restaurant here.

SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVEN DESIGN
Whether you’re building a franchise brand or a local owner/operated concept, brands have to be unique to distinguish themselves. How brands connect to their consumers these days is intrinsically tied to their social media conversation. With your physical store presence, you have to weigh the options of spending more to have a unique brand experience (i.e. a unique Instagram/Snapchat moment) or spending less for a simpler look. When it comes to construction, custom items such as art, fixtures, furniture and features will most likely be more expensive than what you can find off the shelf. Trends shift quickly, so be prepared for an interiors update as soon as five years to keep up with the changes.

VE Option: Keep the structural/built design elements classic or simple. As design trends shift, furnishings are easier than structural/architectural elements to change. Choose the number of custom features carefully—custom work is almost always more expensive.

FEATURE LIGHTING
The lighting package and associated electrical work will be a high-priced ticket item during your construction build out. Long lead times for light fixtures may make it tough to keep on schedule without proper planning with your design and construction team. We recommend deciding on your lighting package early so that material can be ordered as quickly as possible which is your best hope at keeping this activity line on schedule. Added days to the schedule = increased cost.

Certain lighting is required by code. To meet code requirements in Denver, you must plan to reduce overall lighting power consumption by using enhanced lighting controls. This means drawing less power altogether via LED fixtures or changing out light switches to an occupancy sensor switch. In some cases, a fully integrated, lighting-control panel may also be required by the local jurisdiction. Another typical health department requirement is task lighting behind and underneath the bar for employee visibility.

Consider that track lighting offers flexibility in pointing light where you want it to go (accent walls, highlighting art, etc.) and is great for open ceiling plans. Recessed lighting works well for drywall hard lid or acoustical tile ceilings.

VE Options: Choose less expensive ambient lighting and spend your lighting dollars for accent/feature lighting. Choose less expensive fixtures in the back of the house and focus on making impact in guest areas.

NATURAL GREENERY
Having plants in a space can improve ambiance and mood. Consider, however, that with live greenery it’s imperative to maintain and water them to keep plans looking healthy and great. Plant maintenance will add monthly costs, something to think about before you add them into your design.

Adding plants to your restaurant can happen before or after the build out depending on the application within the design. Examples include built-in planters, live green walls, etc. Will plants be hung from the ceiling? If so, how will they be hung? Are you choosing indoor or outdoor planters? If you plan to incorporate greenery into fixed design elements, consider drainage plans, non-porous materials, access for maintenance, ability to provide watering, and proximity to food production to avoid cross contamination.

EXPERIENCE-DRIVEN DESIGN
Jeff Sheppard of Roth Sheppard Architects in Denver gave a talk earlier this year at the Colorado Real Estate Journal’s conference about the importance of experience-driven design. To drive home his point, Sheppard talked about how “airports are the new mall” and how self-service kiosks in restaurants and retail are also becoming more and more prevalent. When you look around, you see some local chefs already driving this experience innovation. Take Five Point’s Birdcall with iPad order kiosks and only a few service staff. And First Draft Taproom & Kitchen where guests pour their own beer and are charged by the ounce. Self-service sparkling water is on the rise as well.

All of these experience-driven design choices require intentional storage, electrical, plumbing, and service flow planning. While you will spend money on building for these, you could save on labor costs once open.

PICKING APPROPRIATE FINISHES
Picking appropriate finishes means choosing what meets the budget, fits the design, and serves its purpose for a long time. Right now, 2018 predictions are bringing back wood and white for a light, open-airy feeling. Along with this, we may see a shift in the decision to use finished concrete as the floor option. Floor tile can be a great alternative to finished concrete and has an incredibly wide-range of possibilities. Be cautious in your choices, as tile cost varies widely and can have long lead times, especially if shipped from overseas.

Picking finishes that look great and stand up to the commercial, high-volume traffic matters. “Don’t skimp on the quality of the kitchen floor. It costs you more up front but saves you money in the end,” says Rich Snyder, Owner of Snyder Building Construction. The back of the house gets heavy use with foot traffic, deliveries, dirt, and grease grime. It’s easier to spend more money up front for an easy to maintain and durable floor. Patching and repairing down the line is costly and disturbs your business. Further, patches may not always match the original quality.

