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Although NOBODY can protect you from yourself, we trust that the detailed project planning information on this site might help you learn to protect yourself from uniformed planning decisions. No one ever plans to fail, they simply fail to plan. Planning a do it yourself commercial renovation is frequently the first step to creating a financial disaster. By following a commercial renovation checklist, you can see the process for renovation of a commercial building and the important space planning steps involved in every commercial renovation project.

Space planning for offices is obviously different than space planning for a restaurant and retail space planning is completely unique. However the space planning process is similar for all commercial renovation projects. Simply asking,How much do plans cost? is not a very good question, until after you read a few more pages.

How to plan a renovation?

Renovation Planning Process as a detailed space planning guide

Press the following items to read a detailed explanation:

WHY PLAN A SITE INSPECTION

When you know what you actually have to work with, you can determine what might need to be repaired or upgraded, before you even lease a space. Having a good lease negotiator on your side, might help you convince the Landlord to pay for the upgrading expense. After you sign a lease agreement, get a building permit and start construction, surprises are never a good thing!

After determining what your business objectives are and discussing possible design options to accomplish them, we inspect all the areas of your building that may be affected during the renovation. We point out the potential problem areas that could be expensive to alter, or upgrade to meet codes and suggest ways to avoid renovation problems. We always recommend this inspection be done, LONG BEFORE you sign a commercial lease and discover that your proposed occupancy use is not legally permitted!

Space Planning requires CONCEPT DRAWINGS

We listen to YOUR design goals. We help you to put your ideas on paper. When you can see how your design and space planning actually work together, you can determine how to get the most out of both. Taking the time to discover what's legally possible, is the first step to making practical, cost-effective, design decisions. Since we have been designing commercial renovations for many years, we can help you make your ideas work. You might be surprised how much money and stress you can save by deciding exactly what you want, before you need to change your mind during the construction phase. We will ensure that you clearly and comfortably understand your options and details, before you try to get contractor quotes. There are also huge savings in not having to make changes to a full set of permit drawings! During the concept planning phase, you can find out if the elements you want, are feasible or work within a budget. Taking your design concept ideas to permit submission drawings is much easier if you have already made most of the priority decisions.

Determining the BC building code legal requirements?

The preliminary concept layout design that we draw for you, includes all the legal components and building code minimum clearances required by the City to approve a building permit. Any revisions that are required to make your business function, will still need to conform to minimum building bylaws requirements. By following this procedure, we can help you understand the process to efficiently plan a great layout, without wasting time and expense revising your drawings to bring them up to codes and bylaws standards each time you make a change. Accessibility requirements include accessible washroom sizes for wheelchair patrons, as well as provisions for vision and hearing impaired persons. The business occupancy use determines the minimum fire separation requirements, as well as numerous other considerations. Confirming that the design conforms to all bylaws, requires the expertise of a Code consultant and we use the services of several in Greater Vancouver. When we submit a permit application package, we know it will be approved.

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DRAWING RENOVATION PLANS (Building Permit Submission Plans )

When you know that your design concept is feasible, functional and cost effective, we produce the final Architectural plans that you will need for the engineers, contractor(s) and the building permit application. Since the working drawings need to accurately represent your project, we include the details that are important to all the various professionals involved. Where we also draw subtrade plans, they have no difficulty understanding what the finished project should look like! Getting accurate contractor and supplier quotes, is not possible without detailed project drawings and specifications.

Since the project drawings should always form part of the contractor's agreement (Contract) that you sign with your Contractor(s), they must be detailed and comprehensive. This is often where misunderstandings with a commercial renovation contractor and sub-trade contractors originate. Accurately produced drawings help avoid contractor problems, long before they erupt (and cost you even more time and money). Drawing plans for a commercial renovation is never as simple as your do it yourself floor plans. We already know how to draw building permit plans and get it right the first time.

SUB-TRADE SPECIFICATIONS

When you explain to the trades people (in writing) EXACTLY what material, grade, fastening method, finish, etc. to use, there is no confusion about what you expect from the finished project. The drawings and specifications must form part of the Agreement (Contract) that you both sign, if you expect to actually get everything you're paying for. You said, I asked for and He promised may give you some comfort when you complain to your friends or the BBB, but they simply don't stand up in court. Most renovation contractors ask you to sign their Standard Contract. Please understand, it was written to protect them, ensure that they get paid, and be as vague as possible about their legal responsibilities. The drawings (Plans) and specifications together, prove to everyone EXACTLY what you BOTH agreed to. If they don't produce the finished project quality you agreed to, you don't pay until they do! (We'll testify in court on your behalf, if they're foolish enough to try and sue you.)

