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CrossPurpose Grand Opening Brings Together Community

CrossPurpose Grand Opening Brings Together Community

Local Artists Featured throughout Heart-of-Denver Facility

March 11, 2019
written by: Audrey Wilson

This past Sunday, CrossPurpose officially opened its doors alongside Providence Bible Church. While classes for the non-profit have been going on for a couple weeks, the grand opening marked the official opening for the community. We joined in on the festivities to celebrate! Take a peek at the photos to see how the space turned out.

CrossPurpose Together Cafe. Local artist. Photo courtesy of Snyder Building Construction

The grand opening culminated years of growth and expansion for CrossPurpose and serves as an important milestone for the organization’s unique and important work of abolishing relational, economic, and spiritual poverty through career and community development in Denver.

Aligned with its mission, CrossPurpose wanted to open a headquarters that was designed in community. The 56 walls display their values through quotations, verses, and custom community art. Chief Executive Officer Jason Janz and his team were intentional at all phases of the design process to feature diverse voices, input and leadership for the overall design aesthetic, layout and artwork. As a place-based organization, all of the art is from Denver-based artists. The new facility displays the art of inmates, historic residents, and children.

CrossPurpose Entry Mural. Art by Denver muralist Leti Tanguma. Photo courtesy of Snyder Building Construction

“We are thrilled to provide a place for the voices of our neighborhood artists to be seen and heard,” said Jason Janz, chief executive officer of CrossPurpose.

On the construction side, this 16,000 square-foot, tenant improvement project included new glass-enclosed offices featuring all DIRTT systems, spacious classrooms, a community café, and airy sanctuary. Both café and sanctuary show off beautiful wood cloud ceiling elements.

Matt Redick was the senior project manager on the job and Johnny Jones took the reins as superintendent. Together they truly delivered a wonderful space in collaboration with our friends at CrossPurpose. In Matt’s words, “It was an absolute pleasure working alongside the CrossPurpose team on this project. There’s a great deal of satisfaction for us bringing new life to a building that will allow this wonderful organization to serve the community.”

Entrance to Providence Bible Church. Photo courtesy of Snyder Building Construction

The interior remodel was developed by Principal Architect Michelle Miller, AIA, Interior Designer Annie Pratt, and 3D Graphics and Production Lead Ron Sieh of Jigsaw Design (www.jigsawdesignllc.com). Michelle recognized early on “the team at Cross Purpose had a clear vision for a space that was inviting and spoke to the culture and heritage of the people in the NE Denver community, whose lives are being benefited by the services that the non-profit provides. We worked closely with them to make this vision a reality through the use of color, pattern, texture and art.”

CrossPurpose art wall. Various local artists. Photo courtesy of Snyder Building Construction

We love working with businesses and nonprofits alike who are dedicated to building up our Denver community. We’re looking forward to what great things are in store for CrossPurpose.

Got something in the works? We’d love to know how we can help!  Email us at info@snyderbuilding.com.

Spinal Hygiene: Yes, it’s a thing—and yes, it matters!

Spinal Hygiene: Yes, it’s a thing—and yes, it matters!

preface by Snyder Building Construction: Let’s face it–construction is tough on our bodies. Keeping our employees and subs safe and healthy is a priority! So we invited Dr. Norris Golberg as a guest collaborator to share some tips for keeping our spines in tip-top shape. No matter if you’re a you’re in the office or out in the field, these simple exercises can go a long way to caring for your spine and preventing issues later on. Enjoy!

guest blog by: Dr. Norris Golberg, owner of Koru Chiropractic
January 9, 2019

When I think back on 2018, I’ve realized what a year it has been. Moving my family and life across the country, the birth of my beautiful baby girl, and working to open our state-of-the-art chiropractic office were big stressors. I also realized from a chiropractic perspective, we were putting a lot of stress on our bodies—particularly the spine.

Think about it: we were packing and hauling boxes, sitting in cars and planes for long periods of time, carrying our newborn (and all of her belongings!) from place to place. And to top it all off, the hours of manual labor to get the office open. Just think of all the standing, walking, sitting, climbing and balancing, bending, crouching, crawling, lifting we’ve been doing! And despite my best efforts, I had forgotten to take care of my own spine.