Some common floor finish choices include, finished concrete, epoxy flooring, and quarry tile. Polished concrete is the least expensive, but it’s porous so can stain, will easily break a dropped dish, and is hard on the human body after standing all day. Some local health departments will not allow concrete treatments, so check with your design team if this is a floor you’re considering. Quarry tile is mid-range in terms of price and is very durable, but not as attractive. Epoxy flooring costs a bit more, but can accomplish the goals of looking great, reducing smallware breakage, and increased employee comfort despite all-day standing.

In wet areas of the restaurant (like bar and back of house), another material consideration is stainless steel. Plastic laminate or other less expensive options won’t hold up to the constant wear and tear. Stainless steel kitchen sinks and fixtures can come in a wide range of pricing and it can be tempting to go for the most expensive “Cadillac” equipment package, but it is not always necessary. You can save money by picking less expensive brands because stainless steel equipment and sinks typically utilitarian pieces of equipment. Unless you’re considering an open kitchen, you don’t need to choose the most expensive. All that said, equipment that offers better sustainability in terms of energy or water use typically cost more up front but save you in costs years down the line—and are better for the environment. If sustainability is a priority for you, it may be worth the extra money to invest in this type of equipment.

BRINGING THE OUTDOORS INDOORS
Welcome Spring! Which means it’s time for patios, roof tops, open windows, and door rollups. Read on for tips on these design options to make sure you’ve planned for everything.

  • Roof Top Patios – Structures must support the weight of a specific live load to be used for occupancy. Check with your engineers and building owner/landlord if applicable!
  • Outdoor Ground Patios – Code requires at least 5’ of clearance around the patio for pedestrian travel. You’ll need a handrail or demarcation line around the patio for exterior alcohol service (and an approved liquor license).
  • Overhead Doors – Because overhead and rollup doors breach the inside and outside and require building into the walls of the building, negotiate with the landlord as to whether this is a landlord provided item or tenant provided. Additionally, there are special code requirements regarding clearance to travel and fire suppression lines above and below the track.

SUSTAINABILITY
Did you know that when furniture for the US is made, the wood is typically harvested in North America, is usually shipped overseas for production and fabrication, and then shipped back to sell in the U.S.? The amount of fossil fuels and energy required for that intercontinental supply chain isn’t sustainable.  Housefish, a Denver-based furniture manufacturer hopes to change that by sourcing local materials and making furniture in the city.

Other ways to incorporate sustainability into your restaurant include LED lighting, sourcing local, energy-efficient equipment, and planning for dimmers/controls. Dimmers and controls are great in a restaurant setting because they allow you to change the mood and lighting based on time of day. Divided, rough-use bins are also a strong idea. LarkBurger is a front runner on this idea who feature built-in bins divided for trash, mixed recycling, and compost. The company composts 100% of its packaging when commercially available. You’ll need to plan for service pick-ups to make sure recycling compost is disposed of properly once it leaves your facility.

A/V and ELECTRICITY
While this wasn’t pointed out as a 2018 trend in our research, these are must-haves in our digital world. Convenience outlets and USB ports are integral these days. Further, consider the flexibility of your sound system and are you streaming radio/music? How’s your internet connection and Wifi? Is it public wifi? If you are streaming music, you will want to make sure your internet connection is strong.  Can you put outlets on the guest side of the bar for phone charging and sometimes laptop work? Lastly, it’s never fun if an electrical circuit gets tripped. Make sure your point of sale kiosks are each on a dedicated circuit so that if the inevitable happens, not all of them cut off altogether. Redundancy will save the day!

Other Pro-Tips:
You’ll thank us later.

  • You can’t move in furniture or train staff in the space until a passing health inspection and TCO is acquired. Not following this rule can be detrimental to your move in.
  • Denver has an ordinance that all single-stall bathrooms are to be built as gender neutral.
  • Save yourself stress and partner with an experienced food-service architect and general contractor. You will save time because there are unique rules regarding floor drains, sanitization stations, finish specifications, etc. that these partners can help with.
  • Do the planning up front and let the design play out. Design changes in the field can cost up to 3x more than making design choices at the early stages due to plan revisions, time lost, lead times, extra project management time.