BUDGET PLANNING

What a renovation project costs is not determined by simply coming up with an arbitrary figure and sticking to it. Until you plan, design and produce the detailed drawings and specifications, any budget figure you come up with will be wrong! When a prospective client informs us that they have (an unrealistic) fixed amount of dollars to work with, before they even begin the design process, we must decline to participate in their project. We don't guess at what a project costs, until we gather all the facts and produce a realistic budget. The City may surprise you with engineering or building upgrades that nobody suspected, or you may choose sub-contractors that are not competent. Unless you are prepared for unexpected costs, your project could come to a screeching halt, while you try to find more money. Some prospective clients ask if the contractors will wait a few months for payment? It doesn't happen. Contractors only have a limited time period to place a builders lien on your project and they expect to be paid as agreed. We usually ask our clients to sign a financial responsibility declaration, prior to accepting project quotes and service contracts. Costs often go down, when professional contractors are confident that they will be paid on time.

CRITICAL PATH - Scheduling Procedure

Contractors usually work on several projects at the same time and often need to juggle their schedules. When you spell out the timing and order of progress expected, they won't put you on hold while they work for someone else. When we set up the project, knowing how long it should take to complete a phase, we stage each component to smoothly complete the entire renovation project on a schedule. The progress payments are also tied to efficiently completing the work with non-performance penalties written in the contract. The delay costs to a project can make it necessary to re-schedule other sub-trades, so we ensure they keep the additional costs accurate. If they don't stick to the schedule, they don't make as much money. Finally, unnecessary delays will cost them, not just you!

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ABOUT PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTORS

Good renovation contractors truly appreciate being treated like professionals. When you accurately present your project to them, they can put all their efforts into completing the work, not simply guessing what you really want! Incompetent contractors simply can't deal with all the professional aspects of a properly documented project.......and run! Making the most of your renovation investment is our fundamental service. Only YOU can decide which services you actually need, to get the result you want and... (to stay in complete control of your project).

FINDING A COMMERCIAL RENOVATION CONTRACTOR

This is certainly not the first step in planning tenant improvements projects, but it's all too common! Finding the best tradespeople for a specific project, takes a lot more experience and knowledge than you might expect. Finding the right size of firm, with the specialized skills to do the work efficiently and professionally, is critical to controlling the costs, quality and completion schedules. We only refer subcontractors that are experienced in doing commercial renovations and fit the specific type of project that our client is planning. This is never a one size fits all decision. Every contractor we recommend to a client, has already proven that they can perform cooperatively at the right price. We simply do not provide contractor referrals, to anyone but our clients.

CONTRACTOR NEGOTIATION

When we design and plan every aspect of a commercial renovation, we can negotiate with each sub-trade contractor directly to find the most efficient and most cost effective ways to complete their part of the project.

BUILDING PERMIT PLANNING

City Building Departments in the lower mainland have an established procedure for obtaining a renovation building permit. They will give you the information regarding procedure, documents required and permit fees. Some of the building permit department links are available on our City building bylaws page. Since we have already been through the permit application process many times, we can make it simpler for you. Please be aware that the building permit is actually issued to the property owner (or the owners agent) and does not belong to the renovation contractor. This is how the local building inspector will hold the building owner responsible for any illegal or defective construction work!

BUILDING PERMIT ISSUED or Board of variance?

Preparing all the renovation plans and legal documents required for a commercial building permit application is complex and time consuming. Many commercial tenants are surprised by the delay in starting construction caused by the City's processing time. Expect 3-8 weeks, after you submit all the required paperwork, before a building permit is approved.

If your initial permit application is rejected by the City Plan Checker, you have the right to appeal the decision to the Board of Variance for the City. If you believe that your proposed renovation actually fits within the City building or occupancy use bylaws (or is still a good business for the City), a Variance Ruling may be necessary. City Hall may require special information before giving you a permit. They may even need to allow you to do something slightly outside the bylaws. Most variance applications are eventually granted, if you can give the right reasons for your project being approved. We have the experience to help you provide a reasonable argument, to improve your permit approval chances.

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ENGINEERED PLANS

For a commercial renovation, you may need to have a Registered Professional Engineer's approval for both the design and construction process. We can explain when you legally require an engineer and how to get the most cost effective result. Some building departments can request engineered (sealed as Professional engineer approved) drawings for every permit application. Unless you can show that your proposed renovation project poses no public safety danger or failure potential, they will enforce this by-law provision. Where this is necessary, providing each professional engineer with the detailed technical information they need, will save you a lot of time and expense. We can provide the preliminary drawings and specifications (in digital form) to assist the engineer in preparing final drawings and specifications. By reducing the amount of work they need to do, your total engineering cost is reduced.

RENOVATION CONTRACTS

As your lawyer will probably tell you, the only legal protection you really have is good paperwork. With everything in writing, there are no surprises! We always suggest that you have your lawyer review your project documents, for your protection. NEVER sign a contractor's Work Order, as your only working agreement. Every project is unique. Your Agreement (contract) MUST reflect this fact. A contractor's Standard Contract can be an expensive trap. It was written to protect the contractor, usually has no provision for terminating the agreement, and rarely contains any details about a completion schedule! Once you sign the contract and he unloads his tools, you could be liable for the final price, regardless of his performance! Too many lower mainland businesses have learned the hard way, that trusting a contractor to show up, perform well and leave (with you smiling), can be an expensive illusion. Get it in writing, (but make sure that what is written protects you, not just the contractor).

