How to Plan a Commercial Renovation Without Disrupting Business

If you're a business owner, one of the problems you may encounter when renovating your commercial property is the reduction of productivity while remodeling takes place. Fortunately, some strategies can help you minimize downtime.

If you're doing a commercial renovation this year, communicate with your commercial contractor about your business operations. Depending on the work to be done, your commercial contractor may suggest strategies like phased remodeling, off-hours construction, or renting a temporary location to help keep your business operational during this time. 

Strategies to Minimize Downtime During Commercial Renovations

1. Phased Remodeling 

During a phased remodel, your contractor will break your renovation into phases. Each phase is completed in a different area of the building.

With each new phase, your staff will move from the area being remodeled into an unaffected area. Phased remodeling allows your business to juggle its operations and stay operational even while a remodel is underway. 

Pros:

• Phased remodeling allows your business to maintain normal or semi-normal operations while a commercial renovation is underway.

Cons:

• Phased remodeling draws out the renovation process, making it take longer than it needs to. 
• During the construction process, your employees may hear noises from parts of the building where construction is happening. 

2. Off-Hours Construction 

If your business is only operational during a small window of time each day, off-hours construction may allow renovations to happen while your business remains operational. 

Pros:

• Renovating during off-hours allows construction crews to do the work without disturbing staff.

Cons: 

• Off-hours construction can increase your construction costs. Construction crews that work evenings, weekends, and holidays get paid more for the service.
• Containing your construction remodeling to off-hours can draw out the length of time required to complete the construction.

3. Complete Work In the Off-Season

Seasonal businesses can renovate their commercial spaces during the off-season. Schools are an example of organizations that frequently do renovations during the "off-season" (summer).

Pros:

• Completing work in the off-season allows your business to do its normal work without interruption.

Cons:

• Doing renovations during the off-season requires a lot of careful, advanced planning. 
• Contractors may need to work longer hours than normal to fit the entire renovation into the small window of time provided, resulting in higher costs for the customer. 

4. Work From Another Location

For some businesses, the easiest way to avoid a business interruption during a renovation is to temporarily relocate.

Pros:

• Temporarily moving to another site allows the contractor and crew to do their work freely while business continues from another location.

Cons:

• Setting up a business in a temporary location requires extra money for rent. Moving into and out of a temporary rental location costs extra money as well. 
• This step requires good communication with clients or customers, to ensure they can find the new business and do not think it has closed down. 

Tips to Ensure A Smooth Construction Project

No matter what method you choose to renovate your business, following these best practices can help ensure a smooth construction project.

Prepare Your Staff

Prepare your staff for your upcoming renovation. Communicate timelines and expectations throughout the project. Allow staff to ask questions and raise concerns. Understand that renovations create noise and mess that can impact worker productivity. Offer staff solutions to help them function productively. 

Stick to the Plan

Once you've created a design and a plan for your renovation, avoid changing it. Changes to project scope can lead to delays and extra costs, creating hardship for your business. 

Know Your Goals

Make a list of goals for your upcoming renovation. Get input from stakeholders as you create the list to ensure it's comprehensive. Provide the list of goals to your architect and contractor to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Hire the Right Connecticut Contractor

Hiring the right contractor can help you have a positive experience during your commercial renovation. Look for a contractor with experience working with businesses on similar projects.

During the vetting process, ask the contractor what they did to work with their client to help ensure continuity of operations throughout the project. The contractor you hire should be able to discuss specific strategies for working around your business operations. Some other tips for hiring a contractor include:

• Check the license: Contractors in Connecticut need a contractor's license to do work. You can look up the contractor's license through the Connecticut license lookup portal, eLicense.
• Check references: Check references for any contractor you're thinking about hiring. Ideally, the references you check will be in a similar industry and have hired the contractor to do similar work on their property. 
• Vet multiple contractors: Meet with multiple contractors before choosing the contractor for you. If you're unsure which contractors to consider, ask your architect for a referral. 

Make a Budget

Know how much you can afford to spend. To make your budget, meet with architects and contractors before beginning the project. Meeting with contractors can help you determine how much you can expect to spend on the work you're hoping to do. Once you have a rough estimate, you can set aside funds or seek financing for your project.

If your business is planning to operate around a different schedule or planning to rent temporary space during your renovation, consider this as you create your budget. 

Have Questions? Call Today

Find a contractor that can work with your business as it continues to function during your remodel. Download our free guide to hiring a Connecticut contractor, or contact us to discuss your upcoming construction work.