Ready for more? Contact Snyder Building Construction for concept budget pricing or support on building your restaurant at info@snyderbuilding.com or 720.900.5082.

Bars, Restaurants, and Breweries, Oh my! Part II: Designing for Efficiency and Budget

Bars, Restaurants, and Breweries, Oh my! Part II: Designing for Efficiency and Budget

A Three-Part Construction Series

February 26, 2018
collaboration by: Matt Redick & Audrey Wilson

Our first segment ran through the nuts and bolts of building a restaurant and highlighted four areas of focus: the place, the people, the budget, and the schedule. As you saw, restaurants, bars, and breweries are tough work! In Part II, we’ll explore efficiencies in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design while considering budget, tricks of the trade, and avoiding pitfalls.

Before we jump in, it’s important to highlight there are dozens of types of eateries out there, and we’ve certainly built the gamut. Still, the food service business is constantly changing. We recently heard the CEO of Quizno’s share that there’s a growing trend towards a new market segment, QSR “minus” which includes spaces as small as 500SF for the simple purpose of pickup and delivery only. Clearly a venture of that size requires different considerations than a 100,000 SF market hall.

Some of the most common types of eateries are:

  • Fast Casual
  • QSR +/-
  • Casual & Family Dining
  • Local & Chef-Driven
  • Fine Dining
  • Brewery
  • Bar
  • Gastro/Brew Pub
  • Fast Food
  • Central Market Halls & Eateries
  • Food Trucks

When you’re designing the layout of the restaurant and kitchen with your design and construction team, the type of eatery you plan on building plays heavily into cost and design considerations. From there, space planning, project costs and critical budget efficiencies are ultimately determined by the complexity of the menu and existing conditions. You’ll want to answer some big questions at this early stage based on level of service, kitchen and/or dining area flow, and menu. Some of these questions might include:

  • What overall project goals are most important for you to achieve? These could include project cost/staying within a particular budget, project duration including design, permitting, construction, and startup/training, sustainability of FFE (Fixtures, Furnishings and Equipment), and efficient use of space for service/work flow?
  • How is food prepared, and what equipment will be necessary to create your menu items?
  • Is the kitchen an open concept (i.e. visible to guests)?
  • How big do you need the walk-in cooler to be? Will some food items be frozen creating the need for walk in freezer space or reach in freezers?
  • How many beer taps will you have? Will you need a remote beer cooler? How far do the beer lines have to go if the cooler is remote? Will the lines be run overhead or underground?
  • Will you offer temperature controlled wine?
  • What food needs to be prepped? Do you need a separate area for this or can you use the kitchen space during off hours? What large or powered equipment will be used for prep?
  • Do bakery elements need to be separate for humidity reasons?
  • What kind of storage will you need for dry goods, smallwares, pots/pans, etc. Do you require any special storage areas – empty keg storage, wood for wood burning stoves?
  • Where is the cook line and how large does it need to be? How will it be organized for efficiency for the typical crew size on a shift? Do you want a consultant for this?
  • How will you take deliveries for food products, beer, soda, and dry goods?
  • What is the path of travel for deliveries, employees, and FOH/BOH service?
  • Can we leave certain MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) systems where they already exist to save money? What existing conditions can you take advantage of? (i.e. leaving bathroom plumbing in the same location, etc.)
  • Is there specialty coffee service? Where will you store coffee beans and back-up dairy? Is there a separate dishwasher for coffee service?
  • Where are clean dishes stored and dried versus dirties washed? How are tables bused?
  • Where is food expedited out of the kitchen?
  • Point of Sale Computer Stations – Are they hardwired or wireless? Permanent stations or handheld? How many are required for your size of wait staff, and where will they be located?
  • What level of internet service will you need based on your point of sale selections?
  • Does your city have a gender-neutral single stall ordinance?
  • Do existing conditions require building upgrades for ADA code compliance? In many municipalities, depending on the size and cost of the upgrades you may be required to spend a certain percentage of your budget on ADA upgrades.
  • Franchise vs. Owner-Operated – If you’re building a franchise, the franchise may supply you with sample budgets and construction requirements based on historical data.