INSURANCE PLANNING

Risk management is part of every good business plan and how to manage commercial renovation risk is always an important planning stage decision. Never start renovation work in a leased space before obtaining business liability insurance coverage! We can help you to deal with your insurance broker for the most cost effective way to protect your coverage during the project. Depending on the extent of demolition and construction work you propose to do, your coverage may be affected. Whenever there is a substantial and material change to the risk exposure for your insurance provider, you must inform them. Failure to advise them, could result in unnecessary problems if you need to file an insurance claim. See WCB requirements as well

Your general renovation contractor and specific sub-contractors, that are governed by the BC Safety Authority, should always have valid Contractor's General Liability Insurance coverage. If they don't, you could be found liable for any damages they cause to the building or the City's property. Your insurance provider will not be pleased when they have to pay a liability claim that should have been avoided. Underwriters are under increasing pressure to refuse to renew coverage to people who have filed easily avoidable claims.

Additionally, all professional engineers and most Architects, must carry professionals liability insurance, to prove that they are both professionally and financially responsible for their Letters of Insurance submissions. We verify insurance coverage by all service providers, where they are legally required.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING

When all the trades workers know that they have an independent project manager to coordinate activities, they are usually more cooperative and efficient. After a few thousand projects, we know how to keep the project progressing, without having all the sub-trades tripping over each other. Having someone available to answer technical questions, eliminates confusion and increases everyone's efficiency. We provide clarification of your agreement provisions before contractors and sub-trades can get off course (and create a dispute). Who manages the project is usually more important than who actually does the construction work. Having a general contractor manage the project, can easily lead to serious cost overruns. The easiest renovation problem to solve, is the one that you avoid.

QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTIONS

The only way to ensure that you actually get what you pay for, is to have EVERYTHING inspected. We provide the quality control checks beyond City Inspectors. City building inspectors are only required to ensure that all the work performed conforms to the project described in your building permit application and meets the minimum standards set by National/Provincial (BCBC 2012) building codes and local City by-laws. Contract compliance and quality workmanship is simply not their responsibility. When you write accurate, detailed, project specifications, can you actually have quality of workmanship and performance inspected during the project. When you can stop the work to correct problems before they cover them up, you won't have to wait until they (and your money) leave... to discover a problem. Our inspection services includes both photo and written report scrutiny. You have a permanent record of the progress or contractor problems, for your project!

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CONTRACTOR DISPUTE MEDIATION

Before lawyers make money, there has to be a contractor dispute that gets completely out of control. Since we probably understand what both you and your contractor are actually disagreeing about, we can usually help you both get what you need to resolve the problem. Most of the time, problems result from poor communication or incorrect assumptions. We can provide the impartial explanations, to end the confusion and resolve disputes. It is in everyone's best interest to resolve the dispute without litigation, simply because of the costs involved. Your contractor will usually negotiate, when they know that their chances of winning a court case will go way down, if a recognized expert testifies on your behalf. Most disputes can easily be avoided if you plan the project carefully and specify everything you expect the contractor to provide. Assuming that your contractor will volunteer services to give you what you want, is a sure way to a conflict. When we help you plan your renovation, we ask both you and your contractor a lot of questions. Getting answers to important questions, let's both of you know what to expect. If communication breaks down, we're still there to help!

EXPERT WITNESS TESTIMONY

If your project is completely out of control, or your contractor refuses to perform as agreed (in writing), we can provide recognized expert testimony in support of your legal action. Having provided testimony regarding building repairs and fraudulent actions over many years, we can give you the credible support to prevent frivolous law suits costing you even more wasted expense. After inspecting and photographing the work done on your project, we prepare an affidavit detailing the physical facts. This coupled with personal testimony, reduces the reasonable doubt that the court faces when trying to determine who's telling the truth. To date, we have never testified for the losing party. However, if you neglected to produce a proper contract (with all the details and specifications) we probably can't help you very much. The courts deal with civil litigation on the basis of provable facts, not vague promises. If you signed a vague work order as your only contract, it usually doesn't matter what was verbally promised. Getting a detailed agreement prepared before you start your project, could save you thousands of dollars in wasted legal costs.

ONGOING CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Just because your project is finished, paid for and shiny new, doesn't mean that we're going to forget about you! If any problems arise, we want to hear about them. Only by knowing that your product and service providers respond quickly to customer service issues, can we know that you made good decisions when you hired them. If they don't respond to you, they will to us!

Providing commercial project planning and commercial design services to lease space clients in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Delta, Richmond, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, BC.

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