Whether or not you sit or swing hammers all day, you should be doing basic exercises or movements to keep your spine healthy. This is called Spinal Hygiene. And just like the concept of dental hygiene, where you brush and floss twice a day, you should do these movements at least twice a day. Your spine will thank you.

Contrary to popular belief spinal pain is NOT normal; it is just pandemic because as a society we do not take very good care of it in the workplace. If you are experiencing spinal pain, or neurological symptoms such as radiating pain, numbness and tingling into the limbs, headaches, migraines, or other health concerns you may have misalignments in the spine. This can occur from trauma like accidents, sports injuries, but also from what is known as “micro-trauma”—the cumulative effects of repetitive stresses like bending, twisting, or sitting all day. Just like you get your teeth cleaned and checked for cavities twice a year, you should be getting your spine check for misalignments, and corrected if found.

Believe it or not, sitting is stressful for your body, and if you’re thinking, “oh, I don’t do all that manual labor stuff, I just sit all day so I’m not at a high risk” you’d be wrong. Sitting is often times worse for your spine than manual labor. As you can see in the diagram below, sitting upright (140kg) has almost the same stress on your discs as a standing bend forward (150 kg).  (1)  

The difference with manual labor is you are actively working so your core muscles help brace your spine. While the overall loads with manual labor can be higher, the body is resisting and countering the stresses. When you are sitting, it is hard to keep your core active, which allows the spine to deform, putting more strain on the discs, bones, ligaments and tendons. This adds up big time. Along with decreased blood flow, this can be detrimental to your health. In fact, sitting for long periods (like watching lots of television or sitting at a desk all day) has been correlated with shorter life expectancy, REGARDLESS of exercise!(2) What’s the solution?…stop sitting! Get a standing desk, or if you have to sit, get up and move every 30 minutes. Even just a few minutes of activity like walking to the bathroom or going to get a glass of water can really help counter spinal stresses.

Getting started with spinal hygiene is simple. Click the link below to get free access to my YouTube channel and the Spinal Hygiene videos I post. Use these movements and incorporate them into your routine twice a day. Taking charge of your spinal health will help counteract the micro-traumas and health deterioration that occurs over time.

Links:
Spinal Hygiene Introduction: https://youtu.be/wRcf2CU62sw

Spinal Hygiene Activation Exercises: https://youtu.be/fqZ6t017rAE

Spinal Hygiene Sitting Exercises: https://youtu.be/7zhhJBvdT_o

Spinal Hygiene and the Stability Disc: https://youtu.be/XOKeUn75Kzg

Disclaimer: If you are experiencing pain, dizziness, or blurred vision you should stop immediately and consult with a professional.

In my practice, we are constantly having these conversations with our practice members. While my specialty is neurologically based care, I know corrective exercises and movements are essential to a healthy spine and nervous system. At Koru Chiropractic we use technology to do a three-part neurological evaluation to assess how your nervous system is functioning. We analyze if you have spinal misalignments, how severe they are, and what effect they are having on your conditions and overall health and wellbeing. Our practice members love learning about the effect stress has had on their bodies over the years, and seeing how gentle and specific adjustments are making them feel and function better. Members find it very gratifying to see their improvement in numbers, graphics, and structural x-rays during their re-evaluations. It certainly eases the guilt of knowing sometimes we can’t avoid those harmful activities and stresses on our spine, but together we are being proactive.

About Koru Chiropractic:
Koru Chiropractic (www.koruchiropractic.com) serves the Louisville and surrounding communities using neurologically based corrective care. Taking a specific and gentle approach to working with the spine, often times focusing exclusively on the upper cervical area, which can help with much more than just neck pain or low back pain. Results and improvements in health are achieved by correcting spinal misalignments, also known as vertebral subluxations, thereby restoring the optimal function of the nervous system. Koru: A Māori (Indigenous New Zealander) word for an unfurling fern symbolizing new life, growth, strength and peace.

References:

1) Body Positions Affecting The Spine
Nabil Ebraheim – https://www.huffpost.com/entry/body-positions-affecting_b_12008446

2) Katzmarzyk, P. T., & Lee, I. M. (2012). Sedentary behaviour and life expectancy in the   USA: a cause-deleted life table analysis. BMJ open2(4), e000828. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-000828

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 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.