Michael Racette of WB Engineers+Consultants has designed many commercial kitchens and notes, “During the design and value engineering process sometimes the comfort of the employees is left out of the conversation. Think about working over a hot stove without conditioned air or proper air flow!” Additionally, he says “Don’t forget about designing enough room for water heaters and electrical panels.” These important service areas contain equipment that takes up valuable space, and must be considered when planning for efficient kitchen spaces.

We’d have to agree! Considering comfort for your employees and having a plan for your equipment can prevent running into design issues later on. Having these things planned out ahead of time prevents costly additions after you open your restaurant which is both expensive and a hassle. Can you imagine adding an entirely new electrical panel after the fact? This could require a larger electrical room which in turn means moving or adding walls, relocating equipment, bringing in more electrical service capacity, etc. This is a time consuming and incredibly expensive change.

When designing your restaurant’s layout, a good rule of thumb is that the kitchen’s footprint should generally only be as big as 1/3 of the front of house dining space. This rule of thumb prioritizes dining area so that you are able to have more people in seats spending money. Typically this means developing creative strategies for tight kitchens. Of course, this rule of thumb shifts or changes based on the type of eatery you are building. If you are pick-up only, you won’t need to worry about space for a dining area.

We mentioned this in the last post as well, but setting your complete equipment package early is critical. The equipment package drives the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design. In this day and age, some equipment companies have the ability to design in a program called Revit which produces 3D models of your space. Many architects do the same. Working with a team that uses Revit is a great advantage to you because you are able to see in 3D how your space will look. The design team can also use Revit to identify potential conflicts between lighting, HVAC ductwork, and sprinkler heads to prevent these problems from arising during construction.  Take it even further by using Google Glasses to take a 3D virtual reality (VR) walk through the space. VR is a great new tool that allows you to more easily think through service/kitchen operation issues before any drawings are finalized or equipment is purchased. What a time and money saver!

Considerations for Building with Budget in Mind
In the construction world, there are two main ways to get started with general contractors. The two main methods of getting your contractor on board are Hard Bid and Negotiating and there are pros and cons of each delivery system.

Hard Bid

The Owner engages an architect and design team, but does not engage a contractor during this pre-construction phase.  Once the construction documents are ready, the project is bid out to multiple general contractors to create a competitive bidding situation.  Each contractor submits a bid based on what has been designed by the design team.

  • Pros: Because competitive bids are being submitted, the Owner can compare numbers from multiple companies and select the lowest qualified bid.
  • Cons: No support from a general contractor during the pre-construction phase. The lowest bidder isn’t always the highest quality builder. No opportunity to value engineer the project before it starts.

Negotiating

A general contractor is secured prior to or early in the design process who can then support you and the design team through pre-construction. The general contractor contributes a construction perspective as design decisions are made to ensure that choices are in line with the overall construction budget.  The general contractor assists with permitting and planning the schedule for the project prior to the start of construction.

  • Pros: Our pre-construction services include surveying/due-diligence of the building, verifying budgets along the way at 50%, 90%, and 100% complete design. We help you navigate design and provide strategic options for maintaining the intent of the design while getting the most bang for your buck (VE or Value Engineering). We can test your design and budget to make sure your construction project is viable in the location/market to begin with and work your broker on negotiating tenant improvement money from the building owner/landlord. When negotiating, we still send the project out to bid with multiple subcontractors for each scope of work for the best competitive pricing.
  • Cons: Additional pre-construction service costs with the general contractor.

If your project is a franchise, both hard bid and negotiating options may be available for you. At the very least, you want a local general contractor to verify your budget to make sure the construction budget is viable in your particular location and market.

A Few Words About Used vs. New vs. Leased Equipment. When getting ready to purchase equipment, think about life cycle of the piece. There are pros and cons to each of these options. Often more sustainable choices such as LED lighting may cost more upfront, but may be a long-term investment that pays off. Used equipment, while less expensive up front and easy to obtain, costs more to deliver, maintain, and install than something new. It may require repairs or retrofits to make it work in your particular situation.  It usually takes more of your time when you purchase used equipment to navigate and organize installation of the various parts and pieces. New equipment has the advantage of being new, better up-to-date technology, a product warranty, easier installation, and included delivery. New equipment can, however, cost a lot more and may have a longer lead time which may be prohibitive to the project schedule. Leased equipment can be a helpful strategy for specific pieces of equipment due to regular up keep and maintenance. For example, commercial kitchen dishwashers require soap refills and periodic upkeep. Leasing the dishwasher then alleviates your need to keep up with it.  The leasing company will take care of refills and maintenance for you. The downside is that by renting the equipment, you’re not benefitting from the capital investment and you will find not all the equipment you need is available to lease.

