Sometimes while building a new restaurant, we tend to get ahead of ourselves and make mistakes without thinking about details. Below are a few I made in the past or almost made:
- Ordering outdoor tables with no umbrella holes in sunny areas.
- Tile that was not rough enough to prevent slips and falls.
- Buying equipment to fit under counters that was higher than the counters.
- Ordering doors that were 1/2 inch bigger than the opening.
- Mixing paints, stains and finishes that are not compatible. Causes immediate peeling.
- Forgetting there are two different “standard” counter heights. Order high chairs that are the wrong heights.
The point here for the entrepreneurs starting their new restaurant is to pay attention to details, small print and exact dimensions. Small mistakes can cost a lot of dollars to correct. For instance, the mixing of finishes may cost many hours refinishing surfaces. The half inch on kitchen doors could require rebuiding the framework to install the doors. Decorative restaurant tile may look nice, but one slippery floor could cost thousands in hospital bills.
After spending the last few days trying to figure out the county’s interpretation of the referenced building codes in their 44 changes they wanted on the building plans, we narrowed the problems down to three. The rest we made changes, corrections and additions we think will satisfy an over zealous plan reviewer.
Two of the three problem areas deal with plumbing issues. We need clarification on those. The third is a matter of interpretation dealing with the double swing kitchen doors we had drawn in as 48″. The county says we need 30 inches on each side for a total opening of 60 inches. The code does not appear to say that.
The architect met with the plan reviewer. We must meet again with the plumbing contractor to solve the plumbing issue and accept the reviewer’s interpretation of the door issue to prevent further delays. The plans need re-submitted in a day or two to get final approval.
In the interim we are finding ways to cut time when we get into full construction. The electrician continues to do a few things that deal with existing wiring and we have decided to tile the floors now to avoid delays.
Existing walls are being sanded and smoothed for coating, we found all shelving for the walk-in cooler/freezer, found potential outdoor furniture for seating at a much lower rate and have begun accumulating smallwares when seen in restaurant supply ware houses at reduced prices.
The other restaurants are not being ignored. Sales are holding up well under the economic citcumstances and restaurant food prices seemed to have leveled off. In fact, some items like dairy and egg products have come back down from their highs in July. Keeping watch on pricing impacts the new restaurant from the perspective of pricing and final determination of menu items.
