Saturday, July 27, 2013

Reducing Your Restaurant Construction Costs

By Maryanne Goff


Whereas building and running a restaurant can be daunting and exciting, it can also cost a great deal of money. Restaurant construction costs can really eat into your bankroll, so most people want to do what they can to cut these down. With a little commonsense you should be able to keep more money in your pocket, and keep some of it out of the hands of the construction workers.

One decision that needs to be made is if you are going to do the building yourself. If so, you'll obviously save a lot of money, but this is probably only viable if you're actually experienced in the profession. Whatever you decide you need to make sure that cutting costs does not damage the good name of your brand. The establishment represents your brand and as such tells people about what you stand for.

By using fake materials you can make your establishment look more expensive than it actually is. For example, instead of using antique pine for the decor, you could use a cheaper wood that can be finished off to look like antique pine. The same can be said for flooring. Using a cheaper vinyl flooring, one that looks like hard wood flooring, will save a lot of money and customers may not know the difference.

Be careful about who you choose to do the building work. Costs can spiral if a contractor goes over the budget for the building work. This is where it probably pays to hunt around and get opinions from people you know. Find out which builders are reliable and can keep within a budget and which ones have experience in the commercial sector.

A way of saving a lot of money is to buy all furnishings from manufacturers. By purchasing in bulk you should get a discount and benefit from the cheaper prices they usually give to those that buy direct. Of course, if the manufacturer doesn't allow this then go to a wholesaler and ask for a discount.

Try not to use middle men when buying merchandise. They will eat into your profit margins and the services they provide might not justify their use. If you've little choice but to use one, then establish exactly how much everything will cost before you cut a deal.

Something that needs to be looked at very carefully is the way space will be used in the building. If there are too many empty spaces then you might be better off building a smaller premises. If there isn't enough space, or the establishment has too many tight spaces, then you may wish to expand it. This is important because your brand will be affected either way. Obviously, space issues are dependent on the type of restaurant you wish to run. A fast food place probably won't need as much space as a fine dining establishment.

Restaurant construction costs are all part of the costs of building a business. Although cutting costs is important, it's better not to do it at the expense of your brand. Plus, you should bear in mind your return on investment. Perhaps spending more money will help you recuperate more in profit or perhaps the opposite is true. Overall, the money you spend on your business is most likely to depend on the type of clientele.




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