In the end, due diligence, operational clarity, and planning will create the opportunities for time and cost savings. Thinking critically and asking big questions related to operations and maintenance will serve you well in designing MEP systems that work well and fall in line with your budget.

Bonus! Bonus! Food trucks! Believe it or not, simple food trucks still require MEP and health code inspections just like a restaurant. While this process certainly doesn’t take quite as long, keep in mind equipment and systems and layout matter! As a minimum, you’ll need an approved hand sink, grey water system, and sturdy electrical.

Want more information on building a QSR, Fast Casual, Fine Dining or other type of restaurant? Email info@snyderbuilding.com or call us at 720.900.5082.

Bars, Restaurants, and Breweries, Oh my! Part I: The Nuts & Bolts

Bars, Restaurants, and Breweries, Oh my!
Part I: The Nuts and Bolts of Building a Restaurant | A Guide for New Owners

A Three-Part Construction Series

January 30, 2018
collaboration by: Audrey Wilson & Matt Redick

Construction consideration begins before you even ever sign a lease. You want people who not only know how to build restaurants but who knows what matters to you and can support your goals. Building a restaurant is a huge undertaking! Our team has over 25 years of restaurant, bar, and brewery experience and we know how stressful and hard it can be. We pride ourselves in being a general contractor that can support you from start to finish from operations tips, to kitchen layout, vendor management, preconstruction, and launch. We are there for you during the whole journey.

If you’re just getting started, this series may be just the ticket! In Part 1: The Nuts and Bolts of Building a Restaurant we dive into a holistic overview considering the big four: The People, The Places, The Budget, and The Schedule. Keep in mind, we’re based in Denver, Colorado so pricing and timeline could vary based on your location and timing—construction pricing changes rapidly every year.

Buckle up and read on!

The People | Get a good team on board early.

“Hire people because you think they’ll give you the best advice and then trust what they say.” – Matt Redick, Senior Project Manager – Snyder Building Construction

Building a restaurant requires a complete understanding of back of house and front of house operations from the very beginning. While the whole process is incredibly cyclical and evolving, having a good grasp on the big picture as well as minute details (like what’s on the menu!) can have a huge impact on the entire project. That’s a lot to ask at the beginning! Thus, choose an architect construction team (and any consultants) who are well versed in restaurants and get them on board early! Choose one who has time in their company’s work load to really serve you well. Consider there are a plethora of health department and unique building code requirements when building a restaurant, you want partners who will get this right for you. The key? The earlier you get your people together in the same room the better.

“Have you hired your head chef already or are you the chef/owner? Get this key player involved in the design process as soon as you can.”  – Rich Snyder, Owner, Snyder Building Construction

If you’re hiring engineers and/or consultants, we recommend you choose ones with lots of restaurant experience. Deciding whether or not to use a kitchen design consultant is an important factor in the design process. The menu drives equipment and the equipment drives MEP drawings. We often see three common pitfalls with restaurant clients: (1) Not allocating enough budget; (2) Not reviewing the restaurant’s equipment requirements and planning for the right pieces of equipment, thus ending up with incorrect or extra items; (3) Not involving the kitchen designers early enough. Kitchen design companies are experts in equipment and kitchen flow efficiency and they provide very specific equipment power/rough-in requirements—crucial information for the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings. This information is necessary and critical at the beginning to ensure accurate construction drawings are produced for the construction team.

So I know you’re thinking so far, this sounds fairly simple. However, owners/restaurateurs are responsible for managing a whole slew of additional vendors, from equipment suppliers to security, to audio/visual, point of sale systems, beverage services, beer tap systems, specialized lighting, small wares, menu design, signage (exterior and wayfinding) and furniture. It’s a lot to manage especially when you’re still navigating and planning funding, business plans, operations, weekly construction meetings and staff hiring. Let us help you lighten this workload—as restaurant specialists we’ve managed this for dozens of owners and seek to make the experience for you seamless.

Get folks on board early. We cannot reiterate this enough. With your architect and general contractor and consultants on at the very beginning of the design phase, we have the ability to support you more holistically through the preconstruction process, which includes discovery, site survey, scheduling and budgeting. For helpful tips on choosing your team, check out our other blog post “Building Your Construction Team.” Having expert eyes on existing conditions can save much needed headache and money down the line. Which leads us to the next section: The Place.

Side Note: It’s totally up to you as the owner whether you want that team to work in tandem (Design-Build) during design of the restaurant, or have construction documents prepared by the architect before handing them off for bidding, budgeting, and building with the general contractor (Design-Bid-Build). The word “design” can also somewhat be a misnomer—it really refers to the process of an architect creating the drawings of the restaurant. How will it flow? Where is the front door? Where is the kitchen, dining room, flow of egress? Interior design happens concurrently but is a smaller piece of the “design” process. Your architectural drawings are created in multiple stages rather than all at once such that changes/refinements happen more seamlessly. Once you have Construction Documents (the last stage) or “CDs” then in general you are ready for permitting and construction!

The Place | Conduct a site survey to identify existing conditions.

“Good buildings come from good people, and all problems are solved by good design.” -Stephen Gardiner

Whether you’re preferred restaurant location is a brand new building or an existing space needing renovation, conducting a site survey and understanding existing conditions is critical. At the beginning stages of discovery, it is worthwhile for you and your architect to hire mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers to survey your site.  This will save you money and time during the construction phase. You need to know what your infrastructure is like prior to committing on a space. You’ll likely incur some fees during this phase, but the information gained at this early stage is very important to answer questions about whether or not the space is right for your planned use.

Here’s a handy list of items to consider and check for during your site survey. Not checking for these could add anywhere from $15-$100K right off the bat.

  • Water line tie-in needs to be 1 ½” minimum. ($50K price tag to alter)
  • Electrical capacity to the building needs to be at least 225 Amp service. Most restaurants really require 400 Amp service. (Upgrading service could cost upwards of $15-20K)
  • Is there an existing grease trap to tie into? Are there accurate drawings that show the elevation of the grease trap? (New systems or upgrades may add up to $25K)
  • Most restaurants require a 4” minimum waste line. If not, we’d recommend considering another building or space altogether.
  • Ceiling height & structure (what does roof deck look like if wanting an open ceiling look)
  • Does the building have Landmark Protected status? If so, this adds an extra layer of review and thus, added time before permitting can even begin.
  • If a multi-story building, where are the grease duct and refrigeration lines running?
  • Is there good access for future deliveries to the back of the house?
  • Where will the truck park to pump out and service the grease trap?
  • Will you have a CO2 supplier or a need for CO2 tanks? If so, how accessible is your soda rack for these deliveries?
  • Is there existing storage or space to build in storage?

If your restaurant will be part of a new building, some additional things to consider:

  • Height limitations/code for your roof deck/outdoor patio. This is based on your jurisdiction and considered during the permitting process.
  • Understand what the landlord is providing in their work letter. A lawyer should help review.
  • What kind of HVAC system will work the best for the space? Is there enough flat roof area and structural capacity on the roof for RTU’s (Roof Top Units) or is a Split System going to be used requiring a location outside on the ground for condensers to be placed?

The Budget | Plan for design, consulting, permits, fees, construction, and 10% contingency.

“Cost, schedule, and quality—all three are in play but you can only pick two.” – Age-Old Saying.

A good starting point for restaurant construction costs in Denver is $130-$225/SF for a 2,500-5,000 sf space. However, this can vary a lot depending on the design choices that you make.  Size, for example has an inverse relationship with cost per square foot—the bigger the space, the less cost per square foot. This is JUST construction cost. This pricing does not include architect fees, design, equipment, extensive infrastructure improvements, fine or fancy finishes, training costs, weather/unforeseen conditions or schedule impacts. When you plan your budget, consider all of these costs. In addition, we advise planning a 10% contingency line in your budget—there’s a myriad of moving parts in a restaurant build and it’s just better to be on the safe end.

From an interior design/impact stand point restrooms and interior finishes seems like a great place to spend money. And they are! However, big ticket items during construction are often kitchen equipment, wet areas like the bar, lighting in the space, and mechanical, electrical, or plumbing infrastructure upgrades.

Plan to spend money on all of the following:

  • Construction costs
  • Architectural design services
  • Restaurant consulting
  • Permitting
  • Equipment deposits
  • Long-lead/exotic material deposits
  • Fees for due diligence/feedback from engineers
  • Signage – own permitting process (start early) design fees, etc.
  • Owner items: security, audio/visual, POS, Coke/Pepsi, beer systems, signage, furniture, specialty lighting

Construction costs are usually billed monthly based on percentage of work completed during that month. Thus, you’ll spend the majority of your budget in the beginning and middle of the project as things are gearing up, and then payments begin to taper off as far as design and construction costs are concerned. See the graph below to get a better idea:

Lastly, spending time and money refining design up front before construction starts saves time and money at the end! Changing design elements in the field after construction has begun can easily triple costs for the changes in no time.

 The Schedule | Varies greatly!

“The most powerful force ever known on this planet is human cooperation—a force for construction and destruction.” – Jonathan Haidt

 We’ll dive deeper into scheduling in a separate blog post. For now, we’ll touch on it briefly. For projects roughly 2,500-5,000 SF in size you’re looking at about 12-14 weeks of construction time. You’ll want to add surveying, planning, design, permitting, etc… to get a true sense of your timeline. This could add anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks on the front end. Additionally, the exterior signage process has its own permitting and timeline process outside of the construction timeline through local zoning departments.

The 12-14 week construction portion will run somewhat like this ….. 1-2 weeks for underground plumbing and electrical work (Another reason having solid MEP drawings and information at the beginning is critical! We can’t start without this.); 3 weeks framing/rough-ins; 3 weeks equipment installation/overhead; 4-6 weeks for paint, tile, lighting, and finishes throughout.

Note, permitting jurisdictions will not allow you to move in furniture or train staff in the space until a health inspection, and final building inspections are completed.  If the space is a change of use, or a new space, a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) will also need to be obtained after final inspections. Unfortunately, this is an absolute so you’ll want to plan building your team and training staff for operations accordingly.

Check back soon for Part II for more budgeting, pricing, strong mechanical, electrical, plumbing drawings, and designing for efficient service!

Ready to learn more and get to work with us?? Email info@snyderbuilding.com or call us at 720.900.5082.

 

Building Your Construction Team

Building Your Construction Team

Tips and Questions for Your Potential Architect & General Contractor

January 24, 2018
collaboration by: Matt Redick & Audrey Wilson

Construction projects can be complex! Whether you’ve managed dozens of projects or are just getting started, these questions and tips can help make sure you’re bringing the best team on board for the job.

Questions for Your Potential Architect:

  • What is their work load like? How many other projects are they attending to and of what size?
  • What is the size and experience level of their staff for the type of project (new build, tenant improvement, restaurant, medical, or laboratory, etc.)
  • Who do you recommend for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering? What are their reputations?
  • What do your Construction Administration (CA) services entail?
    (i.e. How will they support you once construction begins and what services are included? ex. Review of submittals, attendance at weekly meetings, punch list process?)

Questions for your General Contractor:

  • If you are hired, how many projects will my superintendent and PM be managing concurrently other than mine? What are their experience levels related to this type of project?
  • Describe your preconstruction services. How can you support me prior to construction
  • When do you generally prefer to be involved in the project?
  • How do you handle changes and/or unforeseen conditions when they come up?

 Owner Tips/Responsibilities:

  • Hire your team early on in the process!
  • Stay on top of phone calls and emails during construction as some items may need immediate attention.
  • Ask for updated schedules and budgets weekly from your general contractor/GC.
  • Ask your team questions about what is depicted on the Construction Documents (CD’s).
  • Know what items are included with the design and construction contracts and what items for which you will be responsible.
  • Get all agreements in writing.

For more information, contact info@snyderbuilding.com or 720.900.5082.